The Bozeman courier., 1926-12-31

His eyes fell on her, and he did not stir
She did not seem to look at him, but she
saw him cut across the room and break in
on julie Davies. Jules partner went to the
side lines and picked plum from some
one else. The cutting in had begun. The
dances would now be interminable,
the men and girls who were stuck for a
half hour dance because no one wanted
the girl.
Carolyn sat glued TO the wall. She i'm
agined by this time that every one was
laughing at her. She reflected fiercely that
she was only twenty -four and had a fine
position; that at Bennet'S they thought
she was wonderful with the girls; that she
was thought highly of by the partners in
the firm. David Lansing liked her, and he
was real man. As for LOrrie Bennett, who
! imagined that every girl was in love with
! him, with his cOnceit and vanity, who was
| he anyhow? Only the nephew of a success
/ ful man. A Weakling! But nothing helped.
The music danced and ratified and cajOled
and Knocked. Flagrantly it left Carolyn out.
! When it finally stopped, things were as
bad as ever. She had to make her way
across the room to the dressing room and
rest for minute, away from the glare and
: exposures of the ballroom. She looked in
the glass and saw a pretty brown haired
girl in a peach pink satin dress. She was
! pretty-but prettiness didn't count at
thing like this, in this organized cOmpeti-
ton when every man only wanted to be
seen with the girls who were competed for.
After the music started again, she went
back to let her partner find her. Mr. WOr-
den was forty and kindly. He cOmplimented
her, talked about her work, danced we'll
and without imagination, and she half en-
Joyed 1t. Just to be moving in the crowd
! again-nO matter hOw-was such relief
But there were encOres and eneOres and
eneores. She ran out Of things to say, i'm
agined that her partner was desperately
wondering why no one cut in on her. It
semed endless, and Carolyn bOlstered her
SELF up with the thought that it couldn't
el0leSg-tnnf q QOnnIn n
at the most she would be in bed again.
AT the beginning Of the next dance, when
Mr. Worden had bowed himself away, the
orchestra leader stood up and shouted
| Ladies' choice" A shout went up. The
girls all liked this innovation Of old fash
ioned ladies choice" dances, and the gay
est Of them went dashing across the hall
to get the men they wanted.
Carolyn saw her chance She saw Jim
Higgins come into the room, and claimed
him boldly. Jim, a little surprised no
doubt, sailed out with her into che middle
OF the rom. But Carolyn was embarrassed.
She guessed that people were thinking that
she, who sat out dances, had nerve enough
when 1t came to asking men. They had
hardIy circled the room twice when another
girl cut in on Jim, and Carolyn was again
on the side lines. She stood hesitant for a
minute and then, determined not to sit
ooWn again IN that horrible isolation, cut
In on LOrrie Bennett.
"HellO," he said. 81 certainly feel like the
gay young debutante"
She felt he was laughing at her and tried
: 70 come back with repartee. Instead she
bIushed she blushed, and hated him and
loathed herself for lack Of dignity. Ned
Auardyce, sent up by his wife to see If
Carrie was having a good time, saw her
dancing with LOrrie Bennett and went
back to report that Carrie could look out
2 Tor herself all right. Just as he disappeared
some girl cut in on Bennett.
e Carolyn began to feel It was deliberate
q Perhaps the men winked over her shoulder
at the girls, indicated that they wanted
some one TO rescue them. She couldn't az
, It again. She sat down trying to smile
And, as II the ladies' choice dance had LEI
4 all sorts Of fresh energy loose, the must,
\ grew wilder and wilder and the girls Gu
: in furiOusiy on one another.
Emmy Cole swayed by, completely re
laxeo on her partners shoulders Their
= WAC her hostess, dancing with Lorrie Ben
e nett and laughing up at him until Ros.
u Harris took him away from her. Then, witt
8 never glance at her guest, Mrs Myr
e sought fresh men to conquer. A girl NOR