Her Soft Rosy Cheek I leaned toward her . . . then I heard the voice of another her father. By MOYLEN HESLOP A first date does not always have its own reward at the door, even when a feller has laid out good dough for a sweet pea corsage. Ah! I'll never forget the first time I met her, but don't think I haven't tried. It was during my earlier day. I was ambling through the park one day, when a petite little blonde started following me. She soon caught up with me and passed me; then I could breathe again. The girls' dance was coming, and I thought I was too young and innocent to be compelled to dance, with a girl. After a trying day at school I retired homeward. When I rounded the corner, a girl (wackey blonde) hailed me. She was kind of beautiful. She looked as though she had just stepped out of "Vogue", and fallen flat on her face. In some subtle manner I managed to evade the subject of dancing. By doing so I could gain two distinct advantages. I would be saving my father two dollars and fifty cents for a sweet pea corsage, possibly a dollar for gas, and besides I could stay at- home to watch TV. By taking the long way home I eluded her. The next day at school was a very trying one. I had to keep both the girls' minds off me and my own mind on solving for X. But after school, sure enough they had a death trap set for me. Then a beauteous brunette with lovely brown eyes looked into my heart, and before I could escape, she asked me to the girls' dance. A great lump came into my throat and the words of my mother raced through my mind. "Now, dear, be a real nice boy in school today. Don't hurt anyone." So naturally I had to reply "Yes". She was a good girl; I can't afford the other kind. After I sulkingly treadled my way home that afternoon, Mother greeted me with a happy smile, asking if anything was wrong. "Oh, I had to go and get a date today, Mom, blast it." "Now, now, now, son, that's no way to take it. You should have a lot of fun that evening." After my encouraging interview I began making plans for the "big and glorious" affair. I thought I had to have a new suit, but then Mom decided to press the old one. She said it would do; a feller just can't win. Next, I ordered the flowers from the florist. Boy, what a racket! Two dollars for a couple of sprigs of sweet peas. I decided to give the car a shower bath; it needed something. Yeah, that thirty-six Pontiac is so old the hair on the upholstery is turning gray, and every time we buy a license for it we get both the upper and the lower plates. Then I decided I should take a bath myself; it was either that or else go live with the dog. At about the time I should have been leaving for the dance I started to get ready. I donned my best eaten suit (moth eaten that is), and started on my way to pick up my date. As I proceeded up the front steps, I slipped on a slate of ice. This started the evening off with a bang! Next I found myself ringing the door bell. It was answered by her mother, and she greeted me in a very nice way. Then I proceeded to pin the flowers on Alice. On the first try I stuck her; so her mother pinned them on her. We then proceeded to mount my trusty bicycle. Father would not permit me to take the car finally. For some unknown reason her formal got tangled in the wheel, so we decided to leave the bike there and walk to the dance. When we arrived, the orchestra had just begun. As we began struggling around the floor I complimented her on her pretty formal. Mother said it was only proper etiquette. At the end of the first dance she grabbed my hand and towed me towards another couple, saying, "Come on, I got this dance promised with Lula Belle." For the next two dances I pushed Lula Belle around the ballroom. Time passed, and we traded with Maizy. She whispered in my ear, "Oh, you dance wonderful. I feel like I'm dancing on clouds." "Well, I don't like to interrupt your fine time, but would you mind getting off my feet?" I heard a voice (no doubt my own) reply. I eventually got to dance with Alice again. At least I was able to go along with a girl who could dance fairly well when Alice had me in her arms. Then came time for the refreshments, a glass of punch and a sugar wafer. It's a good thing the bishop's daughter made the punch, for it had a tang that really would make people talk. 6 After refreshments we gathered up the gang and all went over to Myrtle's house for a party. It must have been to celebrate my first date. We played hide the thimble, who's got the button, musical chair, spin the bottle, and then Jack got his finger stuck in the bottle and we had to change games. Then we played some kind of postman's game. But this got rather "boorish" and we then assembled around a table to have a square table discussion over a bowl of chili and a hand of Old Maid. About one-thirty the party was going very well, so we broke it up and called it an evening. I proceeded to be escorted home by Alice. Ah! It was a beautiful night. The stars were-glowing in their full brilliance, and a full moon in the heavens added to the mood of spring in the air. As we slowly approached her doorstep, a feeling of the deepest emotion came over me (you know how it is), and I leaned toward her soft, rosy cheek. Then I heard a voice of another, her father. "Come, Alice. Time for bed." "Nighty night." "Good night." CHIVALRY AND BE HANGED Continued from page 2 set on a wonderful two week vacation. It was then that my trouble really began. It