The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-11


ago to make his way past tables Of
girls whose faces were familiar at col;
lege dances and college games tsraight
up to Julia.
He had planned his speech and It
was soon delivered. 1t was short and
to The point. And Julia turned him
down. She did 1T very politely, al,
though with an air that left Dan.
Brown wondering why in his widest
dreams he had imagined that sheer
any other girl for that matter--would
have accepted his invitation to a sen.
for ball. tg
The truth of the matter was that
for this first senior prom of Julia's ca
reer-Cor this was the first winter that
she had been old enough to go to col
lege parties-sIe had expected to go
with Clark Butler. For Clark was. in
the parIance OF the other town girls.
"the one man in all the world" as far
as Julia went. That is to say, when
there were basketball games or col.
lege plays Julia went with Clark On
Sunday afternoons It was Clark who
dropped in at about Ave o'clock and
permitted himself always o'be urged
10 stay to tea with the family.
So It was simply matte1: of course
with Julia that she turned down the
bashful Dan. Thensshe waited foE the
invitation that she was sure would
come from Clark Butler, and for two
weeks she waited in vain, There was
only week left before the dance and
the strain OF the uncertainty was get
ting loo much for her frank nature.
Whom are you going to take to the
senior?" she asked.
"Girl from home" was Clark's I'M
satisfactory reply.
Julla'S frank eyes opened wider. she
was not at all used to enigmatic re-
marks OF this sort from Clark, but she
made no further query.
"I'm not going" was all she said.
whats the matter with going with
DAM" he asked, avoiding her search
ing glance. "You haven't really
turned him down. have you?''s;- Ell
From the way Clark said this it was
clear that it was something that had
been long on, his mind.
"Of course. I turned Dan down."
said Julia. This time she avoided
Clark's gaze, for she caught the tone
OF reproof it contained, although she
did not know at all why she deserved
1t. tig
Perhaps there was shade. of jeal.
ousy in her remark. q hope the girl
from home is very pleasant"
Clark seemed to pay no attention to
this thrust out asked: why did you
refuse Dan?"
Julia's cheeks, always flushed with
the pink Of youth and health, turned
crimson aud there was a catch in her
voice when she answered: s
Because I thought would go with
you, ! thought you would ask,:ne and
so waited. Though wouldn't have
accepted Dan Brown anyway"
Apparently this was the answer
Clark had been waiting for.
"You oughtn't to say that, Julia Z He
Strengthened himself 10 his fullsheight
and assumed the full dignity of the
senior that he was.
"Dan Ia q fraternity brother of mine.
Perhaps you don't know him well. but
you have no right to refuse him. You
see 1t is this way-may as. we'll tell
you as long as you have been so
frank: All the girls names in town
are put on paper at the frat house
the day the ball invitations are is.
sued anG then every fellow in the
house hands in the name of, some girl
he would like to take. Sometimes one
girls gets good many slips, guess
YOU got sono half dozen. Then the
slips a:H sorted out and all the fel.
lows that choose any one, girl have to
draw lots to see which one gets her,
and then the girls that DON'T get any
vIf NV n3xn. ~ anI
that don't get the right slip, and. Of
course, any fellow that wants, to ask
an outside girl has a chance was
one of the men that missed out on the
slips when we drew for you,t so :I.asked
q girl from home. / oughtn't to tell
oyu thiE-everything that happens in
the frat house is moro or less secret
but I saw that you didn't under.
stand.r ,ts.
"What If girl refuses the first man
that asks her?" 4 III
well, then. OF. course, she m light be
asked by another fellow. That's per.
mitted. But it gives the gtr1sa black
eye. Do you see? Now, after you had
refused DAM knew you. did : and
told him not to. say. anything about It
because It would give, you a black eye.
Do YOU see? or some other fellow
might have asked you and you might
have accepted, but every. one would
have known you had turned Dan
Brown down and that would make you
out Airt and a fusser. n. wouldn't
want the mensto think Of you that
way" /: 4, !, q.
'"But don't like to dance with Dan
Brown" persisted Julia. NJ y don't. care
for your old rules. don't care for
your old senior balls anyway. II Don't
touch me, Clark Butler"-C Clark had
tried to. lay a soothing hand L on the
girls shoulder when. she said !. that.
rim just as mad as "a girl can get.
There, and I am: not trying OF pretend
I'm not mad. either a rss F3 ls 4iS
You don und erstand, ssti ILL., You
see, Dan Brown is a pcrfeetly alright
fellow: If he were mot. he uldn't be
in our frat and 1T Is up to- every one