Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-03-03
An Invitation
By BETTY K. KENDALL
(@. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)

SlLHply can Dedr u near any mOIe
about it."
''Since when are such subjects too
frivolous for your ears?" queried Bes-
sic, raising her eyebrows and look
ing up from her fancy work. "Espe-
cially when in all your finery and glory
you most likely will lead the grand
march with Frank"
Nothing of the kind" answered
Alice in I-don't-care-what-hap
tone.
Didn't you have a new gown for
the Occasion?
"YeS, and I'll wear it if only to show
some people that l can't be stunned by
their audacity."
"But if you're not going with
Frank, who is?"
Bella Johnson"
BESSIE, when young man talks
to you about a dance and asks your
opinion on all details, and then at the
eleventh hour asks another girl, dc
you think he can ever justify his CON
duct" asked Alice.
mo, and | simply can't understGH
it," admitted Bessie.
"Are yen sure?"
"PoSittr'3. i'"i'1 and | met Frauk
on the sNo". iin came towards us in
his usual cordial way, and stopped to
say to Bella, I'm going to take you
to the Entire Nus" affair Bella
must have had some inkling, as she
didn't appear surprised, and only said:
L thank you; what time will you call
for meT
For q moment felt the keen insult
that be should invite her in my pres
ence, and then l said: I'm going with
Edwin Upton You know Edwin is
always Fostering me TO go with him,
so knew l could rely upon his taking
me. We left Frank at the corner,
and though was the one to be offend
ed, he doesn't even bow to me when
we pass each other by"
edwin is much shorter than you;
don't you feel like giantess when
you're with him?'
"Wcll," said Alice. at came to me
like flash that I wouldn't give either
one of them the satisfaction that
couldn't go, and anyway little man
with loads Of money is better than no
man at all"
"Thats philosophical enough, my
dear, hut don't get bad case of
glooms over it. If Frank is so tickle
and chanceahle in his affections, it's
better to knGw it now than later"
After Bessie left, the words, cts
better TO know it now" kept ringing
in Alices ears. She hated to face the
truth that any nan could so lightly
| throw her friendship aside after all his
professions of sincerity.
"IH not have any ones sympathy"
she determined. AT the dance I'll be
the gayest Of all"
"Why, Alice" exclaimed her friend
a few days later, chow much better
you look than the last time l saw
you; you are fairly radiant. 1t must
be your hat. It's so becoming"
A faint color rose in Alice's cheek.
Don't blame it all on my hat," she
said; give me credit for portion Of
my good looks"
81 just saw Bella and she failed
completely to appreciate Franks
charms" continued Bessie, "and she
never was so bored in all her exist
ence, that she was the only girl whose
partner did not send her corsage
bouquet, and ne never even was con-
cerned whether her program was
filled or not. In fact she said there
was no pleasure TO 60 with a young
man who was constantly noticing an
other girl. Why do you think he asked
her and then was so rude?"
Alice smiled.
promise you'll never tell"
"He was an unwilling victim. To
ward the end Of the evening Frank
came up to me saying: Hope you en-
jOyed yourself
"Oh, immensely" I replied.
Doesn't your back ache from dane
ing with that midget?" he asked in
maddeningly sympathetic way.
"Not bit" l answered Edwin Is
a splendid dancer"
"Then you prefer that dwarf's atten-
lions to mlne" he exclaimed in a jeal-
GUS rage.
"Just as much as you prefer Bella
to me-" I replied.
"But I don't and never WILL" he pro-
tested, looking at me tenderly. II
asked you for tonight, not her."
'''You asked me?g How can you de-
liberately say that when l heard you
invite her?'
"Didn't 1 look al you, when said
I'm going to take you to the dancer :"
"Then l laughed and laughed until
could not laugh any more"
'Until that moment never thought
about 1t. He's cross-eyed, and when
he looked at Bella in his own heart
and soul he was in reality staring at
me. That's where all the trouble came
up"
"Oh, how disconnected Bella would
be If she knew"
"She never will. The hest mart Of