The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-09

ment l had been so interested in Billy's ideas of makeup. The mo ment he called my attention to it l lost the knack of the dance and stepped all over his feet.
 Billy grinned understandingly and stopped to reassure pe. We had reached the outer fringe of dancers where we had considerable room. "Too bad broke the spell, Virginia. You were doing wonderfully well. Now let's try again. Just put your left hand lightly on my shoulder. Don't try to watch my feet. Just feel the music. It is two steps one side and two steps to the other. Don't try to hips down. Now you have tensed your body. Relax, relax, my dear Virginia"
 "Oh, Billy, I can't do it."
 "Yes you can. You've done won derfully well for the first time on the floor. Try closing your eyes. Maybe that will help and just listen for the one. two. one two of the music.
 NO, don't count. If you dance by count you will never get into the poe try of motion.
 There, that is fine" commended Billy.
 Just as the music stopped I stepped all over his feet and l breathed a little prayer of thankfulness to think the ordeal was over When the music started up again Billy placed his hand lightly under my left arm.
 "Oh Billy, do we have to go all through it again?"
 "Oh. you'll like it this time"
 Billy, you are dear to help me- and I resolved to take some private lesons as soon as possible.
 You are doing very much better this time, Virginia" he assured me as I managed in some way to keep my rebellious feet in motion. found that closing my eyes did help some and at last I got over my panic at the thought of Billy pumping me into someone.
 pity on me, piloted me back to the table instead of dancing the second encore.
 How did you like it?" smiled Tony Melville, who happened to be sitting alone.
 Before I could reply Billy asked, Why, where is Dorothy?"
 John Alden took pity on her and asked her to dance. It is no place for an old man like me at one of these gatherings. But Virginia hasn't an- swered my question yet. Was it such an ordeal? You look as though you enjoyed it."
 Tt was duck soup for her. yolun- teered Herb Richardson, who was just seating Ria. Then he added looking at me: You were thrilled, weren't you?"
 T don't know whether I was or not, MT. Richardson. If you call being frightened to death and having a sense of making your partner ex- tremely uncomfortable thrill then you are right and was thrilled"
 You are altogether too clever young woman" said Tony Melville in my ear.
 'No am not am only honest"
 Then it is shame that more girls don't follow the system"
 By this time I had eaten altogether too much. Food that I had never eaten before had been placed before me and I found that liked it. The men had left the table occasionally, and as they came back I caught the odor of whisky and I saw Ria's frowns, growing blacker and blacker.
 Herb Richardson grew better hu- mored after each trip and his atten- tions to Ria became more pronounced.
 I heard him say, After all, my girl, you are the only woman who sup plies any variety in my life. I can count on all the rest of them to do the same tame thing"
 T don't know whether that is a compliment or not. Herb.''
 T know it is. But come on, let's go to the Turkish Village for our coffee" he said, addressing the whole party.
 Tomorrow-Herb Richardson Exas- perated.
 (Copyright. National Newspaper