The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-16
The Girl
Next Door
A Sketch of Juvenile
Love
By F. A. mitchell

not claim originality Tor the remark
But il is as true now as it was when
first made, some centuries ago. and an
English and American poets from
Chaucer to the present poet laureate
have enlarged on the theme.
Why not use it, therefore to intro.
duce a little tale, or sketch rather of
a very young man and very young
maid and flowers and flour?
Billy Atherton was nearing sixteen
that is. he was at an age when two
things monopolized the limited space
there was in his undevelopcd brain
the first being his clothes. the second
d girl. 1t may seem absurd TO nut
the clothes before the girl. but such is
the proper relation. There are a great
many girls, but only one wardrobe, for
a young man, and he requires that
wardrobe TO be exactly in vogue.
The first sign Billy showed of ap.
preaching manhood was when he was
fourteen. Then he displayed marked
concern about his neckwear Later
new complication developed: then
the period for long trousers came ON
The color of his neckwear must match
the color of his socks. Nothing would
induce him to wear socks that were
not clocked. His favorite shade for
his scarf and socks was a brilliant
yellow. and woe betide the tailor who
produced a pair of trousers for him
that were not short enough to display
seven-eighths of his hosiery!
When Billy was invited to his first
formal dance he was confronted with
tie most important question thus far
of his life. Should he wear a swallow
tail or a tuxedo? If tuxedo, should
he wear a white or black vest, a white
or black tie? In Billy's time boys Of
his age were supposed to pass upward
and onward to full dress through a
tuxedo. So. notwithstanding that he
was invited to formal dance. he must
wear tuxedo.
Consultation with half dozen other
boys of his age soon cleared the way
through the vest and tie problems
They were to be both black. But Billy
struck snag on the collar. There was
unfortunately a division of opinion
Some of the boys ruled for standing
some for a rundown collar. During
the afternoon before the dance Billy
was in fever of suspense whether it
should be standing or rundown. Final
y the matter was settled by tele
phone message from his haberdasher
who, after consulting periodical Civ
ing such fashions, assured Billy that if
he wore anything except rundown
collar the bottom would drop out Of
the universe. That settled the final
momentous question as to how Billy
should be arrayed on going to his first
formal dance.
Since Billy was to enter upon his
hrst love affair during the evening of
this dance one would suppose that the
apparel of the girl he was to fall in
love with should be also described.
Betty Hinsdale. aged fourteen and
ten months. was as much concerned
about her party get up as was Billy
ABOUT his apparel. A dress had been
especially prepared for the occasion.
But If her costume were to be as mi
nutely described as Billy's has been it
would require woman to do the job.
ms would involve two persons to
Write the story. Hence | can only say
that when Betty was paraded before
her father in her party dress he inn
mediately ordered IL heightened at both
ends. This is all the information
can give on the subject
Tie apparel of these two young per
sons being the most important part OF
thls story has necessitated its being
introduced in the beginning. IL is now
necessary to mention a certain spring
gay when Billy had put on his base.
oail suit and was In his back ward
summing himself. occasionally throwing
ball against the brick wall of his
home.
BILLY was standing within few
leet OF the house examining tear III
the ball he had been tossing when he
was surprised at fine powder settling
all over him He brushed it of. but
more settled in its place. He looked
Up TO see whence it came. All he saw
was that 1t had emanated from win
uow In the house next door
Billy was puzzled. Nevertheless be
suspected that some one was shower
nig him. Bending his head over his
oail for awhile. he raised his eyes sud.
uehly and saw the laughing face OF
siu at window. IL was drawn In
WIN astonishing rapidity Billy wait.
eu and watched for some time. but
'nere was no temperance Of either
me girl or'the -four that had whitened
him.
De IL remembered that this was
spnngdme. One morning when Billy
was getting himself late for breakfast
" painful indecision as TO which
eravat out of more than twenty he
should wear he cast his eyes aside
'rom the mirror before him-it was
very close to a window-and saw
slfl Planting seeds or roots In the yard