The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-16

"ouiu have looked to see whera a
'aiiie from Not So this young lady
she was conscious Of the fort tb.t a
young man lived next door. She r..
lieiiiDeFed To have dropped four on his
shoulders and was on the lookout for
response In fact. she had seen Rillv
at MS window amid a rainboyv of
cfa'a'S, Given girl in back ward
young man at window. and il il
10 pe SUPPOSED that tile girl viii ex.
pect something
hlIly tossed spriss and flowers
which fell to the girls right. 10 her
left, before her. behind her but sb.
paid II" attention 10 them. Then he
went to the bathroom. filled a tumbler
win water and. returning to his win
uoW. sent the contents in a spray on
lhe hover planter, There was lust
enough OF a sprinklins to cause her to
rear douche She arose from her
WORK and marched into the house. On
ner way she cast glance up at Billy
ana made face" at him. Billy IN
return threw her kiss from the tins
Of his fingers.
This time Billy saw enough of the
glrl to be sure that she was pretty.
what else She was he did not know
ana did not care to know. He had at.
tracted her attention. though he had
been Obliged TO sprinkle her to do So.
She had brought the sprinkling on
herself by giving him stage snow.
Storm and as Tor the face she had
made at him he did not mind that a
bit.
The next day when Billy was going
up the steps. getting out his latchkey
who should come out Of the front door
of the next house but the girl She
passed him with her nose IN the air.
but she had scarcely reached tie side
walk when Billy heard a gigsle. 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 aad 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-
erboekerS.
Such was the condition between these
two next door neighbors when Billy
was invited to his first formal dance
lie began 10 array himself at 6 o'clock
for a function that was supposed To
begin at half past 5. Much time was
required. He put three sets of studs
in his shirt before lie was satisfied
with n 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 de''f requiring some twenty-five
minutes. lie succeeded in placing 1t
above the collar button, but was In
terror lest it 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 at last he put the finishing
touches to his makeup and, going
downstairs and out entered llmon
sine that had been summoned Ia trans
port him to the scene of hoped for com
quests. As he was driving away a
car stopped next door. He wondered
il the girl who lived there was going
anywhere
Billy on reaching his destination
spent half an hour in the dressing
room Whether ii was for further
arrangement of his apparel or stage
fright at appearing at his first function
there is no record. Nevertheless he
held on 10 the banister on his way
down. He made his bow to the
hostess and was at once taken of by
a 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 aud was
landed for n similar purpose before
another when he stood stock still She
was the girl next door.
Miss Betty IIinSdale. this Is Mr
Athert0n'
why all the retiring qualities are at
tributed To the softer sex II is difficult
TO explain. Billv aS he expressed II
afterward. v.a taken hat aback.
Miss HinsdGlc was as coo. as cucum-
Der. Billy stammered something Ike
..pleasure of a dance" whereupon she
threw back her head with all the air
% a society belle. at the same time
thrusting ont dance card with not
vacancy on IT, But Billy soon caught
up with her. lie erased several names
and boldly wrote his own name In
their place.
Minute accounts OF love affairs may
be peasingly realistic, but they re-
ouire much space. But 1t doesn't re-
- .s 81 Y