A CHRISTMAS CORNER IN GIRLS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2693, 24 December 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

A CHRISTMAS CORNER IN GIRLS.

(By ELLIOTT FLOWER, Author of “Policeman Flynn,” “The Sportsman,” etc.)

Having surrendered his coat and hat to the attendant, Forsyth turned to Tom Wilkinson. “What next?!’ he ask. ed.

•“Nothing, just now,” returner Wilkinson. “Later, when the auction be. ;.gins,.yon may buy a girl.” “I miay what?” Forsyth’s astonishment was, perhaps, excusable, for he •had given the Christmas Eve Auction -Dance no particular thought until Wilkinson caught him at his club and assured him that it was a novelty. Forsyth, like all exceedingly rich young .men, was always looking for novelties in the entertainment line. “You may buy a girl,” repeated Wilkinson. “Didn’t you read the slip that -came with yonfr invitation?” “No, because I had no thought of •coming,” explained Forsyth. “Somebody strung me for five dollars for a ■ ticket, and then you caught me in an •unguarded moment and mad© me come. •But be serious, Tom; what kind of a ;game is this?” “Serious!” exclaimed Wilkinson. •“There isn’t anything more serious than buying girls, is there?” “But you can’t really buy-—” “‘You can do anything in the name of charity.” Forsyth turned on his friend sharply. “Quit your fooling, Tom!” he exclaimed. “Tell me the truth about this, or I’ll go back to the club.” » “Oh, very well,” laughed Wilkinson; “you have to bid for your partner, and the money goes to charity. That’s what they mean by an Auction Dance.” “I see,” said Forsyth slowly. “Now I understand why you told me to bring my cheque-book.”

“Right, Dicky, right. And they’ll sting you, too.”

“Oh, wil] they?” Forsyth resented tips. “Well, I’ll fool ’em; I won't bit'” “Oh, yes, you will,” bantered Wilkinson. “You can’t help bidding unless you put blinders on your eyes.” “I won’t bid,” repeated Forsyth stubbornly. “I’ll watch the game, just to raise their expectations, but I won’t hid. I’m no easy mark.” “All right,” returner Wilkinson cheerfully . “Come on and watch.” Forsyth followed his friend as far ■as the ballroom door, but refused to go beyond that. He could see and hear from there, he said, and he would take no chances of being held up irj some unexpected way. There was a stand, evidently for the auctioneer, at the far end of the room, and several- of the patronesses were seated just back of it. The two men talking to them were unquestionably managing the affair. “You can always bet on old Reggies getting into the limelight,” Forsyth commented, “and Payson is a good understudy for him, but you don’t see them putting up any of their own money.” It was a brilliant scene, but he was in no humor to appreciate it. “Nice little confidence game you tried to work on me,” he said, “but I tell you I won’t bid.”

“Of course you will, Dicky,” returned Wilkinson. “The right one hasn’t arrived yet, but when—” d(“What do you mean by that?” demanded Forsyth quickly. ’ “Oh, there’s always some girl a fellow would rather not let other fellows have.”

It was a random shot, but the way Forsyth’s eyes searched the room convinced Wilkinson that lie had made a hit. Forsyth, however, rather weakened this conviction a moment later. His eyes rested on! a youth and girl, and he smiled broadly. As the girl’s angagement to the youth had just been announced it seemed hardly possible that she could be. the one in Forsyth’s case. Nevertheless, his, resentment at the thought that he was wanted merely for his checkbook disappeared completely, and his smile became a chuckle. “You’re right, Tom,” he said; “there’s always some girl that a fellow would rather not let the other fellows have, especially if he is engaged to her. For instance, it would jar Billy Nevins to lose Grace Fargus this evening.” Wilkinson look at Forsyth in blank amazement;

“I don’t like Billy very well,”Forsyte went on; “he has a tongue that is ; ; whettled to a point, and he has jabbed with it many times. Besides he is so infernally impatient with fellows who •are not so industrious as himself. I can think of nothing more amusing - than to hear Billy yell.”

