The Ordway new era., 1918-11-15
A
Metanorphos;5
BY Lillian Hail Crowley
Copyright. 1918. by Mcclure Newspape
Syndicate)


plain glad when l come along. The
fellows. too-they're all right. only
we'll. I'm not really Intimate with any
Of them"
James had logged along In the little
town where his family had been as
comfortably of as most Of the families
OF their set. He had logged through
the state university just as minimizing
iy as he had spent the preceding years.
He drifted into clerkship In the bnnk
and mentally wandered through his
duties as colorlessly as he did every
thing else.
He went to the parties. never think
Ing whether he could dance well or not.
1t had not occurred to him to think
anything about 1t.
The night before he had heard the
following conversation between two OF
Haviland's most charming girls:
II wish James Morgan would stay
from the parties. He Is the awkward
est creature l ever saw, and the home
liest."
Every time he asks me to dance
wish I had stayed at home"
1.-THE trouble Is, Margery. we've been
fairly polite to him. just because we've
known him always, and he doesn't
realize he's horrid and uninteresting."
Lets drop him! He has no right
to make us misunderstanding all
over our feet ut the dances"
'And such clothes! We don't e>-
pect much in little place like Havi-
land, but he's a positive fright!"
The two girls. Margery Raymond
and Alice Wrightman, had fallen into
this conversation one night at party.
James had come around corner intent
on asking Margery TO dance. He would
not have listened Intentionally, but
the knowledge had staggered him. He
tiptoed away from his Waterloo and
went out on the veranda to collect his
scattered wits.
II never dreamed of such a thing !"
he told himself. At last he went in
and bade his hostess goodnight.
This brings US to the day in the
bank when for the first time in his life
he was puzzled. After dinner he went
alone to a moving picture play. 1t was
a western play. The hero was big
fellow wearing the rough clothes Of n
miner-nevertheless he was very po-
lite. He, raised his hat to the women
he knew and juinped to pick up plate
dropped on the door by the boarding
house keeper.
That's the kind Of man a woman
is proud to have for a son." he heard
a voice behind him. "What a magnl-
tho IN, annn
feels that strong chest not only In
dicates physical strength. but strength
of character as WELL"
Instantly james Strengthened his
drooping shoulders.
Looking at the hero, James thought:
"He is n fine-looking fellow-gives one
real pleasure just to look at him. l
wonder If I'd play tennis and things If
l could develop my chest"
He noticed the mans manner Of tnk-
ing off his hat to the women he met;
sometimes James only touched his hat.
lazily. with one finger. He knew the
girls SO well-why bother? James re-
membered. too, that he didn't jump
quickly to the polite assistance of peo-
Pile. True, he was glad to help any
one In trouble. but this was different.
Maybe that's what Aiargery and
Alice meant. don't do those nice
things" He was puzzled, but went on
with his self-analysis.
He went again to the movies. This
time he saw society play. There was
dancing. James opened his eyes wide
to see how the other fellows danced.
Alice had said he tramped on her feet.
He saw the men, cleverly and grnce-
fully guiding their partners through
the crush.
"Why, that's part of it." he thought
You're responsible In way"
Then he noticed clothes. He had
never given his toilet much thought ex-
cept to be clean. to buy n suit when
necessary-which was seldom pressed
and pale blue tie for Sundays. He
wore II TO the bank after 1t had be-
come soiled.
All the business men In the pictures
were trim looking. their clothes were
pressed and coats buttoned. James
walked along the street with suit coat
and overcoat open and his hands In his
pockets. None of these men did that.
Yes" he thought. ''that's the way
to look. II isn't because they're movie
men lots OF other men dress that wny.
He noticed, too. the bright interested
and alert expressions on their faces.
At home he looked In the mirror.
His hnir needed trimming. II hadn't
been cut right in the first place. He
| had purted n so near one ear that II
was inches too high on the other side.
He brushed 1t straight back. He was
surprised NJ the good lines of his fore
head, something he Ind not noticed
before.
Next day successful young man
from one OF the large cities of the stute