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Literary
July 23, 1920
Pullman Herald
Pullman, Whitman County, Washington
What is this article about?
In a 1920 short story, Rodney misinterprets his sister's shy friend Susan's reluctance at a party as lack of social experience. To ensure she has fun, he tells the boys she's popular, sparking their interest. He soon realizes his own feelings for her, and Susan confesses she sought his sympathy to win him over.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
BLACK EYED SUSAN
By NELL ADAIR.
(Copyright, 1920, Western Newspaper Union.)
As Rodney looked down at his sister's friend, she reminded him of someone he had picked in his boyhood. Her eyes, dark, glancing shyly beneath a fringe of golden hair, reminded him of certain yellow-fringed flowers, too. Also, there was that freshness about the girl that made one think of country fields—and simplicity.
"Introduce her to the boys, Rod," his sister begged, "and back her up if she seems overwhelmed. I want her to have one grand time." Rod frowned now over the difficulty of his charge.
Since Gwendolen had introduced him, the girl appeared possessed of a painful shyness in his company while his merriest conversation drew from her mere monosyllables.
Tonight the rest of the fellows were coming for one of Gwen's week-end parties, and he hoped that Susan might not prove as difficult in their companionship as she had in his. And as he frowned down upon her, Susan glanced up with one of her unexpected smiles—a smile that made her really pretty, Rod thought.
"I wish," she said wistfully, "that Gwen would not try to make me have a good time. I wish that while the others are dancing and all that, Gwen would just leave me to myself. I don't want people to be made to dance with me, or take me to supper, or do anything they don't care to do."
Rodney's frown gave place to a tender little smile. So this was the reason of Susan's silence and diffidence. She was not popular as other girls were.
"Probably," so Rod thought compassionately, "she has had no opportunity to mix in young society, the society of young men especially. And she feels her disadvantage." The telephone called before he could frame a suitable reply, and he hastened to answer. It was one of the fellows speaking for the rest—they had arrived.
"Same crowd of girls out with us as usual," Bill Town said. There was vague disappointment in his tone.
Then Rod had his inspiration. To this young crowd, who since school days had gone about to the same affairs together, a new face was ever an innovation, an incentive to interest.
A certain popular girl whom Gwen brought home last year had been, as she glowingly told her friends upon her return, "just gloriously rushed to death."
If Rod could now convey the same idea of Susan's popularity, he knew that she need have no lack of invitations. Gwen wanted Susan to have "one grand time." Well, he'd try for it.
"Gwen has another friend visiting her," he told Bill Town, "regular black eyed Susan. There will be some competition among you boys—I guess! And put your best manners on—little Susan's mighty particular."
"That ought to start things," Rod ruminated, as he made his way back to the veranda with a word of comfort for the girl whose wistful voice still echoed in his ears. It did start things.
Gwen's friend, sitting poised as though ready for flight on the edge of a chair, was immediately surrounded that evening by an eager circle of good looking young men, whom Rodney and his sister had conscientiously in turn brought to be presented. Susan gazing at first resolutely down at the yellow ruffles of her muslin dress, raised her black eyes at last bravely, then with fleeting glances she viewed her cavaliers. It was Bill Town who succeeded in carrying the new girl off to supper, while Cameron West impatiently awaited a promised promenade with her on the wide veranda.
"What is it about that girl that's so taking," he asked Rod wonderingly. "She isn't a beauty though her yellow hair and black eyes are different. And she don't try to please a fellow, though you keep on talking hoping to hold her interest.
When I concluded a brilliant invention concerning myself, she asked coolly where you were, and would I get you to play something on the piano."
Rod in the doorway smiled grimly. It was queer how those fellows elbowed each other to get first place with Susan because of the cue he had given.
Rod broke off impatiently his meditation, and walked over to take his place at the girl's side.
"You seem," he said coldly, "to be having a good time."
Susan stared perplexed.
"You wanted me to, didn't you?" she anxiously asked.
"Of course. I wanted you to have a good time," Rod answered grudgingly. "I planned it that way. I happen to know these fellows. Tell them a girl's popular and they'll all fight for first place."
"So you told them," Susan said, "that I was popular?"
She ruffled the aureole of her hair and gave him a black eyed glance.
"You must be pleased then with success of your plan."
"I'm not," Rod answered.
"You see, I've been finding out tonight that I don't want anyone to take care of you—but myself."
Susan laughed softly.
"That," she said frankly, "was exactly the arrangement I hoped for when I tried to win your sympathy."
By NELL ADAIR.
(Copyright, 1920, Western Newspaper Union.)
