Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-10-31
Of acquaintance were progressing IA.

Lets 90 In our yard" said Jane.
The little girl Strengthened herself
with a slight gasp and accepted the
invitation. Side by side the two pass
ed through the open gate, walked
gravely forth upon the lawn and halt
ed as by common consent. Jane there
upon placed her feet wide apart and
leaned backward upon nothing, at
tempting the feat in contortion just
performed by the stranger.
Look" she said. Look at me!'
But she lacked the others genius,
lost her balance and fell. Born per-
sistent. she Immediately got to her feet
and made fresh efforts.
mo! Look at me!' tho little girl
cried, becoming semicircular again.
This is the way: call 1t putin your
stummick out O. joint You haven't
got yours out far enough"
Yes, l have" said Jane, gasping.
well. to do it right, you must walk
that way. As soon as you get your
stummick out O. joint you must begin
an walk. Look! Like this" And
the little girl having achieved q state
Of such convexity that her braided hair
almost touched the ground behind her,
walked successfully in that singular
attitude.
I'm waikiki" Jane protested her
face not quite upside down. Look!
I'm walkin' that way too. Ny STUN
nick
There came an outraged shout from
above, and fierce countenance stain
ed with ink protruded from the win
dow.
"Jane!'
"What?"
stop that! Stop putting your stom-
ach out in front of you like that! It's
disgraceful!'
Both young ladies, looking rather OPP
pressed. resumed the perpendicular.
why doesn't he like it," the stranger
asked in tone Of pure wonder.
Il don't know" said Jane. He
doesn't like much Of anything. He's
seventeen years old"
After that the two stared modify at
the ground for a little while, chasten-
ed by the severe presence above: then
Jane frightened.
81 kn6wn' she exclaimed cozily.
Lets play callers. Right here by this
bush'll be my house. You come to
call on me, an Wen talk about our
children. You be Mrs Smith. an I'm
Mrs. Jones'" And in the character Of
hospitable matron she advanced
graciOllsly toward the new neighbor.
why, my dear Mrs. Smith, come right
in! | thought you'd call this morning
want to tell you about my lovely lit
tie daughter She's only ten years old
an says the brightest things! You
really must
But mere Jane interrupted herself
abruptly and. hopping behind the res
idential bush, peeped over it. not al
ority which set him apart from otler
people and above them.
And, although Miss Pratt continued
to make merry with the Man upon
her right, it seemed to William that
this was but outward show. He had
a strange. subtle impression that the
mysterious superiority which set him
apart from others was becoming per-
ceptible to her; that she was feeling
it too.
Over the chatter and laughter Of the
guests rose Il too familiar voice. Lem
me hep you to nice tongue samwich,
lady. Nom? Nice green lettuce sam
wich, Lady,
Genesis!
Nice tongue samwich, sub? Nice
lettuce samwich. lady?' he could be
heard vOciferatI ting, perhaps little too
much as If he had sandwiches for sale.
"Lemme jes' lay this nice green let
tuce samwich on you plate fer you,
lady"
Because he was q new waiter he
strongly wished to show familiarity
with his duties-familiar1ty, in fact,
with everything and everybody. This
yearning, born Of self doubt and in
tensifed by a slight touch Of gin, was
beyond question the inspiration Of his
painful behavior when he came near
the circle OF chairs where sat Mr..
and Mrs. Parcher, Miss Parcher, Miss
Pratt, Miss Boke, Mr.. Watson. Mr..
Bullitt, others and william.
Mice tongue samwich, lady! he an
nounced semicake walking beneath hiD
high borne tray. Mice green lettuce
SAM He came suddenly to dra-
matte dead stop as he beheld William
sitting before him. wearing that strange
new dignity and Mr.. Bakers evening
clothes. Name O. gooness!' Genesis
exclaimed, so loudly that every one
looked up. How in the Ivin' worr
you evuh come to git here? You dad
dy sut'ny mus g. weakened way down
TO he let you wear his low cut yes
an pants an long tail coat! bet
any man so cents you gone an stole
'em out aftuh he done went to bed"
And he burst into 4 wild, free Afri-
can laugh.
At seventeen such things are not
embarrassing; they are catastrophicaL
But, mercifully. catastrophes often pro-
duce numbness in the victims. More
as in 4 trance than actually William
heard the outbreak Of his young com.
panions.
A flourish Of music challenged the
dancers. Couples appeared upon tho
platform.
The dreadful supper was over.
The ineffable One, supremely pink,
rose from her seat at williams side
and moved toward the platform with
tho ulowipu Joa Rullitt Then vii.