The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-03-27
The Who
Refused to Dance
With Me
By THOMAS R. DEAN

pfOulluett, Uul uiSl ul6 wealth. ulSdp'
peared, and then he died. My mother
was anxious to maintain something of
our social standing. but found 1t very
difficult to do so 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
auence, was to send us to a 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 line and beautiful to touch.
But |, having often heard my mother
say that we had never associated ex-
cept with the best. saw no reason why
l should take an inferior position.
There was one very pretty little girl
among this exclusive set whom ! wor-
SHIPPED from distance. It was the
rule of the school-not enforced-that
any girl must dance with any boy who
asked her One afternoon. when the
object Of my boyish 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. sue 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 It blessing. for 1t
opened my eyes to the fact that there
was position for me to win in the
world, and | resolved to win it. The
day will come, ] said to myself. when
l 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 a pat
ent medicine. Since my own father
had been a prominent professional
man felt the injustice Of this child
Of patent medicine proprietor snub-
bling the son Of lawyer and states.
man. Nevertheless when saw her
rolling about beside her mother in a
landau driven by 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 l
studied law and settled in a small but
rapidly growing place where there was
no great competition and soon sprang
into a fine practice.
had reached point where there
was no difficulty in resuming the so:
cial 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 were intent OH 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 a luxurious life
was making love to my stenogra.
pher. She was woman nearly my
age and a 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 asked her
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 specula ton a large
fortune he had made in patent medi-
cine
What need to go further AS look
ed into her face l saw what had not
seen befu,,. 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 l paid her for doing my drudgery.
The day Of vengeance had come, and
resolved to quaft the cup Of its
1regs. But l 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 l told her that she was working !
too hard and employed an assistant for
her. Her establishment was increased |
to wonder.
One afternoon kept her taking my
lictation till all others had left the of.
Gee, then said to her:
did you not attend Mr. BIS dancing
school at II. when you were a little
grip
Il did"
do you remember refusing to dance
with boy one afternoon who asked
your"
mo"
But you did. am that boy"
! spoke the words calmly and wait
ed for them to impress her. then add |
ed: "And now propose to pay OF that !