The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-25
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
When Dancing Vas
Necessary.
BY JANE OSBORN
Copyright 1919 by tho Mcclure News
paper SyndIcate.)

greenshaded light in Mrs. Hum
Dhrey's second floor front ceased
70 offer attraction after Bob Norris
had been in Burtontown two weeks,
md BuTtOr1etoWns Cinema Palace
ceased to intice. A good magazine
story and an easy chair or a moving
picture thriller had been well enough
Tor an evenings diversion back home
where there was not the haunting feel.
ing that such pastimes were the only
possible diversions. But home sick
ness became moro deep-rooted when
Bob reflected that such were the only
possible ways to pass an evening.
Bob had come with the three or four
hundred out-of-toWn employees to the
human factor Of the big Arden plant
OF BurtontoWn. And the fact that Bob
Norris was one Of the most promising
men in the plant and that already he
had charge OF department did not
make conservative Burtontown folk
open their arms bit more cordially
70 Bob than they did to Nell Talmedge
the quiet little slip Of a girl at the
telephone switchboard, whose weekly
U8boSS HdSA LOS III Sl{luL1l vi bOp , VI
to any Of the Arden people.
BuTtontown distinctly resented hay
ing the Arden plant people there, and
it registered this resentment by re-
fusing to open its doors and by adj
Tancing prices for living necessities OF
eli sorts as the demand for them be-
came greater.
IF you don't want to die Of home.
Sickness" commented the young man
who inhabited Mrs. Humphreys Sec
Ond floor back, you've got to learn
70 dance. It's q necessity. Not that
you'll get asked to any of the dances
given BY the Burtont0wn people, but
the girls in the Recreation Association
here ct the plant are getting up some
dances, and you can at least get ac-
quainted with some Of the plant girls"
Bob made some remark about think
Ing dancing waste of time-also
something to the effect that plant
girls weren't any thing to lose ones
heart over" but on his way to AIRS.
Humphreys that evening he looked
longer and with more interest at the
sign in the drawing room window Of
one Of the old Burtontown mansions:
Dancing lessons Private or in Class
es."
The next evening Bob made a hasty
attack upon the front door OF this
house and consulted the brisk young
spinister to whom the shingle belong
ed.
mo don't want to join class"
he told her, "and I'm not anxious to
have anyone know that am being
coached. But do want to get hold
Of this thing as soon as possible"
Bob Norris worked contlentiously
and with intense application. Three
night week he went to his instructor
and he arranged with seances with
her In an early morning half-hour
gained by rising earlier and lingering
Tor shorter time at Mrs. Humphreys
breakfast table.
He rehearsed the steps in his mind,
and in his room he went through them
He took up the subject as he did any
other problem, first getting at the
reot Of the matter" he said.
And If fox trotting can be mastered
BY a systematic knowledge of the
steps that make 1t up, and if Waiting
10 a matter Of scientific accuracy, then
Bob would of been in two weeks a
master OF the dancing. But unfortu-
nately dancing is an art. One must
have soul for it, as for other arts.
One must feel 1t AID Bob did not.
So three weeks after his initial les
son he went to the A. R. A.--Arden
Recreation Observation-Disclosures with a
certain amount Of confidence. He ap.
preached his first untutored one-step
with the assurance of a we'll crammed
undergraduate approaching his flnal
examination-sure that IL he keeps his
mind working he will succeed. AS for
any antictpatory pleasure in the Joy
Of the dance-Bob did not know that
such q thing existed.
But he did want to meet some of
the girls, even If they were only work.
ers in the office Of the Arden plant.
He wanted to hear their laughter and
see them in some other Surroundings
than that OF the daily drive.
zone thing that is important" the
instructor had told him "is to make
your partner think you are enjoying
the dance even If you aren't. A girl
doesn't luSe to dance with a man who
appears t. be working like locomo.
tive Just to keep in step"
SO on that suspicious night OF the
first A. r. A. dance when Bob found
himself dancing with Nell Talmadge,
the demure little telephone operator,
bis first remark was something like
this: I'm so glad you girls got up this
dance, There's nothing I like better
pardon me, that was my fault. Yes,
I'm regular dance fan can't get along
without It."
Neither can l." echoed Nell shyly.
Il just dote on the new dances and
ne music Is wonderful. just feel
( the Rhythm OF It, don't your"
Bob had come stag 20 the dance, but
ne had not been partnerless, for the
committee saw that men who had
come alone were paired OF with the
girls who had come unescorted.
By the end Of that first dance Bob
vas weary, mentally weary and by
tho end of the second and third when
he danced with other girls to whom
the committee introduced him he was
down right exhausted. With him each
step was Q matter of going over some
thing he had learned. It was an exact
science In the accomplishment of
which he seemed to derive no inspirs-
tiaIR fRnY9 fh0 yY1uain mr. Fhs o.aoa ~ Ia.