Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-12

had taken me every udy lOi Il
week, and though l had met in all per
haps one hundred men, young or old.
[ was but little the gamer except in
experience. A youth had overgenCrous-
Iy given me his very handsome silver
cigarette case. Another man, some
what older, had presented me with a
tawdry ring which he had worn upon
mis- little finger. a great many men
had bought me things to eat which
were bad for me, and a fair number
of them had wanted to call upon me.
That was the net result of seven days
of this sort of experience. L comment
ed upon it to Fred Ellersley.
"Of course I'm having an awfully
good time" / told him, but l can
Keep it up forever. I'm afraid mother s
going to find out I'd like to go to work
and then I'd have a little money of my
own. Do you think, Fred, L shall be
able to find somebody 20 give me that
dress so I'll look good enough to apply
for the position at Silberstein'sT
"TIl get busy for you, DIANA Fred
assured me. i've had an old lady on
the string all this week. Gee! Some
swell! She's been letting me use her
motor. But Ill see if l can't scare up 4
live one for you right away
Accordingly that afternoon, as l sank
with a young man who had been trying
to teach me a new step, 1 saw Fred
coming toward me over the crowded
restaurant floor. BY his side was 4
short, solidly built man. 1 don't know
why, but as 1 looked at this person L
thought of a pig. His nose turned up
in a snout-like way, and the hair on
the back of his neck and his mustache
bristled stiffly. Distinctly did not like
him But already 1 was sufficiently So
phisticated to catch the look Fred threw
me over his head.
MIR. Kennedy" Fred said as he intro
duced him. He would like to dance
with you, Diana"
1 tried to look pleased. AS a matter
of fact, 1 had acquired my knowledge
of dancing together with my knowledge
of sundry other things only since my
introduction into this stratum of So
ciety 1 was still little uncertain Of
of the dancing steps. l felt I needed
young and experienced partner. l
foresaw that my dance with Mr.. Ken
nedy would not be unadulterated bliss.
Almost at once the younger man who
had been talking to me left me and
l found myself with Mr.. Kennedy upon
my hands. 1 strove to simulate po-
lie interest. At first he seemed awk-
ward and ill at ease, anxious to talk,
but i'm the merest generalities. I don't
know why, but it came to me that Mr..
Kennedy was not this mans right name.
And that he was nervous and afraid
lest some chance acquaintance, or his
own remarks, should give me some clue
TO his true identity. Had l been a little
older and wiser l would have guessed
him to be married, with probably a
pleasant home and wife and children of
his own. Whatever he was, however,
he seemed bent upon not wasting much
time now that he had met me He said
quite crudely that, The had been look
ing for a nice little girl to dance with,
and that he was "a lonely sort of 4
fellow who wished he knew some one
who cared for him."
And when the dance music did strike
up he slipped his arm so tightly about
me that l almost lost the little knowl-
edge of the steps 7 had acquired.
had to confess to him when we paused
that / had not known the new steps
long enough to have gained facility
Then in some burst of honesty
added:
Il never was in place like this until
two weeks ago, Mr.. Kennedy"
The man eyed me appraisingly. Then
he rubbed his hands
"All the better" he said. Nobody