Evening star., 1920-06-13
SHOWS CLASS
By Sewell Ford

I a regal young person. Perhaps that is
why the right man has never proposed
| to her The nice ones are apt to be too
modest YOU know"
| Like me. >ehf" says l, and we swaps
grin5.
| But Kenneth amt troubled with any
such handicap. After he'd been enub-
bed two or three times he succeeds
in tearin' loose from his ego and
| starts taking notice Of Ann. First on
he'd only stare at her steady for min
utes at a time. but as that don't seem
to have any effect he begins followin'
| her around. askiD' to be put next to
! her at dinner parties. and trailin' her
| through the house and into the gar
den. And 1t amt long before every
/ body who saw 'em together at all
| knew that Kenneth had a bad case.
+; That is, everybody except Ann Whit
| ney. She had a way of looking right
| over his head. or through him. just as
+. if he wasn't there. and chattin' with
| other people with him right at her ell
bow. Then when he'd finally crash in
with remark she'd seem sort OF sur
prised to find him still present.
Must have been quite Jolt for Ken
meth at first, after the way he'd been
| coddled and petted by the other wom-
en- folks, but 1t didn't seem to discour-
age him a bit He kept right on trot-
tin around at her heels. like one of
tIlOSc TcIIIldu SduSasC hodi'S @Aiid
when he didn't succeed in talking to
Ann he'd take it out in talking to
other people about her.
II say" l heard him whisper husky
to Mrs. Purdy Pell. isn't the poise of
her head perfectly exquisite? Like an
empress wearing her crown. And such
delicate coloring-mallow pink blend
ing into snow white"'
YES" admits Mrs. Purdy Pell. II
don't see how she keeps it. either.
in n Dd
horseback riding. Still. she has ac-
quired few nose freckles.'
"Adorable." says Kenneth.
You would hardly guess that she
weighs nearly $50 pounds, would you?'
goes on Mrs. Purdy Pell.
"Oh. not really" says Kenneth. who
NIGH tip the scales at 100 maybe.
Trust woman to make neat little
jaas like that. Yet Kenneth don't
scratch his entry on account of not
being able to make the weight. He
kept right on trailia' around as steady
as if he was her official shadow. /
don't know whether Miss Ann heard
some whispered jokes about it, or if
she was wise all the time and didn't
let on. Anyway, here the other Satur
day afternoon when Sadie has the
bunch over at our place for what she
calls garden tea things sort of came
to a head.
I'd ducked most Of the affair by slidin'
nings against the Neversweats and had
only showed up in time to help pass the
sandwiches so hadn't kept track of the
early moves. All I noticed was Miss
Whitney strollin' alone out toward the
rocks on our little patch Of shore 'front.'
age with pair of field glasses in her
hand. And then, of course, Kenneth
comes taggin' along after her Next
thing / knew she'd turned and discovered
him. She stops right in her tracks.
throws her chin up and states at him.
Must have been kind of a naughty stare,
for Kenneth drags his heels and finally
stops, too. Then she starts signalin' for
me. l thought it might be for somebody
else at first, and when | saw it wasn't l
concludes she needs some more nourish-
ment. so l grabs loaded tray and
hustles along.
Have a sandwich, Miss Whitney,"
says l.
mo. thank you. Mr. McCabe." says
she. but | wish you would go back
and bring that young man here
En-" says l. Kenneth"
She nods
did you say bring or send?" says l.
Bring him. If you please. SAYS she.
"Sure!" says /. by the ear, If neces-
sary. but + don't think I'll need to use
force"
She simply ,shrugs her. shoulders at
that. SO l parks the sandwich ray on
a handy lawn settee and marches back
to where Kenneth is maxim bluff at
examinin' flower bed.
ION the carpet for you, Kenneth"
says 1.
~ beg pardon" says he. gawpin'.
You're wanted at headquarters" says
II. Orders from Miss Ann. Come along,
now"
rDelighted.' says Kenneth. and fol-
lows cheerful.
mo receipt necessary. expect?" says
I. as we reaches Ann. "And if that's
all I'll be-
please stay" says she. I'D like
some one to hear what have to saw.
Now" and<she turns to Kenneth. what
do you mean by following me about so
persistentiy
It's an unexpected jolt for Kenneth.
He opens his mouth once or twice be-
fore he c2E get out word why
says he, "i--er-I-'
You can't possibly imagine that. l
have encouraged you in any way" she
breaks in. You're not stupid enough
for that. I'm sure. And YOU must have
seen that dislike it. Yet for days I