Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-20

and. f~loundering about and
hazy about where to put their feet
as 1 was myself.
But no such thing. 1t was a regular
/ realized this as soon as we arrived
at the entrance to this big house in
the longest, straightest road in Lon
don. I'VE" meaning Son and his
merry little Mother and a half-a-doz-
en- of the people who'd been at the
Dug-Out that Sunday. First and fore
most. of course, Slim and Miss Yellow
Frock. He was still keenly interested
in that girl, l saw; seemed fearfully
anxious that she shouldn't. get demob-
ilized (she was an A. s. c.. driver) and
go back just yet to Shanghai where
her people lived.
Well, but about this house where
these classes were held. People were
already going in; girls, in wraps, car
rytng shoe-bags, were tripping up the
steps, and fellows in uniform. Inside
well, it looked 4 palatial show to me
after Slim n Son and I had got rid
Of our hats and things downstairs and
were following the'ladies up that enor-
nous stone staircase with a sort of
conservatory ~alcove-place just before
you came to the first landing. Plenty
of people were sitting out there, on
steps and in basket-chairs.
AS u party passed some girl
waved her hand and another girls
voice cried, "Ah, there's Slim as If
everybody had been waiting for him.
Perhaps they had. Anyhow as soon
as We go into the big room on the
first landing which was all bright with
amber lights set round the walls and
reflected down from the gilded CELL
ing and sideways from the mirrors
and up from the polished floor, Slim
seemed to be surrounded in a mo-
ment- I saw a regular flower-border
of colored frocks grow up round him,
as 1t were; and over the top of it his
fair head, tilted. and his face looking
down and twisted into that TESTERS
laugh Of his. Some people had
pounced on Lou and Son." too; and
dragged hem off to talk to the giSl
at the piano there was a
sort of general buzz. everybody seem
ed to know everybody.
So for just a moment I was left
rather high and dry near the door,
looking round this room. TWO rooms,
really, l suppose, only the folding
doors had been taken away between
the smaller place where the band was
and the front one. On the goldeny
wall were a couple Of mirrors about
ten by six, with ancient-looking gilt
frames and garlands about them. In
front n the windows o. to the street
were great sweeps of curtains in am
Der brocade.
headed girl was standing with her
back to me.
Funny to think how this was going
to turn out to be my first girl-friend!
She was rather-effective, is that
the word?. Awfully reminding you OF
those illustrations in Vogue that you'd
think nobody could possibly be~likc.
This girl was. Same clothes, same
shoes with criss-cross ribbons UP her
ankles, same sort of way Of standing.
Smart" I suppose. I'd never liked
seems soft or swcet-looking enough
(1've told you I was hopelessly old
fash.). But I couldn't help looking
at this one. Her hair, which was
bobbed and parted at one side, and
with a silver thingummy all round it,
was Just about as black. as anything
I've struck. Her arm and shoulders
(Which you saw absolutely all of,
were eve so white. I wondered if
shed got a pretty face, Z
She turned side-face. Not what l
Il thought I noticed something in that
moment. I thought that girl in her gay
and "scrappy" frock looked jolly mis-
cradle. Absolutely fed up. Fed to
the wide! Why on earth should she
be, I wondered. She saw me
looking at her. and in n flash that
look was eone-if 1t had eyer been
Sort Of surprised, then a little
A-..--S4 l-A o.. - 80 -