Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-07-10
The Girl Who
Refused to Dance
With Me
By THOMAS r. DEAN

When I was little boy used to
hear great deal about the family's
.'halcyon days." as we called them My
father had been both wealthy and
prominent. but first his wealth disap-
peared. and then he died. My mother
was anxious to maintain something of
our social standing, but found 1t very
difficult TO do 80 on her very limited
income Nevertheless she was deter
mined to bring us up as ladies and gen
tlemen. and about the only way to re-
fine and polish us. outside of home in
fiuence. was to send US to dancing
school
The scholars were divided into sets,
and there was one set, the children Of
rich parents, many Of whom came TO
the lessons in carriages. attended by
their maids. They did not mingle with
the other scholars. who came to con
slider them AS something above them
selves. too fine and beautiful to touch.
But l. having often heQrd my mother
say that we had never associated ex-
lcept with the best. saw no reason why
] should take an inferior position.
There wits one very pretty little girl
among this exclusive set whom | wor-
SHIPPED from distance. 1t was the
rule Of the school-not enforced-thut
any girl must dance with any boy who
asked her. One afternoon. when the
object OF my boysh admiration hap
pened to be left without partner.
went up to her and made the bow
which was considered an invitation to
dance. She sat perfectly still. In 9TH
er words. she declined my invitation
This was the first rejection | had
ever experienced. and 1t pierced me to
the heart. But have since had rea-
son to consider 1t blessing. for It
opened my eyes TO the fact TINT there
was position for me to win in the
world. and resolved to win it, The
day will come. said to myself. when
shall live the life my father and
mother led In their younger days. /
must be successful, and to be success
full must think and act for myself.
grew up separate and apart from
this little girl. but for a time | kept
track of her. learned that her father
had made large fortune out of pat
ent medicine. Since my own father
had been prominent professional
man felt the injustice of this child
Of patent medicine proprietor snub-
bling the son OF n lawyer and states
man. Nevertheless when ! saw her
rolling about beside her mother in a
landau driven by a liveried servant
felt that she had the advantage OF me.
and ! renewed my VOW that the ad-
vantage should one day be blotted out
When was seventeen | had earned
and saved enough money to keep me a
year In college. and after that taught.
night school and won scholarships to
carry me through Upon graduation
studied law and settled In small but
rapidly growing place where there was
no great competition and soon sprang
Into fine practice.
| had reached a point where there
was no difficulty in resuming the so
ciai position my family had occupied
In the "halcyon days" and. being still
comparatively young and wealthy
bachelor. | was somewhat courted by
the girls | met In society Most of
them we're intent on winning for them.
selves an establishment before the hey
day of youth passed from them. But
| knew their tricks and their manners
and had no use for them.
Instead OF seeking partner for life
to spend my money In luxurious life
was making love to my stenogra.
pher. She was a woman nearly my
age and very intelligent and patient
person. whose appearance denoted that
she had seen better days. Neverthe-
less there was that which drew me to
her. though | could not tell exactly
what 1t was. One day I asked her
something about herself. She told me
that she had been born in the same
city that was born in and that her
father had lost In speculation large
fortune be had made In a patent medi-
cine.
What need to 60 further. AS look
ed into her face saw what l had not
seen before-traces of the features Of
the little girl who had score of years
before refused to dance with me. And
here she was, passing into spinster-
hood. dependent upon pitiful salary
that paid her for doing my drudgery.
The day Of vengeance had come, and
I resolved to quar- the cup of its
dregs. But kept my counsel. Not a
word did | speak to call up In her
memory the boy she had snubbed.
And this was my revenge. doubled
her salary. She was much astonished
Then told her that she was working
too hard and employed an assistant for
her. Her establishment was increased
to wonder
One afternoon I kept her taking my
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