Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-09-08

let me take herr inquired the anx-
ious Skeeter.
"Oh, Granger is friend Of mine.
/ can fix things up for you"
At discreet distance the conspira-
tors leaned against the wall and re-
liaved themselves OF their pent up glee
by shouts Of uproarious laughter.
1T was too easy" commented Monk
between gasps. He swallowed bait,
hook, sinker and all"
They Will dance sixty laps before
anybody WIN break them" chuckled
Bun, III she Is really as much of a
lemon as you make out"
Skeeter Lafferty meanwhile, In the
less impressive and less persuasive Sd
lence Of his room, was undergoing a
change of attitude. The more he
thought the less alluring his future re-
sponsibilities appeared And be had
no one to blame but himself
But Skeeter was not the sort to back
out
When Monk returned lie announced
cheerily:
81 persuaded Granger TO let you
have her for the dance. Everything Is
lovely"
Thanks" replied Skeeter. trying to
smile while his brain was already busy
with dark plots for revenge. He would
put salt In Monk Hanes' bed that night
Bun and | both recommend her"
continued Monk, whose sense Of guilt
was leading him to undue assurances.
You are real sport. Skeeter. II Bun
and weren't 80 busy we would help
out with her card
At the Forest school cards were made
out three days before the dance In
his hour OF need Shelters friends melt
ed away, leaving him desperately
alone. He became more and more con-
WINGED that his social humiliation had
been carefully planned
Only by assigning himself gener-
Gus portion Of his lady's dances and
by waging among his fellows heated
campaign, In which bribes In great va
riety were brought to bear, was he
able to complete her program Of TWEEN
ty dances.
Evening drew on apace, the evening
Of the dance. The dressing rooms fiut-
tered with bevy of animated. paipt
tating girls. The boys dormitories re
sounded with cries for assistance from
youths struggling with their first stt1
shirts and dress ties. The rush Of
footballs along the corridors was In
cessant-
SILK socks, studs, suspenders and COZ
lar buttons of the right length were at
a premium. while white gloves were
not to be had at any price.
Skeeter Lafferty, having shaved
twice In his entire lifetime, attempted
in the hurry to lather his face with
tooth powder. He nicked himself on
the lip and emerged from the ordeal
with cheeks rough and glowing He
thought 1t particularly unfortunate to
his lip on dance eve
A prep school senior knows many
things In his own conceit Monk and
Bun knew more, or thought they did
But they had failed to take account Of
one fact-a girl does not remain six
teen very long.
A gawky, snub noeed girl, with long.
spindiing shanks, may become BY her
eighteenth birthday Lady Of poise,
beauty and grace, At to adorn the
throne Of king or the limousine Of
corporation lawyer. And kings and
captains OF finance had nothing on
Skeeter Lafferty. who rubbed his eyes
with establishment but smiled never
the3ess when he spied Miss Shrek
hise ~
Things bad happened to Miss Shreck-
hike IN tvo years. She was fresh. she
was gxnEe itself. she was beautiful
And she is all mine for this dance"
thought Skeeter. with such pride that
the blood surged tingling to the tips Of
his ears.
Miss Street.-The smiled Skeeter Q
welcome and. extending her gloved
hand, gave him q real shake.
Il think you were the incest man In
the world to make out my card" said
Miss Shreckhize. looking straight at
him
Skeeter smiled, too-and gulped
Bun Walker, with the sweat OF baf-
ded rage sending chills down and up
his spine, had lived to see his gleeful
prediction that Skeeter would dance
sixty laps without being broken en-
drely reversed Miss Street.-The was
being sought after. battered, stared at.
surrounded by circle Of hungry eyed
youths every time she stopped dancing
long enough to draw breath.
Their eyes followed her constantly
as she fioated fairylike about the floor
on Skeeter's skillful arm The most
fastidious dancers nudged each other
eloquently as she passed
Bun Walker was hopping his brow.
She had only looked at him once, but
that was enough for poor Bun. Az
their eyes met he felt his skin break
out In goose bumps He knew II was
all over with him
"a for Nfox,k ha xyux -~,N~~k~w ~.