The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1916-03-02
'sENOR|TA' BROWN
BY HERMANcE WOODS.

! 1t was in Professor Al0nSo'S span
ish in Twenty Lessons class that
Tom Edgewood first met her. Tom
was learning the Castilian tongue be-
cause it was part OF his scheme OF
personal advancement to become a
member of the South American agency
of the concern for which he worked.
but when Tom asked the girl why
she was giving her time to the twenty
lessons she smiled charmingly and re-
piled why shouldn't /? One has
to do something.
Then have You nothing else to do?"
There were several ambitious young
stenographers in the class and Tom
thought perhaps she, too, was learn
ing the language for business pur-
poses.
mo, nothing much" she answered.
zone can't play bridge and dance all
the time. Oh, l do go in for suffrage
q little, and, of course, there are
things to do at home, but / find Span
ash very diverting."
There had already been fifteen les
sons of the course, and although Tom
had never been able to find out the
girls name except that the professor
called her "Senorita Brown" he had
as a matter of fact become, as he
thought, fairly well acquainted At
the seventeenth lesson, he had sum-
moned courage sufficient to linger
after class with her and beg the priv
ilege of calling on her, but she mere
ly laughed archly and asked him why
he wanted to see her outside of class.
She didn't exactly discourage him.
she did not tell him where she lived
and Toms courage vanished before he
had asked her for her address.
But Tom had-for some reason that
he couldn't readily explain to his own
satisfaction at the time-given the
girl much better idea of his own ac-
tivities In fact, he confided to her,
as he had confided in no one else, the
ambition that was leading him to seek
a career in Spanish-America. This all
took place before and after Professor
Alonso's lessons, and as the girl al
ways arrived early and did not seem
to be inclined to cut the after-lesson
talks short, Tom felt that she at
least found passing interest in him.
"Td awfully like to know you bet
nineteenth lesson in the series. Il
have wanted to call, but you didn't
seem to want me to-
But said you might If you cared
to-"
And then you wouldn't tell me
where you lived. In the meantime,
have told you everything about my
Lelf, my plans and ambitions. There
is lot I would like to talk to you
about. We might even air our Span
lsh little / happen to have the aft
ernoon off. Won't you come with me
to luncheon-anywhere you say-and
let me have chance to know you a
little better?"
81 should like to so much" she said
with regret, although Of course, it
would be dreadfully unconventional,
but I am afraid can't. I am going
to be busy; in fact, l mustn't stop a
minute after class. really ought not
to have come to class at all this
morning"
Tom pleaded little.
Il didn't want to tell you," she ex-
planned, "but I am busy this afternoon
with the suffrage parade" Here Tom
recalled later that he saw her flush
ever so slightly.
mo particular reason why you
shouldn't want to tell me that, is
there? You don't imagine, do you,
that I am one of those sentimentalists
who feel a prejudice against having
women at the polls or in suffrage
parade if they choose to be there?
am sorry, of course, if that is what
keeps you from 1unching with me.
But go ahead, little lady, and do your
best. If l were a suffrage organiza-
tion l wouldn't want to miss having
you in the line, I'm sure. And per-
haps you will go with me some other
time"
Promise one thing" she asked as
thew parted. Promise you won't
watch the parade this afternoon.
81 won't absolutely promise he
said, "but will try to resist the temp
tation of seeing you again this after
noon"
The next meeting of the Spanish
class was the last in the series. Tom
Edgewood was in his place at the
usual time and 80 was the young wom-
an whose seat was next to his. But
in Toms greeting there was note OF
distance and none of the usual cheer
full cameraderie. He looked intently
at her, with look that was calculated
to show her his displeasure, but the
young woman, apparently, did not read
his meaning.
After class, she hesitated for her