Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-10-31
Cspyrlsht ms. ia ~ NsersDslitAA
NASas1AA

upon the cnalr ana gallancly procured
another for herself. In her solicitude
she sat close to him, looking fondly at
bis face, while William. though now
and then rubbing his ankle for plausi-
bility's sake, gazed At the platform
with an expression which Gustave
Dore would gratefully have found sug-
gestive. Upon the many colored plat
form the ineffable One drifted to and
fro, back and forth, her little blond
head, in q golden net, glinting here
and there like a bit Of tinsel blowing
across a flower garden.
And when that dance and its encore
were over she went to lean against a
tree, while Wallace Banks famed her.
but she was so busy with Wallace that
she did not notice William, though she
passed near enough to watt breath
of violet scent to his wan nose. A
fragment of her silver speech tinkled
in his ear: s
"Oh, Wallie Banks, bid pid SAINT
have Bruvva JOsie-Joe's dance less
Joe say so, Lola mus be fair. Wal
lie mustn't 4.
That's that Miss Pratt observed
Miss Boke, following Williams gaze
with some interest. "You met her
yet?'
"Yeh," said william.
"She's been visiting here all sum-
mer," Miss Boke informed him. 81
@oa hi ftnr nd
some of the girls said this Miss Pratt
said she'd never dream Of getting en-
gagged to any man that didn't have
$750,0OO. | don't know if it's true or
not, but l expect so. Anyway. they
said they heard her say So"
William lifted his right hand from
his ankle and passed it time after time
across his damp forehead. He did not
believe that Miss Pratt could have ex-
pressed herself in so mercenary man.
ner, but ii she had-well, one fact in
British history had so impressed him
that he remembered it even after ex-
animation: William Pitt, the younger.
had been prime minister of England at
W cuJy ~OACr ouuOuUtCulS LUNG
bit of gossip added somewhat to the
already sufficient anxieties of Williams
evening
"Up at the lake." Miss Boke chat
tered on, I'VE got to use the hotel
dining room for the hops. It's floor
good deal like this floor is tonight
just about oily enough and as nice a
floor as l ever danced on. We have
awf'ly good times up at the lake
Course there aren't so many Men up
there like there are here tonight, and
l must say am glad to get chance
to dance. with q. Man again! told
you you'd dance ali right once we got
started, and look at the way It's turned
out! Our steps just suit exactly! If
must say it, I could scarcely think
of anybody ever met I'd rather dance
with When anybody's step suits in
with mine that way, why. l love to
dance straight through an evening with
one person, the way we're doing"
EYES," William reflected, 1T had to
be me-" With all the crowd to choose
from, Mrs. Parcher had to go and pick
on him! All, all the others went about
free as air, fitting from girl to girl
girls that danced like girls! All, all ex-
cept william danced with Miss Pratt!
What Miss Pratt had offered MIN VA
choice between the thirty-second
dance and the twenty-first extra. That
was what he had to look forward to-
the thirty second regular or the twenty
first extra!
Meanwhile, merely through eternity
he was sealed unto Miss Boke.
The tie that bound them oppressed
him as If it had been an Ill omened
matrimony, and he sat beside her like
an unwilling old husband. All the
while Miss Boke had no appreciation
whatever Of her companions real con
dition, and when little, spasmodic, sin
lister changes appeared in his face, as
they certainly did from time to time
she attributed them to pains in his
ankle.
So they danced again and again.
When the fourteenth dance came
about half an hour before midnight
| they were still dancing together.
1t was upon the conclusion OF this
fourteenth dance that Mr.. Parchel
| ,~ y
II ,u,, NJ,