Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-24
ENTERTAINING nILDEoARDE
A Short story.
nv JANR OSBORN.
.ccrxrtsht. 1874. by Mcclure Newspapsi
S~"'s 0yudicats-A

HdcgNrdc blAAton opeHeu 'hS Sc'
~ envelope at dinner and read. Can
YOU come TO senior dance on nth.
Must have you. Tom.
what is IT, daughtsrT' asked Mr..
Raxson. and Hildegardp blushcd. and
then biushed moro fvrtousay through
vexation with herself for blushinE.
"I,'s an invitation from Tom Fro
nisher to the senior dance. I would
love TO 60"
.But the railroad fare alone would
cost sso," commented an elder sister.
"l thought Tom was only a Junior
he must be a couple OF years younger
than YOU" sad Mrs. Blaxton. with
tho air Of ono who merely seeks in
formation.
Hes not a whole year younger"
che said and then. But what differ
ence docs that malcer--Just because
you 70 10 a dance with a man does
MT mean that you're going to marry
h!m7"
We'll. don't understand at all"
sighed Mr.. Blaxton. Tho nerve OF
young men OF today who expect a girl
10 spend hundreds OF dollars on carfare
to go 10 dances with them and then
don't intend to marry them"
Pooh" scorYed Hildegarde. May
be the young men want to marry the
girls. but maybe the girls won't have
them--. II / went 10 this dance with
Tom Frobisher l should go because I
haven't been anywhere all winter or
sprinR. II would do me n lot of good
ia see all the old crowd. and meet
some new people. II wouldn't he be-
cause l expected 10 marry Tom Fro
bisher--necersar
All ! have to say then" said Mt.
Blaxton, "is that | shall not finance
the trip" SO saying he finished his
small cup OF coffee and followed his
w5fes lead 10 leave the table.
That nigh, before Hildegarde re-
tired she went 10 her father.
81 think / shall 20 10 the dance with
Tom. IL will cost only 800. have
clothes enough on hand. I shall spend
the 500 ] earned tutoring tho Bailey
children. You don't object. OF course ?
There arc chaperones as soon as we
get there"
When a girl OF today announces
her plans" said Mr.. Blaxton. "a mere
father has nothing further 20 say"
So Hildegarde'e acceptance Of Tom
Froh'shere invitation had not been rose
strewn from tho first. For the last
hfty miles Of her trip Hildegarde for
got the spirit OF rebellion mingled with
regret mat spoiled her peace Of mind,
in tho company OF Dudley Barr, whom
che had met at a house party a year
before and who now was counted as
one OF the most brilliant young mon
"a %
Al the station they parted. Dudley
20 hurry OF with very polite dofr-
Ing OF the hat and H1ldegarde 10 be
met with efrusive and rather spectac-
ular greetings by Tom Frobisher.
II was the day before the dance.
That evening there Was little gec-
acquainted dance az the frat house.
Following tradition Tom F'roh,sher
took fnldeSarde 70 Neais for tea IN
the afternoon.
Dudley Barr chanced 20 be at
Neels--not ;nduieing IN afternoon
tea but indulging his sweet tooth with
partry and Incidentally making OBJ
eervetions on the STUDENT, on parade
who always amused him.
He caught sight OF Tom Frobisher
and F,ldegarde a. a small table and
then 20 his surprise saw Tom rather
ungraciously leave HIdcearde 20 &c
20 speak 20 groupe OF young people
a. = table next 20 hie.
Elahorate greetings vere exchanged
and Tom regarded the overdreeeed
Nppers there with manifest approval
WHO'S the peach with you?" asked
one or the men.
ssON .hast~ l,FfSara-~sa
Il thought your best girls name was
Ro~e." teased one OF the flappere.
Maybe Rose is my hes. gtr,--'
bcanled Ten Froosher. "but there f1a,
20 Re a second best you know. Ross
was coming. but the last thing he,
dad held up the funds She lives WI,
cut !n Frisco. But she's coming mex
year. y she has TO walk. That's wha'
her telegram said
"SheT have 20 look out" WINGED ons
OF the ove-dressed aappere. "or III.
charming IIld~gnrde viii vamp yoI
away
Swell chanoe,- promised Tom Fro
n,sher ana Then <.-u-ted back 70 Hide.
ga-de.
Dudley Barr fingered long over hi,
pastry. Then when Tom and Hide
sarde had risen from their table and
Tom had gone ahead 10 settle his ac
count a. the desk. Dudley strod,
quickly 70 Hldegarde'e side
Miss Blaxtpn," he said withou
much ceremony. will you go TO III,
baseball game with me tomorrow
afternoon"
Haldegarde looked around anxious
ly 70 see n Tom were over-hearing. {"
should love 10, but ien't Il cusrcrnar,
? the man who asks a s.ri 70
senior dance 20 tain. her 70 the base
bail game too?"
ut certainly Is" agreed Dudley
But ] happen 20 know that Mr. Fro
biaher has 10 work all the afternoo,
in the laboratory. So you will De- IRE,
~ you choose. 20 &c % the game witt
me-"
Then ] should be charmed" An,
Dudley Barr moved away as Hide
garde and Tom Frobisher met an,
pushed their way past the 4ncour.r.
crowds al Neals.
They walked lelsurely back 20 ,h
fraternity house. In the rneanti,n
Dudley Barr made haste, for ne ha.
en- important note 70 write
'Hnns II all" said Tom after giau
cling az an ofhc.al-lool1ns note thr
was waiting FOR him az the frat hous,
THAT sorehead Barr has tied me u
FOR the afternoon tomorrow. had Z
make up some ID but thought he VIZ
going 90 let me Off. Now comes tn.
note 70 say THAI I've got 20 make u
three houU IN chem before he'll gs
mo through This course. And I pass