The Winslow mail., 1917-07-13
THE COUNTRY GIRL
BY HARRISON CHASE.

| the rambling farmhouse, looked up In
to the eyes of Mary Nelson. The girl
smiled.
"Are you sure" she asked.
Positive"
"Why"
For a moment Bruce was silent.
Its because you are different from
any other girl 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, and you
don't go around fishing for compli-
ments."
Listen, Bruce. You don't know
what I'm doing up here, where I came
from or who my parents are"
II know" he answered in mock seri-
BUSINESS. "All that l care about is that
| [ came up to Riverton Center three
weeks ago expecting to take q rest. l
met you, and I haven't had any rest
| since"
| "And you're going home tomorrow
He nodded. Eyes, but want you to
come down to college next week and
| go 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 I'm
the girl you want to take"
"WhyY'
Because the girls at the house par
ties wear beautiful clothes and are ac-
| customed to society; the men try to
OutdO one another, and the senior who
takes a girl who doesn't measure up
to the standard is more or less of a
laughing stock.
Bruce's face reddened.
"It isn't anything like that" he re-
torted. II 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. I haven't
many dresses, and l hardly think that
you would be very proud Of me down
there in college"
Il would" he answered. "rd be
proud OF you anywhere.
But somehow his words failed to car
~ conviction, and the girl, sensing his
hesitancy, made her decision.
"We'li compromise" she said. "There
are ten days before the dance. If, after
you go back to college and think over
what I've told you, you still want me to
go to the dance, you may write and ask
me next Saturday. If don't get 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.
"Tm going to bring a wonder of a
girl" Dud Chambers announced. "She's
coming in her dads car, and she's got
all kinds Of money. She'll make a hit,
all right"
"My 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 it
was not until Friday night that he
made his decision. Then he wrote
letter, but 1t was addressed to a girl
he had met in New York who, he knew,
would make 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 fiocked
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 fit 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 girl
strolled out of the room and Joined
their escorts. He noticed with ap-
prOVal tnat ms girl promised to eclipse
them all.
He was still enjoying this feeling of
self-Satisfaction when the door opened
and a veritable vision of loveliness
came forth. Bruces heart stood still /;
the girl was Mary Nelson. In7olun-
, tarily, he stepped forward, but Ralph
Towers, the varsity football captain.
brushed him aside and offered his arm
to the waiting girl. Together they
made their way to the dance floor.
Bruce gazed after them, his mouth
opened in astonishment. Mary, whom
, he had considered not good enough to
| attend the dance, was the guest OF the
biggest man in college.
Bruce, resolved to solve the mystery
of her appearance, made his way
across the floor.