San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-16


Billie touched his arm:
Now, Mickey, dear, just run
along, mamma fixed that. Its just
right"
"You're o piker, Bill" Connie
pouted. "Why look here, Nora Lee
can't even taste it and she's brand
new deb-try it,"
She offered the cup and Nora Lee
drunk it slowly, the icy vclyety mix
ture sending a tingle along her nerves;
She said rapturOusly: Wonderful !!
wouldn't change it Bit"
Nora Lee was not interested in
punch nor in the three boys in the
senior class who were scratching
their names on the clever programs
Comics sister, Sallie, had made.
She was searching the room for Il
brown. clean-cut head, a pair OF
great shoulders and twinkling
eyes.
Suddenly they met hers from clear
across the room. Her heart sank
she turned away confused. So clean
he looked in the tuxedo, so self-as-
sured-oh, the manifest fellow in the
room by q thousand chances.
NORA SAVES SEVEN.
He came up with a grand, lordly
air; but his deep-set eyes were quite
eager despite this pose. He said
in a mysterious tone as thought it
were proposal: Save any dances
for me?"
She looked up at him and laughed
aYou whisper like a sleuth. Yes, i
saved you seven.
Suppose 1 don't want that
many?"
"There are them who will" She
said this softly and lowered her eyes.
Not for nothing had Nora Lee
watched the girls in her class this six
months; not for nothing had she read
magazines and novels. But the We
neer of sophistication was very thin.
Right now her heart was like a
fluttering bird with n hundred eager
wings. When Dane Herrick put his
name in seven places and added large
ly: "I'll see about the rest" she
blushed and the heavy lashes fell.
He said, teasing: do that again,
Nora Lee" Then they were
dancing
He took unexpected twists and
turns. She didn't miss one.
He said with his merry eyes flat
tering her: do everything like you
dancer"
Mostly"
Don't be a bit backward about
stepping forward, my dear!'
"Indeed not! Someone else might
get there first"
So that was all very well, but Dane
Herrick had long, glittering line of
talk. Nora Lee made a valiant at
tempt to trail after, snap up the
threads
But she had lived too much alone.
She had looked so long at hills and
trees that she was out of place in the
flippant fever of the dance. She had
a wish now to get out and walk
look at the vast, blue sky and golden
stars all shining. Oh, she couldn't
even guess all he was talking abOu:
and was. suddenly crushed with her
own stupidity. Connie could match
her tongue with any of them. She
could say the daring, audacious
things.
In a flashing impulse she burst out:
"Oh, l don't know what in the world
you're talking about, Dane Herrick
This is the first dance I've ever been
to. I'm frightened to death. / can't
think Of a thing to say. You're just
wonderful to notice me-"
When he gave her a startled, grin
ming look, her little hand reached out
and grabbed his sleeve. Don't 20
away-please. I'd just die if l had
to sit here alone. You know boys
make me white with stage-fright. I've
never talked to any Of them except
the big, hulking fellows up in the
Butte Valley. Oh, that's n lonely.
desolate place. / never had a soul
to talk to except my mother. So my
tongue is awfully ont Of practice
She laughed softly and glanced
eagerly as q child might into his face.
Dane Herrick blushed. He said
"Gee-what a funny kid"
A REAL, REAL GIRL
Nora Lee thought herself a homely
person. Just now the tender gold
Of her skin flushed and glOwcd; the
black curly hair fell over her fore
head; her eyes in the night were
misty violet. They sent a long, quiv-
cring thrill through the young lads
nerves. Gce-what q sweet kid
regular gypsy-different as they come.
He was fed up on dolls and snakes
knew their Snug line by heart. Here
was a real, honest-tO-GOd Miranda
And he'd discovered her!
He slipped a hand over hers
Don't you worry, Nora Lee
stick"
"Oh, / knew you would. You have
such a kind look. That's what made
me like you the very first time l saw
you!"
"You did like me that first time,
them"
"Oh, yes, ever so much!"
He hunchcd his shoulders, laugh
ing. Dane Herrick was only ia
studiOus, enthusiastic fellow. He was
studying architecture and dreamed Of
building masterpieces like the old ca
thedral at Rheims. He worked hard
at his courses, only taking Saturday
nights off for fun.
Yet he was fabulously interested in
girls. He would have denied this and
given large quotations from Omar 20
prove his cynicism, as college youths
will.
But he was as flushed now in his
heart as Nora Lee. He gave her a
few condolences and they we're pour
ing out their lonely hearts to each
other. No one had ever understood
them before
Couuleg were nov sauntcriug in a