The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-08-25
THE COUNTRY GIRL
BY HARRISON A

Bruce Barton. sitting on the steps OF
The rambling farmhouse, looked up In
10 the eyes OF Mary Nelson The girl
gniled-
Are you sureT7 she asked
Positive"
-WhyT"
For a moment Bruce was silent
ITS because you are different from
any other girl I have every knoWn.' he
answered finally. You're pretty and
you're clever, but at the same time
you don't think anything about clothes,
you don't powder your nose, n you
don't 90 around fishing for compI-
ments"
Listen, Bruce. You don't know
what Tn doing Up here, where l cane
from or who my parents are"
Il know" be answered In mock ser-
usnes "An that I care about is that
I cane up to Riverton Center three
weeks ago expecting to take a rest /
net you, and / haven't had any rest
since"
And you're going home tomorrow
he nodded. yes, but l want you TO
come down TO college next week and
20 with me TO the senior ball"
He looked up ~anxiOusly, but the girl
shook her head
I've read about college dances" she
answered, and l don't think that Tn
the girl you want TO take"
~whyr
Because the girls at the house par
ties wear beautiful clothes and are &C
customed to society; the men try TO
Guido one another, and the senior who
takes a girl who doesn't measure up
TO the standard is more or less OF q
laughing stock.
Bruce's face Redeemed
at isn't anything Ike that" he re-
torted. Il want you TO come with me.
VIII your"
Mary hesitated for a moment
II don't know" she answered finally.
I'm only a country girl. l haven't
many dresses, and I hardly think that
you would be very proud OF me down
there In college"
II would" he answered I'D be
proud Of you anywhere"
But somehow his words failed 10 car
~ conviction. and the girl, sensing his
h~esitancy, made her decision
"wen compromise" she said There
are ten days before the dance. II. after
you 90 back TO college and think over
what I've told you, you still want me TO
90 to the dance, you may write and ask
me next Saturday. If 1 don't get a let
ter I'll forget all about it."
The next day, when Bruce Burton
returned to college, he found the MEM
bers Of his fraternity talking eagerly
Of the approaching dance.
I'm going to bring a wonder Of a
girl" bud Chambers announced SHES
coming In her dads car. and she's got
all kinds Of money. She'll make a hit,
all right"
NY guest is one OF the most popular
girls In vassar," Bob Voorhees, re-
marked. AT the Yale prom she was
the hit Of the house party"
Bruce said nothing. A picture Of
Mary as he had learned to know her,
with her simple clothes and unaffected
manner, flashed before him. For three
days he debated the question, and 1t
was not until Friday night that he
made his decision. Then he wrote q
letter, but IL was addressed to a girl
he had met in New York who, he knew,
would snake q hit" with his fellow stu
dents.
On the afternoon Of the dance his
conscience troubled him a bit, but
when the guests began to arrive and
the members of the house party hocked
around the girl he had invited, he
smiled ~satisfedly.
"Mary's all right up in the wilds OF
Riverton Center" he said to himself
But she wouldn't ft In down here"
He reached the big armory where
the dance was to be held rather early
and having donned his gloves and ar.
ranged his tie, waited outside Of the
anteroom for his partner to appear
He watched idly as girl after cir
strolIed out Of the room and Joined
their escorts. He noticed with ap
prevail that his girl promised to ECLIPSE
them all.
He was still enjoying this feeling o.
self-satisfaction when the door opened
and a veritable vision Of lo~velines.
came forth. Bruce's heart stood still
the girl was Mary Nelson. Involun
tarily, he stepped forward, but Ralph
Towers. the varsity football captain
brushed him aside and offered his arm
TO the waiting girl. Together the.
made their way to the dance floor.
Bruce gazed after them, his moutl
opened in establishment. Mary, whom
he had considered not good enough Il
attend the dance, raj the guest Of tn
biggest man in college.
Bruce, resolved TO solve the myster.
Of her appearance. made his wa,
across the floor.
Hello, Mary" he said easily. "Ar
vo, ~~gn. 81 49, a 1anno fnr ma f