Middletown transcript., 1921-10-01

boy sweethearts and such. Billy was
of anything ahead than he pre-empted
Emma for the occasion.
"The last-praise bel" Emma said
rising, as the shapely quarters FLASHED
down in the big bread trap.
"Amen," Billy echoed devoutly.
"Now wash your hands and play me
tune-two-three tunes. in fact. My
sense Of rhythm needs limbering up
] shall need all of It to make you proud
Of me tonight" LIB
"Oh, 1 reckon you'll get through
somehow. Cotillions and the Virginia
reels aren't much but romping set to
music" Emma said, pursing her lips
deliberately.
Billy put up his hands. "Am 1 to
be-rationed?" he asked in stage
whisper. False one, who, who is my
supplanter? Must be one - you
wouldn't miss one single dance. even
if you could"
Its easier to show you than to
tell you," Emma said over her shoul'
der, running away and leaving bad
ly puzzled wOoer behind.
Enlightenment came ten minutes af-
ter the picnic had got its second wind,
turning from daylight function to a
moonlighted one. There was a moon,
without cloud, yet rather an elegant
superfuity, so well did the Winklng
electric bulbs strung along tree trunks
and big overhead branches illuminate
the almost riotous revel..
''Some class, this moonlight" Billy
commented, his eyes fast upon Emma
one-stepping like fairy with new
conner, utterly strange is to say,
at first glance. Recognition dawned
family with the third. BY about the
tenth Billy had hard work to keep
from hugging himself Palmer Brlce
in the correctest Of summer evening
garb, with a red rose in his button
hole, was surely a sight. Didn't LOOK
his forty-fve years by much more than
half-must be the wig which lay
lovingly upon his bald dome OF
thought. Also and further, he danced
rather jerkily, to be sure-but dong
it any way was sufficiently amazing
That he had burst college professor
chrysalis and become a perfect butter
fly nobody could deny. "But-Just
you wait!" said Billy to himself.
"Seems to me somebody said once,
AL things come to him who waits a"
Billy waited gayly, picking out part
ners with vile disregard of their dance
cards, nodding saucily to Emma over
their shoulders as there were scant
contacts on the floor, saLg, making
violent love to the few wall flowers
| as he whirled past them or now and
again seizing some squealing small
girl and literally carrying her in tri-
umph through number. He was the
life of the crOwd-everybOdy said go.
! Until midnight, with the second spread
satisfying hunger and thirst, he did
no more than smile at Emma. Palmer
Brice stuck to her like a leech-they
danced nothing but the one-steps-in-
termediates they sat out, even the bas-
ket cotilion. Yet the stranger sank
gratefully into seat aside from the
supper throng. saying hushedly: "Par-
don-but I'm a bit tired. Got up at
daylight, did my days work so as to
get my evenings play"
"Just like you, Prexy," Billy said.
approaching them with laden tray.
"Conscience will be the death Of you
yet, unless you take me for guar
dian. Don't break my heart by say
ing you've forgotten Bad Billy. How
1 did devil you when you were cram
ming me to save me from 1unking."
'I-you-why, yes-I do remem-
ber," Prexy suffered. Billy set down
the tray with a flourish and somehow
managed awkwardly to dislodge the
wig. After one look Emma's eyes
told him all he cared to know. So,
until homing time he kept on being
the life Of the party.