As Rodney looked down at his sister's friend, she reminded him of someone he had picked in his boyhood. Her eyes, dark, glancing shyly beneath a fringe of golden hair, reminded him of certain yellow-fringed flowers, too. Also, there was that freshness about the girl that made one think of country fields—and simplicity.
"Introduce her to the boys, Rod," his sister begged, "and back her up if she seems overwhelmed. I want her to have one grand time." Rod frowned now over the difficulty of his charge.
Since Gwendolen had introduced him, the girl appeared possessed of a painful shyness in his company while his merriest conversation drew from her mere monosyllables.
Tonight the rest of the fellows were coming for one of Gwen's week-end parties, and he hoped that Susan might not prove as difficult in their companionship as she had in his. And as he frowned down upon her, Susan glanced up with one of her unexpected smiles—a smile that made her really pretty, Rod thought.
"I wish," she said wistfully, "that Gwen would not try to make me have a good time. I wish that while the others are dancing and all that, Gwen would just leave me to myself. I don't want people to be made to dance with me, or take me to supper, or do anything they don't care to do."
Rodney's frown gave place to a tender little smile. So this was the reason of Susan's silence and diffidence. She was not popular as other girls were.
"Probably," so Rod thought compassionately, "she has had no opportunity to mix in young society, the society of young men especially. And she feels her disadvantage." The telephone called before he could frame a suitable reply, and he hastened to answer. It was one of the fellows speaking for the rest—they had arrived.
"Same crowd of girls out with us as usual," Bill Town said. There was vague disappointment in his tone.
Then Rod had his inspiration. To this young crowd, who since school days had gone about to the same affairs together, a new face was ever an innovation, an incentive to interest.
A certain popular girl whom Gwen brought home last year had been, as she glowingly told her friends upon her return, "just gloriously rushed to death."
If Rod could now convey the same idea of Susan's popularity, he knew that she need have no lack of invitations. Gwen wanted Susan to have "one grand time." Well, he'd try for it.
"Gwen has another friend visiting her," he told Bill Town, "regular black eyed Susan. There will be some competition among you boys—I guess! And put your best manners on—little Susan's mighty particular."
"That ought to start things," Rod ruminated, as he made his way back to the veranda with a word of comfort for the girl whose wistful voice still echoed in his ears. It did start things.
Gwen's friend, sitting poised as though ready for flight on the edge of a chair, was immediately surrounded that evening by an eager circle of good looking young men, whom Rodney and his sister had conscientiously in turn brought to be presented. Susan gazing at first resolutely down at the yellow ruffles of her muslin dress, raised her black eyes at last bravely, then with fleeting glances she viewed her cavaliers. It was Bill Town who succeeded in carrying the new girl off to supper, while Cameron West impatiently awaited a promised promenade with her on the wide veranda.
"What is it about that girl that's so taking," he asked Rod wonderingly. "She isn't a beauty though her yellow hair and black eyes are different. And she don't try to please a fellow, though you keep on talking hoping to hold her interest.
When I concluded a brilliant invention concerning myself, she asked coolly where you were, and would I get you to play something on the piano."
Rod in the doorway smiled grimly. It was queer how those fellows elbowed each other to get first place with Susan because of the cue he had given.
Rod broke off impatiently his meditation, and walked over to take his place at the girl's side.
"You seem," he said coldly, "to be having a good time."
Susan stared perplexed.
"You wanted me to, didn't you?" she anxiously asked.
"Of course. I wanted you to have a good time," Rod answered grudgingly. "I planned it that way. I happen to know these fellows. Tell them a girl's popular and they'll all fight for first place."
"So you told them," Susan said, "that I was popular?"
She ruffled the aureole of her hair and gave him a black eyed glance.
"You must be pleased then with success of your plan."
"I'm not," Rod answered.
"You see, I've been finding out tonight that I don't want anyone to take care of you—but myself."
Susan laughed softly.
"That," she said frankly, "was exactly the arrangement I hoped for when I tried to win your sympathy."
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
What themes does it cover?
Love Romance
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Short Story
Romance
Party
Shyness
Popularity
Sympathy
What entities or persons were involved?
By Nell Adair.
Literary Details
Title
Black Eyed Susan
Author
By Nell Adair.
Key Lines
"That," She Said Frankly, "Was Exactly The Arrangement I Hoped For When I Tried To Win Your Sympathy."
"Gwen Has Another Friend Visiting Her," He Told Bill Town, "Regular Black Eyed Susan. There Will Be Some Competition Among You Boys—I Guess! And Put Your Best Manners On—Little Susan's Mighty Particular."