The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-29

would have looked to see where Il
rame from Not so this young lady.
She was conscious of the fact that a
young man lived next door. She re-
membered 10 have dropped -four on his
shoulders and was on the lookout for
response. In fact, she had seen Billy
at his window amid a rainbow of
cravats. Given a girl in a back yard.
young man at window, and 1t Is
to be supposed that the girl will ex-
pect something.
Billy tossed sprigs and flowers.
which fell TO the girls right, to her
/ left, before her, behind her. but she
paid no attention to them. Then he
went to the bathroom, filed tumbler
dow, sent the contents In a spray on
the flower planter. There was just
enough of sprinkling to cause her to
/ fear a douche. She arose from her
work and marched into the house On
her way she cast glance up at Billy
and made a face" at him. Billy in
return threw her kiss from the tips
I of his fingers.
| This time Billy saw enough of the
! girl TO be sure that she was pretty
1 What else she was he did not know
and did not care to know He had at
/ tracted her attention, though he had
been obliged 10 sprinkle her to do SO.
She had brought the sprinkling on
herself by giving him a s,agc snow
storm. and rs for the face she had
made at him he did not mind that a
bic.
The next day when BILLY was going
up the steps. getting out his latehkey
who should come out If the front door
of the next house but the girl She
passed him with her nose IN the air
but she had scarcely reached the side
walk when Billy heard a eiggle He
turned and tried to get up his courage
to follow and join her. but he had not
been introduced to her, and should she
scorn him he would never recover from
the blow. She had Toured him and he
had lowered her, but this did not con
stitute an Introduction. He would no
more dare speak to her without the
formal introduction required In social
life than he would return to his knick-
erbockers.
Such was the condition between these
two next door neighbors when Billy
was invited to his first formal dance.
He began to array himself at o'clock
for function that was supposed to
begin at half past 8. Much time was
required He put three sets Of studs
In his shirt before he was satisfied
with a set Of tiny mosaics. He had
inserted gold links in his cuffs. and
this necessitated further change, for
had he worn mosaic studs with gold
sleeve buttons he would expect to be
ordered out of the house by the host.
The tying of his neckwear was anoth-
er delay requiring some twenty-five
minutes. lie succeeded In placing 1t
above the collar button, but was In
terror lest 1t slip down.
He was informed by his mother, who
stood by him nobly in this critical
period Of his life, that he would surely
be late. and ut last he put the finishing
touches 10 his makeup and, going
downstairs and out, entered limou
sine that had been summoned to trans
port him To the scene of hoped for CON
quests. AS he was driving away n
car stopped next door. lie wondered
IL the girl who lived there was going
anywhere.
Billy on reaching his destination
Ia. q H.. Il
room. Whether it was for further
arrangement of his apparel or "A stage
fright at appearing at his first function
there is no record. Nevertheless he
held on to the banlster on his way
down. He made his bow to the
hostess and was at once taken off by
member OF the family to be present
ed to some Of the young ladies he did
not know.
Those invited were all supposed to
be between fifteen and seventeen.
though some of the girls had barely
turned fourteen Billy was introduced
TO several girls In succession and was
landed for a similar purpose before
another when he stood stock still. She
was the girl next door.
Miss Betty Ilinsdale, this Is Mr..
T AthertoE.'
, Why all the retiring qualities are at
, tributed To the softer sex 1t is difficult
, to explain Billy, as he expressed 1t
afterward. was taken flat aback."
Miss Tlinsdale was as cool as cucum-
Der. Billy stammered something like
) pleasure of a dance" whereupon she
threw back her head with all the air
, % society belle. at the same time
, thrusting ont dance card with not a
/. vacancy on IT, But Billy soon caught
, NJ with her lie erased several names
! and boldly wrote his own name in
/ their place
, Minute accounts OF love affairs may
he pleaSingly realistic. but they re-
qulre much space But 1t doesn't re-
q quire much time for boy of sixteen
). TO fan in love Billy did the falling
: like house painter from scaifold-
very suddenly But he was dead
, man. SO far as his heart was concern
ba n.-anip0