The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-31

a locomotive just to keep in step.
So on that suspicious night of the
first A. r. A. dance when Bob found
himself dancing with Nell Taimedge.
the demure little telephone operator,
his first remark was something like
this: I'm SO glad you girls got up
this dance. There's nothing l like
better-pardon me, that was my fault.
Yes. 1 m a regular dance fan, can't get
along without it,
Neither can l." echoed Nell shyly.
IT just dote on the new dances and
the music is wonderful. just feel the
rhythm of it; don't you?"
Bob had come stag to the canoe,
but he had not been partnerless. for
the committee saw that men who
had come alone were paired off with
the girls who had come unescorted.
BY the end of that first lance Bob
was weary. mentally weary. and by the
end Of the second and third hen he
danced with other girls to whom the
committee introduced him he was
downright exhausted. With him each
step was a matter of -oins over some
thing he had learned. 1t was exact
which he seemed to derive no inspira-
ton from the music or the grace of his
partner.
He danced often ;.lat nisht with
little Nell Talmedge, and when the
time came for a second A. r. A.
!
escort her. Meantime there were ex-
ira sessions with the dancing teacher.
But they seemed worth while, FOR they
had all made possible knowing Nell
| outside L-siness hours
He discovered. too. that beneath
, that shy but business-like exterior
that he saw in the daytime there
luHked a little girl that was full of
cont gious sense of humor. Moreover,
at the c range of the t.ance BOD
fnnr 1Ira
charming and that there was radl-
ance about the faint flush OF the
! cheeks that was not apparent TO BOD
as he had passed her quickly by as she
| sat at the telephone .sWitchboard.
| Rob tn, ght of the possibility OF
meeting Nell somewhere besides at the
| dances. but Nell never suggested tnat
! he call In fact, in her roomlng mouse
/ there were no "parlor privileges anu
! so she had hesitated to extend such an
| invitation.
dancinep'' Nell asked one night as
| Son was laborinusly leading her thru
the intricacies of fox trot. zen me
| truly You have always said you WERE
but I've sometimes wondered;
| Perhaps not especially mat Is l
wasn't until 1 found out that you were
/ ~ Ice, about it. Then 1 made up my
mind that I'd stick to it if it was oniy
| for vo11r sake. You told me that frsl
night we danced together that you
were mad about 1T.
Then an hour or so later, when Boo
! was walking home with Nell, she said
| Bob 1 have to confess never couiu
! endure dancing l don't like 1t much
now I'd a lot rather spend an eve
ming talking or reading with frleno
! than dancing with him-that Is, IL ne
was a friend like you; but, WELL you
see. 1 was so lonesome mere ana d
girl l knew told me that the only way
10 have COOL time and to have any
non friends was to learn to dance; so
II went and took private lessons, as
MANY as could afford, and the teach
or told me that L mustn't ever tell
even if l did hate to dance, because
it was making men think liked IL
that would help to make it a success
I'm sorry I deceived you. sometimes
I've wondered whether you really IKE
it so much.
| Nell, won't you say that over. that
you'd rather spend an evening talking
or reading with a friend? Nell, II L
thought you'd spend an evening talk
ing with me and reading with me ana
sometimes just sitting and saying
nothing-wen. I'd never feel that i
had to go thru that Internal fox trot
again. But l thought L had to learn
to dance to make the girls like me,
and the only girl in the world | want
to have like me now is you, Nell
Well queried Nell.
We'll. suppose we get married tt en-
They're putting up some little bunga-
lows for tn |, married men in the plant
and we could spend those evenings
talking and reading and just forget
all about dancing. What do you say
to that
And Nell acquiesced.
Copyright, 1919 bH the Mcclure News
paper Studicate.l