Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-25
BILLY LEDCER's GOSSIP

Young william o. Rowland Of the Recouet
Club, better known as billy" Rowland. has
the proverbial nine-iived feline beaten 50
frazsie. His many friends refer to him as the
Accident King. He appears TO bear charmed
life, Judging from the series OF surprising mis-
haps he has experienced.
The latest was on Friday night returning
from the wanamaler dance, He and his chum.
Mercer Bldde. Jr., we're driving At a rapid rate
in Mr.. Blddle's high-powered car when It
skidded sharply and coIded with telegraph
pole. The big machine was badly wrecked ana
Rowland was hurled through the Windshield,
breaking collar bone as well as one finger and
various other minor bruises. Biddie, strangely
enough, was unhurt It appears he landed in
a sitting position, and the only thing that was
injured was his dignity.
It will be recalled that "Biily' Rowland
broke this same collar bone only few months
ago in a collision Of automobiles near Atlantic
City. He and Blddle were also in the fatal
wreck Of the Bar Harbor express which cost
the lives Of many prominent young phiia-
delphians. On that occasion huge splinter
Of wood was driven through Rowland's abb
domen. He calmly pulled Il out himself az
he sat on the railway track but he was laid
up in the hospital for months afterwards he
has been in innumerable lesser catastrophes,
mostly connected with automobiles, and one OF
his friends remarked after hearing of his latest
mishap that for such a prosperous individual
BILLY" broke" more often than any one,
he knew
The wanamaker dance, by the way, am
told was some party" The dancers kept at
It until o'clock Saturday morning. The society
fox trotter nowadays has the original four-
footed article looking like snail endeavoring
to negotiate piece of sticky ny paper.
had Just been shaved and had my shoes pol.
ished. Have you ever noticed what feeling OF
conscious assurance is derived from the knowr.
edge that ones two extremities are tonsoriaiiy
and sartorially correct1 Well that was the rea-
son, when radiant vision in the smartest OF
afternoon frocls stopped me and suggested my
accompanying her to a debutants tea, that
surrendered Internationally as a hungry
soldier.
But perhaps I wasn't asked" I murmured,
still struggling slightly with the conventional
strain of Quaker ancestor. Who's giving st7'r
"Oh, 1t doesn't matter at ALL" she assured me.
Il don't know them by sight, but everybody
receives cards. All the 'debs' simply take the
usual list. There's dancing. too; they won't
know you anyway and I'm sure you did get
one" This touching confidence in my obscure
respectability settled the matter and we went
The thing that struck me most was the sur
prlsingly large number OF men present. am
told the new dances responsible. Because
IT makes the old fellows feel young and the
young ones feel DID," she explained. It was
only the middle-aged, active business men who
appeared to be lacking. I saw three bank presl-
dents cavortng the dance noor vice
president of one OF the country's greatest rail-
roads and the heads Of two large Industrial con-
Germs
I asked her which type she liked best to play
with. II don't quite know" she replied. "The
old men become so awfuIy silly they bore me
with their batteries. while the boys usually take
themselves too seriously You see. so many OF
them are still chasing their buebirds as AIaeter-
lnck puts it, while those who are not are dis
gushing"
"on the whole you are very satisfactory" she
remarked.
''why?" inquired with rapidly expanding
chest.
Because you don't know how to talk ana 50
can enjoy the dancing in peace"
The chest hattened out again.
BILLY LEDGER.