Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-09-26
CHAPTER Iv-continued.


Give me the next and the one after
that" he said hurriedIy, recovering
some presence of mind, just as the
nearest applicant reached them. sand
give me every third one the rest of
the evening"
She laughed. "Are you asking?"
"What do you mean. 'askingT"
at sounded as though you we're just
telling me to give YOU all those
Dances"
wen. want 'em !" George insisted.
"Are you going to give me"
Good gracious !" she laughed.
'YesT
The applicants flocked round her,
urging contracts for what remained,
bur they did not disIodge George from
her side. though he made it evident
that they succeeded in annoying him;
and presently he extricated her from
an accommodating siege-she must have
eonnived in the extrication-and bore
her OFF to sit beside him upon the
stairway that led to the musicians
gallery, where they were sufficiently
retired, yet had view of the room.
"How'd all those ducks get to know
you so quiek2' George inquired, with
little enthusiasm.
"Oh, I've been here a week"
Looks as if you'd been pretty
busyW he said. 'Nost of those ducks,
don't know what my mother wanted
to invite 'em here for"
Perhaps it was on account of their
parents" Miss Morgan suggested
mildly. maybe she didn't want to
offend their fathers and mothers"
"0h, hardly / don't think my
mother need worry much about offend
Ing anybody in this old town"
ut must be wonderful" said Miss
Morgan. "It must be wonderful. Mr..
Amberson-ATr. Minafer. l mean"
What must be wonderful"
ITO be so important, as that !"
That isn't important" George as
sured her. "Anybody that really IS
anybody ought to be able to do about
as they like In their own town,
should think 2
She looked at him critically from
under her shading lashes-but her
eyes grew gentler almost at once. In
truth, they became more appreciative
than critical. Georges imperious good
looks were altogether manly. yet APP
preached actual beauty as closely as
a boys good looks should dare; and
dance music and flowers have some
effect upon nineteen-year-old girls as
well as upon eighteen-year-old boys.
The stairway was drafty: the steps
we're narrow and uncomfortable no
older person would have remained in
such a place. Moreover. these two
young people were strangers to each
other; neither had said anything in
which the other had discovered the
slightest intrinsic interest; there had
not arisen between them the begin
nings of congeniality, or even of
triendliness-bu stairxays near ball
rooms have more to answer for than
have moonlit lakes and mountain sun
sets.
Age, confused by its own long ac-
emulation of follies, is everlastingly
'nquiring, what does she see in him?"
IS If young love came about through
ulnking-oy through conduct. At
eighteen ons goes TO a dance, sits with
stranger on a stairway, feels pc
cuLlar. thinks nothing, and becomes
Incapable OF any plan whatever. Miss
AorEan and George stayed where they
were.
They bad agreed to this in silence
saa without knowing It; certainly
@l'hout exchanging glances of intelli-
gehoa-they had exchanged no glances
= All Both sat staring vaguely out
INTO the Ballroom. and. for time,
hey di1 not speak. Here and there
ee'e g be seen couples so carried
away that, ceasing to move at the
secofous, even glide, considered most
moving, thy pranced and whirled
through tl-s tnrong, from wall to vail,
seaHoplng bounteously In abandon.
eeorse suffered shock of vague sur
stiSe When he perceived that his aunt.
aNES Mlnafer. was the lady-half of
eoe # those wild couples. She few
- ne floor in the capable arms Of
we qpeer-looking duck; for this per-
s9o "as her partner.
lne queer-iooking duck had been
"a cancer in his day. it appeared;
81 evidently his day was not vet
s'sf, In spite OF the headlong, gay
rspllity with which he bore Miss
- 800 about the big room he danced
-. '..'os.ltatively, avoiding without eff
~ NE hghtast collision witE other