Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-03-08

pare the girl for an appearance in
society. Miss Sophie Trehorne, girl
of twenty, at once fell in with her
mothers plan to give Jennie the adj
vantage that was afforded her lover.
Miss Trehorne made inquiries among
her friends and learned that the lady
whose life Sam had saved was Mrs.
Iddleton, leader in society and an
acquaintance of the Trehornes.
1t was a month after Jennie and Sam
entered upon preparation for an en-
try into fashionable life that the dane
ing master reported to Mrs. Iddleton
that Sam Atkins was as well prepared
to attend ball in high life as he could
be, except by long period of coach
ing, and even then he would smack
of the country. The result was that
Mrs. Iddleton issued invitations for q
ball at her city residence. Sam was
to be the guest Of honor as an acknowl-
edgment of Mrs. Iddleton's gratitude
for having saved her life when her
automobile was running away with
her. The Trehorne family were invit-
ed, including their guest, Jennie VIII
liams.
The Iddleton ball was one Of the very
largest of the season. 1t was not given
at the town residence Of the Iddletons,
but at Swinton's, a fashionable restau-
rant with entertaining rooms on the
higher floors. Miss Trehorne left Jen-
ME In care Of her brother and sought
the hostess, who was receiving with
the guest of honor beside her. An in
PRODUCTION between Sam and Miss Tre-
horne resulted, and the girl remained
with him till the dancing began, and
he was obliged to ask her to be his
partner.
Mrs. Iddleton had arranged to open
her ball with an old square dance, the
lancers. Miss TrehOrne led Sam from
one end of the ballroom toward a set
forming In the center, and her brother
conducted Jennie in the same direc-
ton. The music started up as soon
as this set was formed, and Sam, be-
ing out Of his natural element, was so
fustered that he saw no individual
present but medley of men and wom-
en- moving about. The first he saw of
Jennie was in the figure where one
couple cOnfronts another and all bow.
Sam was about to bend his body be-
fore lady when
Was he dreaming? Had he gone
daft? Had he died and been born into
another world?
There before him, robed in a cloud
Of silk and lace, smiling at him, was
Jennie Williams.
He was brought to himself by his
partner tugging lat him to turn his
back on Jennie and bow to the oppo-
site couple.
Sam did not recover from his sur
prise during the dance. He blundered
at every turn; but, fortunately for him,
others blundered as well, for the Ian
GERS had not been danced before in
years, and nearly all the dancers were
unfamiliar with it. 1t was not till the
last figure in the dance, the grand
chain, that Sam recovered his senses.
Then, while passing round, grasping
the hand of one lady after another, he
came to Jennie. The hand pressure,
the loving look, she gave him not only
sobered him, but warmed his heart to
her as never before. He had seen her
dressed in the plain costume of coun-
try GIRL now she appeared with all
the advantage of an artistic costume.
When the dance was ended Miss Ire
hornn hrn on6
walked away, leaving Sam and Jennie
standing together. Jennie, who had
acquired the manners of a lady even
to greater degree than Sam had &C.
quired those Of a gentleman, rested
her fingers lightly on Sans arm, and
together they went to seats lined
against the wall There Jennie told
her story.
Sam was later called away to be In
troduced as the lion of the evening:
but, despite the fiattering words that
were said to him, he was bored. There
was hollowpess in everything about
him that repelled him. Nothing seem
ed sincere.
Sam remained there week, and
it was the most miserable week Of his
life. 1t seemed that all his time was
taken up trying to avoid breaking in
upon good manners. He was intro
duced at clubs, but he did not see that
the men he met there had anything to
do but drink cocktails and smoke. He
was taken to functions, but it seemed
to him that the people there were man
ikins for showing the fashions. At the
end Of the week he told Mrs. Iddleton
that she had repaid any debt she
might owe him and he was pining foK
breath Of country air. She offered to
send him home in her auto, but he
preferred to "get hitch" on a market
wagon.
Jennie had returned to her home the
day after the ball. The day Sam re
turned she was taking walk down the
road when Sam, who had donned his
country clothes, came along in the
wagon. Seeing her, he jumped ont
and folded her in his arms.
- eoiI Ofha ny,lxy odu IN,