was my duty to teach the young ruffians how to endure and survive the elements. I'll never forget the first day up at the lake. I had fifteen boys who all wanted to learn how to swim. I've always considered myself a good athlete, even if I am small. Many's the time I've pranced in front of a mirror flexing my muscles. Yes, I was like all small people, very cocky. Well, anyway, I gave the boys a little speech before giving them their first lesson. I told them if they would pay attention I would teach them how to swim clear across the lake. Now that was okay, but I made my mistake when I boasted to them that I could do it. A few of them dared me to, but I declined quickly by telling them I just wasn't in shape. All of a sudden I saw all their heads turn and then I realized why. There was Donna clad in a white bathing suit which made a sharp contrast with her dark sun tanned skin. She marched right up to me and said sarcastically, "Why not swim the lake for the little boys and show them what a big man you are?" I groped for words, but none came. "Okay, little man, I'll swim it and show them how it's done," she said, mean but still gorgeous. She then ran down and dived in. I prayed like I've never prayed before that she would get a cramp and then I could rescue her. But alas, within an hour she was pulling herself out of the water on to the shore. It was then that my ego really got shattered. I realized that the boys would no longer have any respect for me. That night as I lay in bed I thought of the many things that I could do to her, none of which was good. I had to find something in which I could beat her severely, but I thought of nothing. I then wished I were back home with my loving parents. "Oh, why had I come here?" I thought to myself. Why did I see the article in the paper advertising this so-called wonderful job? I rolled over, disgustedly trying not to think about what had happened a little while before, but it was to no avail. I soon fell into a troubled sleep. The next morning I woke up with firm determination to show Donna and the boys just what a real man I was. After breakfast we went on a long hike which finally ended up on the other side of the lake on a large precipice which jutted out forty feet above the water. Donna and I hadn't said a word to each other all day, but I could feel her laughing inwardly at me. One of the boys suggested that it would be quite a feat to dive off this cliff and into the water. I agreed and then one of the little brats dared me to do it. I just took one look at the lake forty feet below and said nothing. I was again sweating blood. Donna (bless her heart) sauntered over to me and asked me why I didn't want to do it. I told her in a somewhat tremulous voice that I just didn't feel like it. She laughed and called me a cowardly little runt. Again I couldn't speak. I just stood there with a vapid look on my face. Donna kicked off her shoes, looked at me for a second, then proceeded to go to the edge of the cliff. I knew what she was going to do and all I did was watch dumbfounded. She was determined to make a fool of me one way and another. She stood there on the edge just looking at the water, and then with a bound she dived into the air and executed the most beautiful dive I've ever seen. She entered the water with nary a ripple. The little idiots made a few complimentary remarks about it and then began to leave. One of them just looked at me and then he shook his head in disgust. That did it! I kicked off my shoes, ripped off my shirt and yelled, "Okay, if you really want to see how it's done watch me." They all rejoiced and came to the cliff's edge. I looked at the murky water below and shuddered. I wanted to back out, but I couldn't now. I took a deep breath and pushed myself into the air. My body stiffened at the on-rushing lake below me. I hit the water and went crashing to the bottom. I then saw red, green, blue, and yellow colors and finally everything went black. The next thing I remember is waking up with a splitting headache. I found myself lying in my tent. Mr. Kelly came in and asked me how I felt. I told him okay and then asked him what had happened. He said that I must have hit my head on a rock and knocked myself out. Upon hearing that Donna had saved me I just moaned and rolled over. After a day of rest I was up and around almost as good as new, but thanks to Donna I was only a shell of what I was before. The kids all hung around her as if she were a goddess of some sort. They never said a word to me. I'd have given anything to have been home at that time. Well, it was needless to say that Donna kept right on making an ass of me. I had to do something, but what? She made up my mind for me. It was at dinner. I had just crammed my tray full of good things to eat and was filing to my seat when all of a sudden Donna's foot came out from under the table and caught my legs. I stumbled, spilling everything all over Mr. Kelly. As usual I didn't say a word. I just got up, brushed myself and Mr. Kelly off, and left. I had finally made up my mind what I had to do. I had one alternative and if it didn't work, I would probably go on hating the opposite sex the rest of my life. I waited by Donna's tent, and after a half an hour she finally came. Upon seeing me she said, "What the hell do you want?" I answered her in a meek, tremulous voice. "Donna it's about time that you and I got to the bottom of this." Continued on page 24 7