The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-04-30
Maytime IS
Romance Time
on Most
College
Campuses

IsHE shiyered a little, though the room
~ vas oppressiyely warm. She had
drawn the shade to keep II cooler. And
queer streak Of sunshine coming through
made fiery place on the back OF Toms
dark red hair.
The muffied thudding Of her heart
battered her pulses. deafened her. as she
watched the hands OF the clock over the
closed door. This was her hour--to learn
the truth.
Finally Tom moved He closed an old
ledger with almost studied carelessness
and looked at her. md when she slw
his own ease had left him, her hand
reached TO her throat and she fought of
a wild suffocating notion TO run and
never stop--never until she dropped.
Instead, she picked up pencil, pre-
tended to write, her face. with its wide,
smooth forehead. its straight. small nose
and humorous, full mouth as appealingly
sad and Wistful as q Madonna's.
Maybe it was foolish for girl of u
TO meet life and love with so much
fright. But Priscilla. knew that Tom
sullivan held her naked heart In the
palm Of his strong. bronzed hand. Would
he toss It away without ever knowing 1t
was there? Would his blue eyes twinkle
with impersonal kindness while he said
only, Wen. good-by. Prisi Its been nice
knowing youl"
TT WAS nearing commencement Week
And these were the last minutes she
and Tom would have together IN the
little. white walled room with the two
desks So close as to be. themselves inti-
mate. He'd been business manager and
abe edltor OF the school year book. This
was their last day. for the year books
had been distributed.
No one could have questioned Priscilla's
beauty as she sat there. It was apparent
III the deiicately chiseled features. In
namless skin, IN symmetry Of slim figure.
Ii was as apparent as her bubbling good
h,lmor. But only with Tom had she oeen
able 10 forget that one Of her trim small
feet needed a shoe with slightly thicker
sole. A childhood sickness mad done that
And the secret sadness which. since. mad
lurked in the depths Of her clear gray
eyes had recently given way To dawn
ing Joy Gradually. as flower yearns
toward the sun, she had lifted a new
loneliness toward Tom
NOW Tom turned In his chair. She
saw embarrassment coloring his hand
some face for the first time since she
had known him. and her heart stopped
waiting
Say. pr1sl" Tom spoke abruptly. I'm
gong to miss this. aren't your"
sine turned shakily and attempted 8
SMILE "Of course, am. You know that, ;"
The room was quiet. Through an open
window came the notes of cardinal 1t
ali began TO seem like dream-and al
most TOO dramatic, so she tried TO laugh
He responded-a little aWkwardly.
Gee! You've been q pal Even our
work been darned good funl''
She couldn't answer. but her eyes al
frmed all he had said.
His face had become crimson. She
knew he was going to say something tnti-
mate something important. She made a
little secret. frantic prayer.
1T takes nerve to ask you this" ne
blurted at last
And his very confusion helped her to
laugh lightly Come, comel Aren't va
friends?"
He grinned f-consciously. You bet
we arel And you'll probably think I'm q
nut, but
Gradually from his embarrassed STAN
merings. the truth burned its way
through Priscilia's heart He wasn't pro-
posingl He was asking her to introduce
him to her new friend, Gwendolyn
Harris! He'd fallen pretty hard for
Gwen.
Priscilla felt suddenly strange and old.
as If something within her had died. She
forced her trembling lips to behave. !.
1t wasn't as If she hadn't been afraid OF
losing Tom. Strengthening like a small
soldier, she heard herself promising
promising to help Tom win another grill
A i THE ivy-coVered entrance to LIZ
- brary Hall, they parted, and she stood
a moment, yearning after him as his long
strides took him quickly down across the
campus
All that long. wretched night. while
the others were at the farewell party
dancing. and long after they had re-
turned, Priscilla. In her room. stared
wide-eyed up into the darkness. shaking
frequently with dry sobs of utter anguish
Ii Tom loved Gwen as much as this, he
must have her.
There was soft dew on the grass wher
she met Tom in the morning. Something
Of its sheer beauty and Of the sight Of hi
dear. familiar twinkle brought lumr
to her throat as she told him gently:
I've thought Of q plan for you to mee
Gwen She outlined it to him.
Gee. Prisl' Tom grasped her hanc
warmly You're a brick Goslal If
can ever do anything for you--P
Sunday dawned like the day OF tortur,
1t was--with mocking. cloudless sky