( “TVhat do you mean?” : can outbid him, can’t IP Well, /Billy won’t dance with his girl tonight.” “Oh, say !” Then, as he grasped the full meaning of the plan, Wilkinson laughed. “Billy will be crazy !” he declared P “but—” .-■%}/

Mr. Reggies, the auctioneer, interrupted him by . rapping for . order. : “Ladies and. gentlemen,” he began, “the Auction Dance being something of a .novelty, :my firet duty is .to make £ slight explanation. Briefly the idea is ±o sell partners for the evening at auction, and you will readily se* that this plan has been ingeniously arranged so that no young man can escape; it is necessary, for him to purchase a partner before he can dance; but, having secured his'partner for the eyening, he inay then Exchange partners for ifldivjd*

ual dances with any of the other young men who have them.

“Personally,” and Air; Reggies beamed impartially upon all, “I should like to take each young lady by the hand, explain her wonderful value as a partner, and call for bids, but the ladies in charge were horrified by the mere suggestion of such a plan; so I am merely permitted to sell first choice, choice, and so on.” Wilkinson whispered to Forsyth: “You’ll have to buy first choice, to be sure.’ ’ “I’ll get it,” returned Forsyth ; “and I’ll make money on it, too.” Wilkinson thought he must have misunderstood. He gave Forsyth a sharp glance and saw that the latter was both excited and joyful. “Get me here for my cheque-book, will they?” Forsyth went on gloatingly. “Did you hear what he said about exchanging partners? Well, I’ll bid in first choice, take Billy’s financee, and then sell him Hie individual dances at retail. He’ll have to pay my price for every dance he gets.” “Dicky,” said Wilkinson, when he had recovered from his astonishment, “you ought to go in for high finance. The people who—” But Mr. Reggies now claimed attention again by announcing that bidding for first choice of partners was in order. • Forsyth nerved himself for the struggle, but his victoy was surprisingly easy. There was, in fact, no incentive to high bidding, as no young man believed himself in danger of losing the particular partner he desired, and none of them saw menace in Forsyth. So they let him have first choice for the comparatively insignificant su\n of ten dollars. Then interest centred in his choice. A moment later there was a general smile, for he offered hi s arm to Grace Fargus, took her away from Billy Nev. ins, and escorted her. to a seat on the other side of the room. The smile broadened into a laugh at Billy’s look of dismay. “Oh, I say, Forsyth!” Nevins protested, but his girl was already gone. Miss Fargus smiled, but she was raging inwardly. She smiled for the benefit of others, but to Forsyth she said: “You did that just to be mean.” “I thought it was a compliment,” protested Forsyth. “Only one girl cpin be first choice, you know.” “You did it to be mean,” she repeated with emphasis. “You don’t like Billy, and you wanted to be hateful to him. You know perfectly well that we’re engaged.” “Oh, in that case,” returned Forsyth, “we’ll fix it up with Billy later. Just now I wan’t to look out for the bidding.” “Bidding?” she exclaimed. “Why, you’ve already got me.” “Yes, I know,” he answered; “and that’s as far as I originally intended to go, but my scheme has broadened.” She w r as mystified, but was soon enlightened. The bidding for second choice had already run up to fifteen dollars, and the auctioner was making a last call.

“Twenty-five!” cried Forsyth. There,, were immediate protests from several quarters.

“It is objected,” announced Reggies, “that the gentleman who has just bid twenty-five has already a partner.” “That has nothing to do with it,” maintained Forsyth. “It annoys me that prices should he so low, and I am willing to pay higher.”

