The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-10-12
BEING
OBLICINC

whenever any one of Walters ac-
quaintances gives dinner or a thea
ter party or any similar function and
invites any girl who hasn't any par
ticular man dangling after her Walters
is always invited SO that he can take
her home.
Walters has soft heart. not so
much for the girls. who but for him
might have to be out alone after dark,
as for his friends. who need a man
to act as an escort for the unattached
girls. He appreciates the awkward
position they are in, and instead of
being otherwise engaged when he gets
call he always hangs up the receiver
hastily and then jumps into dress
| suit.
OF course. he is imposed upon some
times. but as a rule he manages to get
a fair degree of entertainment out of
his duties. He even boasts of going to
| all the best parties and dancing with
all the prettiest girls without ever
falling In love and thus losing out in
the game.
Walters had gone with SO many
| different girls and had become so gen.
orally known for his obliging disposi.
ton that no one was at all surprised
when he showed up at the Thompsons'
dance with Frank Webster's girl.
Frank Webster's engagement to this
girl hadn't been formally announced,
but 1T was pretty we'll known, and II
anyone but Walters had gone with her
there would have been talk.
Webster had been suddenly called
out of town, and in order that Sally
might go to the dance called up Wal
tiers and asked him as favor to take
Sally. Walters. as usual, was willing.
| All the way to the dance Walters
explained to Sally just why Frank had
had to keep his business engagement
and break his social engagement with
her. Still, she couldn't see just how it
was, and so she felt bit resentful.
| She was holding Walters flowers to
| her face while Walters explained
Franks position for the twentieth
time. Then she suddenly asked:
But would you have broken your en-
gagement with me to keep a business
engagement"
| Floored, Walters declared that he'd
have broken forty business engage
ments rather than break one with her.
She smiled sweetly and drew out
various other professions of devotion
from him before they got to the dance.
Walters was always as attentive to
the girls as they would permit. so
when Sally smiled her approval on
his every action he put his whole
soul into his attentions. Thus. before
the evening was over the two were
| absorbed in each other and apparent
ly forgot the presence of anyone lese.
Walters effectiveness was SO
kmarked and the two became so ex-
tremely exclusive during the evening
that the others took notice to their
conduct and quite little gossip
started.
When it came time to go home they
forgot to say good night to their
hostess SO engrossed were they In
each other.
Sally invited Walters to call the fol-
lowing day, and he was there on the
minute. He brought along big box
of candy and the latest book, and to-
gether> they had perfectly delightful
afternoon. Sally invited him to stay
to dinner, and after dinner he went
after his motor car and took her out
riding.
1t was while they were riding that
Webster called, he having returned to
the city. He sat waiting for two hours.
but when they had not returned at IL
o'clock he put on his hat and went
home.
After Walters had said good night
to Sally he told himself on his way
home: She's nice little girl.
Franks got good taste. but don't
envy him for getting tied down to the
best of them"
He was very much surprised tho
next day, on meeting Frank on the
street, that Frank bowed formally and
coldly and passed him by. He won
dered vaguely what the matter was.
A few days later he heard that
Franks engagement to Sally was
broken.
That's a curious thing!" he ex-
claimed, but 1t never dawned on him
that he had anything to do with the
affair.
The next time he met Sally on the
street he turned aside to speak to her.
1t hadn't occurred to him to call on
her since the dance and the party call.
Showing attentions to Sally was
favor which he had done Frank. and
he had done it to the best of his
ability, but it was merely favor,
Now he was stunned to see Sally
turn away and walk in the other di.
rection the minute he started toward
her. He watched her retreating figure
in amazement
Now, what do you know about
that!" said he to himself.
And to this day he wonders what il
the matter with Frank and Sally.