Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-12-05
CHAPTER SO

asking to take Sara Sue Davis 10
the international ball. up to a sort
of unofficial closing time Saturday
noon. totaled nine. Since Septem-
Der the news had gotten around in
Houston as we'll as ON the Rice
campus that the widow Davis was
back in society and was, If any
thug, more charming than ever
before. Five of the requests came
from Rice students, one from the
faculty "a rather likeable DIR.
Swartz, in chemistry, and three
from outside. One Of the outside
three was first, and he was lucky.
He was Mr.. T. j. Sanders, head
salesman for Columbia Sporting
Goods corporation. Like any good
salesman, he had planted his sale
weeks before, cultivated 1t right
and won the harvest. He was
ahead of Bob Towne just by "a
hours. Worthington Gurley had
even asked to take Sara Sue-but
young Worthington had encoufl-
tered a magnificent adventure In
the intervening weeks, and so now
would take his charming new wife,
Marcia.
Sara Sue had given much
thought to the age-old question of
what to wear to this ball. Many
of the girls would be in Spanish
costume. She investigated that,
found that she could rent one for
SIS and make one for a little more.
"But am a poor wilder woman,
T. j." she told him, land SIS looks
as big as the football stadium"
II will take up a collection" he
jibed. "But I don't care what you
wear. Come in your Stacks and I'll
still bet $50 you are the belle of
the ball."
He would have won his bet.
Some girl, it seems, has to DOM
mate every dance IN North Amer
lea. Some one girl whose personal
ity and beauty stands out. It is
the American way.
Sara Sue had the looks and per-
sonality, and the prominence. Ma
ture had seen to the former, and
the newspapers recently had seen
to the latter. She and her cottage
for Counsel in Romance had been
publicized in every paper from the
New York Times to the Houston
Press, inclusive, the syndicated
feature services having shown only
a little less enthusiasm than the
hometown editors. Sara Sues
beauty was nationally known. She
had, in fact, been contacted by at
least two movie talent scouts, and
had received them rather coldly,
having her own ideas about where
happiness lay.
Inevitably, therefore, people at
the dance conferred their attention
largely on her. People who knew
her pointed her out to people who
didn't, and introduced her. At least
a dozen men tried to introduce her
to the Mexican football captain,
Don Romero Celiedor; it got to be
joke between them.
In the final decision, Sara Sue
had worn one of the three evening
dresses she already owned. It was
a relatively simple-hence excep-
tionally becoming = creation in
Rice blue". Only contrasting color
was gray. The blue and gray, Rice
colors. Who would have thought
they could make such q beautiful
gown?
Other girls asked each other
that, and answered that it was
Sara Sue herself who made it
beautiful. 1t had been chosen for
taste, not for cost nor flash. It
made her look Is at a distance. Is
up close; she who was actually 20.
She and T. j. saw Thornton Hol-
gate during the first intermission.
CHANGED to stop dancing only a few
feet away. In the gay rush of
greetings Tin which Peaches Pofne-
roy took no part) Thornton showed
genuine pleasure.
Il am proud Of you, Sara Suel"
ne declared, ur1tactfully. "You look
charming! Does she not, Mr.. San
ders?"
Mr.. Sanders was nodding and
DECLARING he would tell the cock
Dyed world she did, and several
more couples crowded up to talk.
Peaches led Thornton away.
Big Bob Towne came to claim
Sara Sue for the next dance-he
had wheedled three dances off
T. Us program. Laughter and con-
Nersation filed the great ballroom
now. interchangeable atmosphere
OF relaxation and gaiety which can
pe created only by a college crowd
was taking hold. The music was
more than excellent. The hall it.
self-the big University club-had
been deliberately decorated to re-