“You can’t dance with more than one at a time,” objected Reggies. “I anticipate no difficulty ia finding partners for all the partners I buy,” was Forsyth’s enigmatical reply. “Perhaps the gentleman wishes to play Santa Claus out of season,” laughed Reggies,. as.: he ■•turned to the ladies behind him for advice. “It is the opinion of the ladies having the matter in charge,” he announced a moment later, “that they have no right to'deprive the charity they represent of the benefit of the highest bid that may be made. The second choice also goes to Mr. Forsyth. It looks to me as if some of you other gentlemen wii'li.have to go deeper into your pockets if you don’t want to rely upon Mr. Forsyth’s generosity for your evening’s entertainment.” Again all eyes were upon Forsyth, and again he chose an engaged girl. The girl, Miss Vaughan was as resentful as his other partner, and the youth, Frank Parker, would have welcomed an excuse for a physical encounter. He and Nevins. joined forces, and together they bore down on Forsyth.

“You’ve got the joke on us,” said Nevins, trying hard to smile, “but of course, you’re not going to be mean about it.”

“Oh, no,” returned Forsyth, “I’m not going to be mean.”

“ We’ll get partners soon,” said Nevins, “and then you’ll trade for the dances we want?”

“No,” said Forsyth ; “I’m not trading partners to-night.”

“You’re not?” ,;V'/ “No; I’m merely, selling dances for cash. This is a speculation.” ; ;

While the excited two were, recovering from the shock of this the voice of Reggies was heard announcing': “Fif_ teen offered for the third choice 1 Going, going—” /, • . .

“Tyenty-five!-' cried Forsyth. “Thirty 1”: came the answer.

‘ 'Forty 1 ” called Forsyth

Ha got it at forty, and he added some others to his collection of expostulating young ; men. This might be called a I joke, they said, but lie’s carrying it too far.Forsyth .waved them aside and selected liis tlfird partner. His: choice)

this time disturbed several. Miss Muriel Payne was not engaged, but • her admirers joined the protesting circle ill a, body. Even Wukinson became one of the. group. They asserted,- with; much emphasis, that they wouldn’t stand any more such foolishness.

“If you don’t want me to get your partners,” demanded Forsyth, “why don’t you bid?”

“We will hid,” they declared, and they straightway made up a pool.

Fourth choice cost Forsyth a hundred dollars. “Of course,” he said, “the higher you put the prices the more you will have to pay for individual dances. “I’m running a corner in girls.” . A score of young men Were all trying to talk to him at once, and the scene around him resembled a'miniature'xifit. They assured him that lie was that he Whs making a perfect farce of the affair, that he couldn’t possibly be the whole dance.

“You wanted my clieque-book, and it’s here,” he returned. “Now play the game.”

Fifth choice cost him one hundred and thirty dollars, and they van sixth choice up to one hundred and fifty, but lie got them both. Then Wilkinson got him to one side and protested.

“You can’t run this dance alone,” he said.

“Tom,” said Forsyth, the light of battle in liis eyes, “there won’t be any dance until the fellow's who wan’t partners settle with me. I’ll set a price for each dance before I get through.” “Let me get a bid in somewhere, Dicky,” pleaded Wilkinson; “leave Miss Carter for me.” “Perhaps,” laughed Forsyth.

That disturbed Wilkinson, and he joined in the bidding himself next time. Thereupon Forsyth promptly added Miss Carter to his collection of partners and Wilkinson to his collection of young men.- Then Forsyth stood absolutely alone against the crowd, and they ran prices up on him until he began tq weaken. He had ten partners—ten of the most popular girls in the room, some of them having the additional speculative merit of being financees—and he thought he had a pretty fair investment.

Eleventh choice went to another, and all breathed easier—that is, all except those who felt themselves in Forsytil’s power. They thought he had dropped out, hut lie bid again for the twelfth, although only enough to force the price up a little. After that he made only occasional bids, just enough to keep them anxious, but he added one or two to his list.

Meanwhile, between the bids, Nevins and Parker were excitedly negotiating with him. The urged him to be serious, to quit joking, to tell them what he intended to do.

“I told you once,” he answered. “I’m running a corner in girls, and I’m going to sell dances at a profit.” Many joined in telling him that such a proceeding was outrageous . “What are you going to do about it?” he retorted.

They knew what they would like to do, but they would have to get him outside to do it.

