The Monticellonian., 1917-07-26
THE ROSE WALTZ
By HARRISON CHASE.

dfecIlOn oI tlle bHlIIOolu tdihS 'iAS sound of soft music, and Ted, recogniz- ing the waltz the stringed orchestra was playing.
 Months had passed since he had last heard 1t. It had been 1t the junior prom at college. the last dance of a series of the most wonderful dances he had ever known. Sylvia ha< been there.
 He had planned to make that prom a turning point in his life. Sylvia had promised to be his guest and had smil- ingly consented to give him twelve of the twenty-four dances. At the end of the last number on the program Ted had planned to ask Sylvia to mar " him.
 The affair had started off with ey- cry promise of success. They had notored to Kingston in the long, low Iunabout with just enough room for two It was beautiful night, with a full moon casting long shadows over the quiet roads and touch of spring in the evening air. It was an ideal night for Ted's purpose. He seemed to sense in Sylvia's attitude the kind of answer he wished for.
 And then Sylvia had spoken. She didn't say much-only a single sen tence-but after the words had fallen from her lips the glory of the night seemed lost.
 Tom Ainsley is going to be at the  prom" she had said.
 Tom Ainsleyi Feds hands had gripped the wheel more tightly. Aims ley was the name which gossip had linked with that of Sylyias. For two years. while Ted was away at college, the two had gone about together al- most constantly. There had been ru- mors of an engagement which Sylvia had ignored and Ted, returning to Westwood, had taken the girl at her word and had pressed his own suit. A short time later Tom had left for the West, and Ted and the girl to whom rumor said Tom was engaged had been in each others company continually.
 The announcement that Tom was to be present at the prom had filled Ted's heart with vague misgivings. For him the remainder of the ride had been without charm.
 They had reached the gymnasium just before the first dance. Ted had left Sylvia at the door and had hurried into the smoking room, and when he had returned to the ballroom he had found Sylvia and Tom in earnest con- versation. The girl had turned to him with a bright spot in each cheek.
 i've given Tom three of your dances" she had said. We haven't seen each other for months, and knew you wouldn't mind"
 Ted had nodded.
 (Which ones are they?" he had asked You might tell me so that can check them off
 "Yhe third, sixteenth and twenty third" she had answered.
 The evening had worn away. The girl had noticed Ted S rather re- strained silence and had chided him about it. But he had refused to re. spond to the chiding, and finally Syl- via, too, had grown quiet. And then the twenty-third dance had arrived.
 .The next dance is the last" Ted had told her just before Tom had come to claim her. Its Mighty Like a Rose and that is our dance, you know"
 ''Yes. that is our dance," she had repeped absently.
 But it hadn't turned out to be their dance, after all for when the music started Sylvia had been walking along one of the shaded campus paths with Tom.
 She had seemed sincerely sorry about it.
 q didn't know the dance had begun, Ted" she had explained. We walked too far, and I'm sorry that I missed 1t. You believe me, don't you?'
 Ted had told her that it hadn't mat tered so very much, but during the ride home that night he had not pro- posed.
 That was six months ago. and since the prom Ted and Sylvia had not once been together for more than five min utes at a time.
 The yearning to talk with Sylvia came to him with renewed force as he sat on the porch of the Country club listening to the strains of "Mighty Like Rose" So he sat, his chin in his hands, looking with unseeing eyes over the rolling green of the golf links. And then figure suddenly appeared beside him and soft voice called his name.
 He looked up almost unbelievingly for Sylvia was standing so near that he could touch her He leaped to his feet.
 What are you doing here?" he asked blankly.
 DO you really want to know why came here?" Sylvia asked.
 "ses."
 Ut was because this waltz always reminds me of man who used to be nice to me-" the girl explained. "Onee he s.iC. that it was our waltz, and then. because I made mistake and didn't get to the last dance at junior prom, he didn't want it to be our dance any more."
 Ted caught his breath sharply.
 How about you?" he asked.
 q always wanted it to be our dance."
 And then they went back to the ball room and danced the last half of the waltz together.
 Copyright. 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa-
 per Syndicate)