Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-12-05
Night in June
By KARL KONZELMAN
g Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.

GRADUATION night in June Smell
NJ of roses. Youthful faces over
solemn black robes. Pretty girls, pref
tier than ever under the flush of ex-
citement. Classmates making awk-
ward jokes. Only thirty minutes more.
People streaming into the auditorium
below. Long minutes. Nervous laugh
ter. The sun goes down. Breathless
dusk.
Eight O'clock. Form in line.
you'll walk with meY neat youth.
trembling, asks the class belle.
'Why. I don't know. :.
/ mean :" She tries to refuse,
searching frantically for a certain face.
Yes, there it is. He's talking to that
little vamp, Jessie Falcon. He's TAX
ing her arm.
"All right" she decides, speaking
almost sharply. "I'll walk with you"
But the youth doesn't notice her tone.
Joy is in his face, and in his frank,
flashing smile. He thinks, "Guess my
luck's changed. Graduation partner,
Donna Weatherby! Boy. will the folks
be surprised"
She thinks, bitterly, who'd ever
thought I'd finish high school with Tom
Thorpe for my partner? What's the
matter with Lonny, lately? l hate her!
And l hate Lonny, tool I'll show him |"
Prim, lovely Mary Lancaster watches
Tom Thorpe strut proudly. out with
Donna. She thinks, Toms gone. My
Tom, and with her! Oh, she's pretty,
all right. But do wish Tom would
come down to earth. Wonder what's
the matter with me?"
The last of the graduates hie out
carrying their diplomas which they put
on a table in the proper order as they
go into the rear of the auditorium.
Violin music. Twenty couples in slow
rhythm, marching, marching. H..
Faces turn. The room is crowded.
whisper runs through the silent
hall. Tom searches for the familiar
bald head of his father, the sweet
round face of his mother. He sees
them; they see him. All three smile,
Tom with an air of mingled bragga-
docio and nervousness.
Wonder who that girl is with him?"
his mother asks. "Never saw her be-
fore. Kind of hard looking beauty she
has, amt it, pa? Not nearly as pretty
as little Mary Lancaster. There, she
is, too. My, she's sweet"
The hushed swish of wooden robes
as their wearers sit down. More mu-
sic. A prayer is offered. A second
minister stands and delivers the grad
uatiOn Grafton. Awards for exception
al scholarship follow. Tom gets one,
a gold watch.
Donna has eyes only for Lonny, in
the second row ahead. When Tom
comes back to his seat she manages
a smile of congratulation and notices
for the first time that he is handsome
in his scholarly, self-conscious way.
swell done, Tom !" she murmurs cor
daily She thinks, 81 won't have any
trouble showing Lonny tonightT'
Mary Lancaster drops her eyes when
she sees the amorous grin Tom be-
slows upon his companion. She thinks,
trying to make excuses for him, "Tom
doesn't know what he's doing. He'll
realize after a bit, how shallow she is.
He doesn't know what he's doing"
Out in the corridor, after the cere-
money and the brief reception is over,
Tom and Mary and Lonny and their
partners find themselves drawn unac-
countably together. "What do you say,
Tom, darling" Donna speaks to the
group, that we all go over to my
placer
"Swell, Don," Toms face and heart
are aflame with the subtle fiattery Of
that "Tom, darlingl" you'll all come
over, won't your he questions, feeling
suddenly very small under Mary Ian
casters whitening glance.
"Of course they WILL" Donna tells
him.
"Of course" I.onny speaks ZIP.
watching Donna closely. Jessie Fal
con shifts and finally mods assent.
you bet we will" Mary decides
firmly for her escort
The party doesn't last very late
AS the evening wears on. Tom finds
himself resenting the good time Mary
seems to be having, finds himself sick
ening at nonna's constant solicitude.
Her gushiness soon becomes painfully
obvious to him. He thinks, "She's shall
low. Bet she's making play for Lon
ny. Sure, that's III She engineered
this whole thing to make him madi
Used me to accomplish her purpose!"
When he can stand 1t no longer he
rises and announces, I'm going home,
DOnna!" No amount of persuasion
can move him. He gets his hat and
coat. At the door he says, just as he
had said thousand times before,
Coming along, Mary?" Casually he
speaks, as If he were asking her If
she liked to read or play tennis.
Astonished silence at his breach of
etiquette. Then Mary gets up obedi-
emily, do you mind?" she asks. "For.
give me, Joe. Good-nightp She takes
Toms arm.
Onol uufat ~ ,,,tdot~hA Do.t -