“Anyhow,” he said, “I have been a grea help to charity to-night. If you don’t believe it ask Mrs. Barlow.”

Mrs. Barlow cheerfully agreed that he had added' many dollars to what they had expected to receive, all. of which was irritating to the young men. They assured him that such a mean and mercenary character had no place in polite society. Billy Nevins, ably supported by the others, was dilating upon this subject with startling vigor when he saw Miss Fargus beckoning to him. He naturally -hastened to her, leaving the others to carry on the war. Miss Fargus whispered something to him. “No!” exclaimed Billy in astonishment. “It’s been kept awfully quiet,” lie added.

“It has,” agreed Miss Fargus. “Can we do it?” asked Billy. ~. • \ “You do your share and I’ll do mine,” replied Miss Fargus. “Grace,” said Billy, “you have saved the day, and I’ll reward you for it when we are alone.”

“Your idea of rewarding me,” laughed Miss Fargus, “is to claim a reward from me.”

“Yes,” admitted Billy, brazenly, “but it’s of a nature that rewards us both.”

Miss Fargus, blushing prettily, slipped from the room, and Nevins went in search of Wilkinson, to whom he passed the secret.

“You don’t mean it!” exclaimed WilKinson.

“Fact!” asserted Nevins. “Grace told me.” .

“Can we work it?” asked Wilkinson. “Can you do your part?” returned Nevins.

“Watch me,” said Wilkinson.

A moment later he was at Forsyth’s side and had taken up the burden of battle with that conscienceless speculator in partners. So fiercely did he assail him that Forsyth temporarily lost all interest in any other proceedings and gave his whole attention to his own defence, asserting that Wilkin-' son was a traitor and had only himself to blame for the loss of his prospectivepartner. “And I’ll /makd you' pay double for your dances,” lie added. “All right,” said Wilkinson. “How much do you think you’re going to get?” g “Twenty dollars a dance from you, and ten dollars from the. others,’,’ was the reply.

• Great was the outcry at this, but Forsyth was firm. He had not planned, to make it so high, he said, but they themselves had forced ilp prices by making his purchases so costly. Then, snddenly, Forsyth became greatly excited. Miss. Fargus was entering the room' with a late arrival.

“Here, I want to bid l” cried' Forsyth, turning to the auctioneer. 7

“Try for the next,” advised Mr. Reggies. “This-choice has just gone to Mr. Nevins.”

“Rather cleverly done, don’t you think?” remarked Wilkinson, triumphantly.

Forsyth scowled at him, for it was all clear to him now —his attention had been held by Wilkinson while Nevins got the necessary choice, and Nivens was now claiming the new arrival. “How did you know'?” he asked “Miss Fargus knew.”

“Well,” said Forsyth resignedly, “Nivens can have his choice of partners from me now.”

“Nivens will want more than one,” asserted Wilkinson. “Nivens can have two.”’ “Nivens will want more than two.”

Forsyth prided 1 himself upon being a good loser, but he experienced difficulty in looking pleasant now. “I’ll .see Nevins,” he said.

A glimmer of the situation was beginning to dawn on the others, and Forsyth suddenly found himself transferred from the role of heavy villain or hero (as one chose to look at it) to light comedy. But he made the best of it. “You win,” he said to Nivens; “I’ll trade partners.” “How many?” asked Nevins. “One, of course.” “Heavens!” hxclaimed Nevins; “is it possible that T place a higher valuation upon Miss Russell than yon do?” ' “No, it isn’t possible,” responded' Forsyth emphatically. “Then,” said Nevins, “I think you will have to. release all your partners to get her.” “There was an angry expostulation in the look that Forsyth gave Nevins, but he said nothing. “High finance is an uncertain game,” added Nevins. Forsytli sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “There is always one girl that a fellow would rather not let other fellows have.” “There is,” admitted’Forsyth. “Surrender?” asked Forsyth. “Not to you,” said Forsyth, “but t-o be defeated by the wit of a woman is man’s natural destiny. I capitulate to Miss Fargus.”