The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-24

he was not a fool At what he had
vaguely guessed a moment before. he
now knew They walked along in
silence, the Lost ill-sorted pair that
YOU might hope to find in all that hig-
gledy-piggledy city. And yet with a
new, strong bond between them.
Tyler broke the silence.
do you dancer"
Me, Dancei Well rye mixed with
everything from hula dancers to geisha
girls. not forgettin' the Barbary Coast
in the old days. but-well. amt what
you'd rightly call a dancer. Why you
askin'?"
Because 1 can't dance. either. But
we'll just go up and see what it's like
anyway"
See wot wot's like?"
Tyler took out his card again, pa
tiently. This dance we're going to-"
They had reached the Michigan ave-
| nue. address given on the card. and
Tyler stopped to look up at the great
| brightly lighted building
You mean t say you thought was
soin'-" Moran choked. "Oh, my
| Gawd!"
Tyler smiled at him, sweetly I'm
| kind of scared. too. But MonicRe.
goes to these dances and he says
| tHey re TlS 1T HlCe
He linked his arm through the other
mans. Moran allowed himself to be
propelled along. dazedly. Still pro-
testing, he found himself in the ele-
vator. with dozen red-cheeked
scrubbed-looking jackies. At which
point Moran. game in the face of hor-
| ror. accepted the inevitable. He CAV.
| a characteristic jerk from the belt
| Me, I'll try anything oncet Lead
me to it."
| The elevator stopped at the ninth
| floor. Out here for the jackies'
dance" said the elevator boy.
Il The two stepped out with the others.
Stepped out gipgerly. caps in hand. A
| corridor full of women. A corridor
a-fiutter with girls. Talk. Laughter
Animation. In another moment the two
| would have turned and fed. terrified
But in the half-moment of hesitation
and bewilderment they were lost
A woman approached them hand out
| stretched.
| "Good-eveningi' she said, as If she
had been haunting the halls in the hope
Of their coming. I'm glad to see you
You can check your caps right there
Do you dancer"
Two scarlet faces. Four great hands
twisting at white caps in an agony of
embarrassment why no ma'am.'
That's fine. Well teach you. Then
you'll go into the ball room and have
a wonderful time"
but" in choked accents from
Moran.
Just a minute. Miss Han!" She
beckoned a diminutive blonde in blue.
| Miss Hall. this is Mr.-ah--Mr.
Moran. Thanks. And Mr.. ?-yes-Mr
Ramps. Tyler Ramps. They want to
learn to dance I'll turn them righl
over to you. When does your class be-
gin?"
Miss Hall glanced at a toy watch or
the tiny wrist. Instinctively and help
lessly Moran and Tyler focused theii
gaze on the dials that bound their RED
wrists. Starting right now" said
Miss Hall crisply She eyed the two
| sure you'll both make wonderful
dancers. Follow me-"
And the two. as though hypnotized
followed.
A fair-sized room, with piano ir
one corner and groups Of fidgetins
jackies in every other corner. Moran
and Tyler sighed with relief at sight Of
them. At least they were not to be
alone in their agony.
Miss Hall wasted no time. Slim an
kles close together. head held high. she
stood in the centre of the room. Now
then. form a circle pleased"
| Twenty six-foot. well-built speci-
mems of manhood suddenly became
lshambling -Iulks. They dumped for
ward, breathing hard, and smiling
mirthlessly, with an assumption OF
ease that deceived no one. least of all
themselves. "A little lively. please
Don't look SO scared. I'm not bit
vicious. Now then. Miss Weeks! A
fox trot."
Miss Weeks. at the piano. broke into
spirited strains. The first falterins
| steps in the social career of Gunner
Moran and Tyler Ramps had begun.
She was strictly business. Miss Hall
No nonsense about her. "One-two-
three four! And a one-two three
four. One-two- three-four! And a
turn-two. turn-four! Now then. all
together. Just four straight steps as i
YOU were walking down the stree
That's all! One-two- three-four! Don
look at me. Look at my feet. And
one-two three-four."
Red faced, they were. Very earnest
Pathetically eager and docile- Week
Of drilling had taught them to ODE,
| commands TO them the little dancing
teacher whose white spats twinkled sc
expertly in the tangle OF their OWL
clumsy dumping boots was the com
handing officer. And like children they
obeyed.
| Morans Barbary Coast experience
stood him in good stead now. though
the stern and watchful Miss Hall put a
| quick stop to a certain tendency toward
shoulder work. Tyler possessed what
IS known az a rhythm sense. Nevea a
half beat behind the indefatigable Miss
Weeks. 1t was a bit labored. at first
but 1t was true
At 9:45 Tyler Ramps and Gunner
Moran were standing In the crowded
doorway of the ballroom upstairs. in
a panic lest some girl should ask them
to dance; fearful lest they be passed
by. Little Miss Hall had brought them