Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-10-14
TAM ING
A CRANK

Barton declared that nothing ever
would induce him to go out to dinner.
He insisted that wild horses could not
Der of reasons why it was not possible
for him to go His best shoes were
too small. he had no dress suit, he
couldn't bear society-and so on.
His roommate listened patiently to
the end
We'll, You may think it is manly to
act like that = he said then, but l
don't see it IN that light. I've been
patient with your nonsense long
enough. Now, either you act right
or it's all off between us, that's ALL"
you talk like melodrama," de-
clared Barton. "If prefer book by
the fire to dining at your iancee's
house it's no reflection on her, since
l never saw her in my life"
Its the first thing I've asked you
to do in MONTHS said his roommate
in injured tones And this is the ele-
gait way get turned down"
81 don't see the Use of treating it as
If it were personal matter" said
Barton. You know I'm a crank who
doesn't care for society"
II know you're y goOd-looking, in
teresting fellow, and you make me ev-
erlastingly tired" returned his room
mate.
Your staten ents don't agree"
laughed ra-ton But thank you for
the bouquets jnst the same"
81 shall take it as personal
affront if you don't go with me to
dinner to Alice's. when I'm goi g to
be married and leave you in a few
weeks insisted Barton's roommate
'You know | haven't a dress suit"
said Barton
"YoU don't suppose it's as formal
as hat do you,? It's just the fam
lily
81 don't know the family"
THAT doesn't make any difference.
Be a sport That is, if you care any
thing at all about my feelings"
"FCelings!'
We'll, it's true; I'm making this a
test case"
Barton heaved a sigh and his room
mate waited till his back was turned
before he winked solemnly at the cleo
tric light The battle was won.
Barton changed his mind a thousand
tines before the evening of the din
ner. but his roommate always con-
quered in the end so that the night
cane with the invitation long accept
ed and not once declined Barton
mounted the steps to the house as
though they led to the scaffold, and
his companion only half guessed how
nea" he was to running, even after
the bell had been rung.
The door was opened by vision in
pink.
Barton gasped at the sight. No
wonder he had had so many solitary
evenings during the past year if that
was Georges fiancee! She and
George had some joke and he had a
minute in which to look at her before
he was presented. In that minute he
noted that her eyes were brown and
her hair simplicity and honesty itself
He had had an idea that all girls wore
false hair, but this girl didn't and she
was the most charming creature he
had ever seen.
Mary, I want to present my chum
Fred Barton" George was saying
Fred, this is her sister. Where's
Alice?"
The rest of the evening was blur
to him when Barton looked back upon
it. He met Mary's mother and father
and an aunt and the sister, but he
didn't remember how any of them
looked, so dimmed were they by the
one great light He talked, too, and
talked we'll, and she smiled up at him
several times In genuine liking
After dinner they stayed an absurd
ly short time, though George said his
watch showed it was ten o'clock.
Georges watch was always wrong,
parton ramomhared ~osantful1v