The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-18
four DANCING FEET
A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE.
BY JANE PHELPS
Chapter IS.

A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE.
Chapter IS.
Left to themselves for a few mo-
ments Lilly said:
wake up, Gertiel when fellow
is givin' you a swell time you don't
get nowheres by havin' frozen face
all the time. Be like me. Them fell
lows, Jim Denton and the rest, know
Just how far they can go with me,
that there's no chance of gettin' any
further But kiss never hurt no girl.
and if they want to hug you little,
that don't hurt none ether. Get
down off your perch and you'n have a
good time"
II hate it. Lilly. I can't do-as-
YOU do. Perhaps it is all right as you
saw but I can't feel that way. 1t
seems cheap ami horrid. Mother saws
men don't think well of girls that do
those things
what docs she know aaout it?
She's old fashioned and amt never
been out none. There comes the boys,
now chirk up. Be SPORT"
'I wish we might sit on the beach
a while" Gertie said longingly when a
return to Larimore's was proposed.
''What'd you take us for, dead
ones?" Jim Denton asked, and Gertie
said no more, but weekly trailed along
to the dance hall.
But she was unhappy. her gayety
forced
I'm no good. Lilly. I can't enjoy
myself" she whispered, land we must
get home. might lose my job if I
was late. Sunday is a big night "a
Fagin's.'
you don't have to go there no
more unless you want to-" Len, over
hearing, told her.
what do you mean?" Gertie asked.
"Just what 1 say. You know I'm
stuck on you, there's no girl like
so well, just let's git spliced, Jim and
Lilly will be Witnesses
You mean" Gertie Interrupted:
Marry me. yes! Amt good
ey. Gertie. and honest I'm fond of
you. crazy about you"
"Oh-I-never thought don't
want to get married. Len. You're all
face darken, but shall stay with ma
for a long time-maybe always. She
and the kids need me-"
IT amt sayin' won't help them
a little, if you'd be my missis."
No, Len, please don't say any more
about it. Let's have one more dance
then I'll have to go. You don't have
to go, Len, just put me on the sub
way, then you can come back There's
lots of girls here and you could stay
all the evening il it wasn't for me"
you've said a mouthful! But 1
amt no welcher. takes a girl home
when I takes her out even If she has
given me the shake"
Gertie said no more This. her
first proposal. had shocked and dis !
gusted her; wounded her as well. In |
the stories Tom Norris had recon- |
men didn't ask girls to marry |
them in public places, and before |
other people. Instinctively she knew |
Tom would not have done so. Yet |
she knew Len O'Connor would be con- |
sidered a good match for a poor girl |
like herself. Len was man with n |
good trade who could take care of |
her. He would perhaps be good to |
her family too. But she couldn't even |
pretend to want him, altho she knew /
her mother would be willing; perhaps !
that she had not mar
ried him.
At the last moment Lilly too de-
cided to go back, altho she had said |
she didn't care if Rosenberg did dis
charge her If she stayed away. But it |
was a quiet, rather sulky foursome |
that pushed their way into the sub
way.
The good time Lilly had promised
Gertie, the day she had thought !
would be a pleasure had turned out
badly. 1t wasn't Lilly's fault, she |
didn't even blame Len. 1t was her
self. She just couldn't enjoy such i
parties. Something in her rebelled at
the coarseness. the freedom.
II guess I'm no goodt' she told
Lilly after the two young men had |
left them-Jim Denton with a kiss
from Lilly, Len scowling and cross
because Gertie denied him.
I'll tell the world you ANTI Not
when 1t comes to havin' a good time.
Why you'd turn a fire into a frost the
way you act. I'd like to know what
you think you'll git by actin so? I
shan't make plans for you again. I'll
take some girl along that's got a. little
pep, that amt afraid to be decent to
4 fellow what spends his money"
81 wish you would. Lilly" Gertie
answered, almost sad because she
couldn't be like other girls-yet
knowing she would hate herself if she
were.