Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-12-12
STANDING PAT

| prom at the Blakemore. The campus
was a.thrill with expectancy. Dress.
makers were sewing far into the
night; express companies were work.
ing overtime under florists orders;
drug clerks were rapidly exhausting
their stocks Of wrinkle eradicators,
eye brighteners. miracle-working
bleaches and other alleged aids to
beauty.
AS Leila Evans, Gladys Donohue
and Vivian BranfCrd walked arm In
arm from Farrell hall to the gym
nasium. youngman In a ramshackle
buggy with one horse logged along the
graveled driveway. A slouched hat
was raised, revealing a massive cere-
head, a shock of black hair and deep
gray eyes.
Heavens, here he Is again! | wish
we could have one dance a year from
which Bob Kimberley could be ex.
| cluded,' said Gladys petulantly. II
just won't dance with him tomorrow
night"
Nor l." replied Vivian emphatical-
| ly He steps on your toes and tears
your dress. He's such bore. Let's
all stand pat and cut him. Then she
added with sheer: He's not col
lege man, you know"
college does not make men," said
Leila, with hurt eyes and paling
cheeks. Just think If these four
or five dances were the only contact
with your own kind Of people that YOU
had in a year! Just think. If you
| darce!"
IF there was anything to him. he
wouldn't live out on that old rundown
| place in the hills" said Vivian.
But that old place has been in the
family for 100 years. VIVIAN" Leila
answered, land Bob's the only one of
the boys that will stay there. ad-
mire him for his loyalty and his grit.
Aunt Polly and | stopped there one
afternoon on our way to Eaton bay.
| It's charming old home There is a
great porch that runs all the way
round the house. The fireplaces are
that huge that"
oAA' S'op ~, A<CO' hnl AuS hothAheS
to do with his bad dancing. Why
| doesn't your hero have an automobile
instead of that old buggy and pokey
horse? / might forgive him for step
ping on my toes, then"
! Leila made no answer though a
stubborn wrinkle about her mouth indi-
Gated that the matter was much upon
| her mind.
The ASSEMBLY hall was a vivid pic
| ture Of college color and enthusiasmj
Leila Evans. with her wavy night
black hair and flashing eyes. was the
PROTEST girl on the floor The fell
lows flocked about her, begging Ton
favor.
I'm sorry, Clemmy, can let you
haze only two dances tonight" l.
Girard Clement, acknowledged as
the best dancer and most desirable
beau at Blakemore, bit his lip. But
But, there are-others," she smiled
bewitchingly up into his amazed eyes,
and turned to blonde young man at
her left !
Isn't it shame, Tony. that 1"heve
only the second extra for your" 9th
er5 Of Blakemore's finest flower had
| to be content with extras.
A massive brow underneath s1rpcN
of dark hair doomed on the outer e1ge
Of Leilas circle of admirers. His
firm, strongly-knit shoulders made
| way to the girls side as easily and
| unconsciously as a mastiff moves
among a convention of fox terriers
II do hope you have saved soInel
| thing for me. haven't been able To
get single dance this evening""
Eyes, have ~ for you" Blushihs-
ly, she added: THAT is. have Il
| left-if you care for them"
DO dare take them all?"
please do" And Bob Kimberley
scrawled his signature across every
vacant place on her program.
When their first dance came. a MUIR
muir went round the hall. Gladys Dom
ohue remarked to Vivian Branford:ji
well, that's the only dance he'll get.
All the girls but Lee will stand pat
Bob Kimberley did not step on Lei =
las toes nor did he tear her dress.
but it was an effort to follow the mu--
sic with him. When the dance was.
over, he bent low over her. It's per-
fectly gorgeous out under the trees.
There's moon, and it's very warm
aAd-there is something want to tell
you. Will you Gomez"
AS they walked through lane Of
poplars. the man continues: I've
. always had faith in the old place. It's
been deadly lonesome. and there have
been times when | thought couldn't
stand 1t longer. Do you remember the
afternoon that you and your Aunt
Polly sat on my porch? Since that
day | knew that I just had to strike
oil. And week ago l did. and now
I'm going to spend my time doing all
those things that I've missed for so
many years, and, among other things.
I'm going to learn to dance. know
all about standing pat Leila"
He came closer. I'm going to New
York in couple Of days to settle up
about some contracts. wonder if you
could go-that quickly, dear"
A slim white arm stole about his
neck.
II could 60 now" she whispered.
1t was many days before Gladys
Donohue or Vivian Branford ventured
upon the campus, and cutting is now
much frowned upon at Blakemore.-
New York Press.
A Thoughtful Parent.