New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
n AUGUST. when midsummer

3
some jocund pagan, all flushed
and asleep, with dripping beard en-
purpled in wine bowl Of fat vino
leaves, there sometimes comes
brisker night, cool and lively as an
intrusive boy-a night made for
dancing. On such night all the
world should be twenty-five years
old and in love-like Noble Dill.
Upon the white bed in his room,
as he dressed, lay the flat black sill
fouettes of his dress coat and trou-
scrs, side by side, trim from new
pressing, and whenever he looked at
them Noble felt rich, tall, distin-
guished, handsome-everything de-
lightful, in fact, that he wasn't. It
is a great mistake, as most literary
legends are great mistakes, to as
sumo that girls are the only people
subject to extreme before-the-par
exhilaration. Nothing could be
greater nonsense. At such times
girls are apt to be in the anxious
yet determined mood of runner
just before foot race, or they may
be merely hopeful, and some are
grim but all alike, in spite of what
ever excitement, must occupy them
selves with measure of calculation,
for arithmetic of some sort, whether
glorious or uneasy, is busy in their
eyes as they pin and pat before their
mirrors.
To behold exalted romance gone
light headed, turn to the he-creature
OF twenty-five. Alone in his room,
he will enact for you scenes of the
iowerest grace, Of the most capri
clous gallantry, rehearsals as uncon-
sclous as the curtsies of field daisies
III breeze. He has neither doubts
nor certainty of his charm; he has
no arithmetic at all, and is often so
free of calculation that he does not
even pull down the shades at his
windows.
Unfortunately for the neighbors,
and even for passers-by, since No
bles room had a bay window visible
from the street, his wisely prophetic
mother had closed the shutters be-
fore he began to dress, thus depriv-
ing these honest folk Of what surely
must have been to them the inno-
cent pleasure OF seeing a very young
man in light but complete underwear
lifting from his head silk hat, new
that day in series Of the most
courteous salutations At times dur
ing this same stage of toilet they
might have had even more enter
tainment-before putting on his
socks Noble waltzcd gravely yet
proudly for several minutes, all the
while retaining upon his head the
new hat. This was hat Of double
virtue; not only was it pleasant to
behold in his mirror, bat it was
dutifully engaged in soldifying for
the evening the arrangement of his
hair
TT MAY be admitted that he was
little giddy; the dance was
Julia Atwater's. Julia was
ecstatically nosed, black-sapphire-
eyed, angelically white -browed,
twenty, the Prettiest Girl in Town
no question and her name for
dance should have been Julia Light
foot She owned a peculiar old
father, but unexpectedly he had been
called to far New York on a blessed
business that would keep him fort
night, and Julia, alert to the flash
OF opportunity, had Immediately
summoned musicians, florists, a ca
cerer, and set plans before them.
Coincidentally. young Noble Dill
had chanced to see peculiar old Mr..
Atwater driving down the shady
street with a travelling bag beside
him; had paused to enjoy a new
sweetness Of life--a sense OF lncS
and security-and then, setting aside
for the day all business cares, tact
fully hurried to the travellers house.
Thus he managed for the first time
IN many weeks to forestall that com
petition which helped to make caring
for Julia so continuous a strain upon
~hatever organ is tho seat Of the
snxieties- Kind Julia. bosieged, had
agreed TO dance the first dance with
him, and the last~-those two being
considered Of such significance that
he WAS likewise entitled TO the per
quisites Of special cavalier in other
matters; for instance, a seat beside
her during the serving Of the Gus
tomary light repast. And she had
half consented 10 give him at least
parts Of other dances between the
hrSt and last This was the topnost
"1 Mobiles fortune wJh her, 10 far