Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-10

ting his nose down to his test tubes
and blowpipes in his laboratory ana
digging out things that way
II shouldn't think such man would
care for society. and l should expect
him to be awfully bard to talk TO-"
"On the contrary. Old Date as the
students call him. is very fond Of so
ciety."
.Somewhere between thirty and for
ty."
Thirty isn't old-that is. not very
old"
"An the professors are old to the stu
dents. They always prefix old to
the names of members Of the faculty
and cut off one or more syllables."
Where is Old Date, as You call him?
Is he IN this roomT
Il don't see him." he replied. looking
about him. Would you like me to
find him and bring him to introduce to
you"
"Oh, heavensr' 1 gasped. Then. re-
Numbering myself. / put on what dig
nifty ! could assume and added: III
there is any one you wish to talk to
don't hesitate to leave me. / dare say
Mrs. Winston will take care of me-"
Not by any means. You have talk
ed 30 much Of Professor Dayton that
| thought you might like to know him.
l assure you / should consider 1t
deprivation to give you up to him"
At that moment Mr.. Winston ap-
preached with a baldheaded man In
spectacles whom she introduced to me
apd took the young man I had been
chatting with away to introduce TO
some one else.
The, rest of the evening was very
dull TO me, and was glad when saw
mamma making a move to leave. As
l was passing out of the house the
young man 1 had passed a pleasant
half hour with stepped up TO me and
asked me If he might not come and
see me. l gave the required permits
sion.
The next day the weather was very
warm, and In the afternoon 1 sat out
on the piazza overlooking the garden.
About o'clock 1 saw the young man
had met the evening before coming.
He was dressed Immediately in white
flannel and an orchid in his button
/ hole. AS soon as he came near he
lifted his hat and, turning at the gate,
joined me. He looked so pleased at
seeing me that 1 was quite set up.
had never had any attention from
real grownup young man before, my
oldest beau being less than twenty.
l felt more at ease sitting In my
own wicker chair at home. and, fat
tered by such marked attention from
I a grownup man, / was quite myself.
I'm not disposed to sit mute any more
than any other girl when am at ease,
and l kept up my end of the CONVEX
sation very well. if I Go say IL my
self. But think my caller contributed
to this. He had q way Of drawing me
out Indeed. got to Cabling without
realizing that l was doing all the talk
ing. But he seemed so interested in
all l said and listened so attentively.
was so deferential. that 1 could not
help talking on. 1t was an hour be-
fore bethOught myself that I, chit
Of a girl, had been monopolizing a
conversation with a young man who
might he twenty-five or twenty-six
years old. Then he rose to go. and
was quite mortified that would have
no opportunity to redeem myself by
permitting him to say a few things
himself. In withdrawing he said he
had passed a delightful hour. and I
showed my own appreciation OF him
by asking him to call again soon, to
which he replied that he would be
leaving the next morning. AS babe
him goodby could not but wish that
he would delay his departure. Some
how by this time 1 had forgotten his
stylish dress and had come to con-
slider him quite sensible.
AS he went out of the gate he stop
ped and said: by the bye. old Date
is to be at Mrs. Martins this evening.
Are you going?"
I'm not invited. Are you?"
Yes. shall be sorry not to meet
you again. Goodby."
So was L: sorry enough. In less than
half. an hour Helen Martin called me
up on the telephone and asked me to
come round in the evening. Professor
Dayton was to be there-only a few
people informally. ] had nc interest
In "Old Date" but ! had a great deal
of interest in a certain young man
who was to be that evening at the
Martins.
When I entered the Martins draw
ing room l was the second guest TO
arrive. The young man whom ] now
met for the third time was the only
one who preceded me. He was chat
ting with Helen Martin and as / en-
tered looked at me with very comical
expression on his face. | supposed II
had something to do with my having.
after all. been invited. AS ] approach
ed the two Helen said:
Evelyn, ! don't know IL you have
met Professor Dayton. Professor. this
is any friend Miss Cummings"
well, l declarew
My exclamation was not especially
Ineligible to Helen. but It was to Pro-
fessor Dayton. His eyes fairly danced
with amusement.
I'm Old Date" he said. true
enough"
n