The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1911-10-14
Getting
Acquainted


ence Tracy standing opposite the door
he made up his mind that he wanted
to know her. He put forth big mus
cular hand and plucked by the sleeve
the first man that passed him.
Introduce me to the girl over there
talking to Matthews" he commanded.
Don't know her." responded the
other man. He turned and stared at
the girl for moment. "A good deal
Of a peach he commented, but |
never saw her before. Sorry | can't
oblige you" And he dashed off in
pursuit OF his own partner
The next half hour Henderson
passed looking for some one who
would present him to the girl, but
none of his acquaintance seemed to
know her. Finally, however, he came
upon Filkins, who was popularity sup
posed to know everybody in the world.
Say, Filkins," he said, 'if you don't
know the girl in white who has just
been dancing with Trenton l want you
to make it your business to get to
know her so that you can introduce
me-"
Henderson eagerly followed in Fill
kins' wake, with his eyes fixed on the
willowy creature who was the object
Of his admiration Thus he just
escaped climbing up Filkins' broad
| back when that unreliable person
stopped in front Of pudgy blond
creature and with a beaming smile in
troduced Henderson.
That wasn't the girl I wanted to
meet" he exploded to Filkins a few
minutes later. Nice enough girl,
don't doubt, but not the one. The girl
want to know Is the tall girl who
stepped out on to the veranda just
as you turned around then. Now, do
you know herr"
Filkins shook his head. mo,
don't" he admitted. But think she's
Mrs. Peterson's sister and is visiting
her. III try to find out for YOU"
mo, I'll do my own pioneering,
thanks" said Henderson.
Three times during the course of
the evening he discovered men who
knew the young woman In question.
and three times did he and the mutual
acquaintance wander about vainly in
! search of her. As the dancers were
beginning to leave Filkins rushed up
to Henderson.
I've met her and danced with her,
and she is peach" he announced.
You just wait here half second and
III cut her out Of the bunch as she
comes down and introduce you"
/ Once more Henderson waited pa
tiently but vainly. When all the
guests had departed Filkins gave a
sigh of mingled WEAKNESS and disap-
| pointment. Honest, old man." he
said, Il didn't mean to give you the
wrong steer, but she must have gone
out the other way"
! Henderson from tina, moment set
! his teeth and made up his mind that
he would achieve Florence Tracy's &C.
/ quaintance even though the heavens
! fell. With this purpose in view he
attended three lawn parties-festivi
ties which he loathed-and a church
bazaar. In vain.
One evening on his way home he
saw her sitting in the front of the car
with girl whom he had once known,
but never liked, and had consistently
avoided for years. Wandering past
them with a bland. slightly embar
raised but wholly humble and propiti-
atory smile upon his face, he was met
with such an icy stare from the girl
he had once known that he hastily
bolted into the forward car without at
tempting to renew the acquaintance.
However, several days later, when
he had almost given up hope Of &C.
complishing his object, he woke from
surreptitious nap on the evening
train just as it was pulling into the
station. In spite of the fact that his
vision was somewhat blurred with
sleep he suddenly became aware that
Miss Tracy had just stepped into the
aisle from seat about halfway down
the car.
Trying to look as much as possible
like man who has just been sitting
with his eyes closed to rest them, he
stumbled into the aisle. Then he
glanced back as he did SO, actuated
by the suburbanite's instinct for gath
ering up stray packages. In the rack
just above the seat which Miss Tracy
had been occupying his eyes fell upon
small. dainty parcel. Instantly he
was wide awake.
He dashed back to the seat, secured
the parcel and then dropped off the
platform of the car Just as the train
was pulling out of the station. Deter