Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-24
MY LADY's LAST DANCE.
A DREssISG.MAID's STORY.

Our house was ono OF the finest on the ave-
nue., and Of all the ladies' in the land, there
was not fairer, or q kinder, or better, than
the mistress of our household. The Stanleys
were looked up to IN the block, and we Of the
basement took good care to sustain the dignity
Of the family. There were no children in the
house every one else was rcj0iced therCat IL.
on the contrary, felt it as . deprivation, for !
had always been used to children, and loved
them.
Mr.. Stanley's time was passed entirely at
the bnnk, in Wall street, and Mt the club.
They had been married, think, three years,
and entered my lady's service about year
after that happy event. She was twcnty-fnlr
he sixty. | believe every one considered II
very excellent match.
The household was n large one for a small
family. Let me sce-there were Mary, and
ClOtiId", and myself, up StGirs and then there
were the chamber maids, the laundry maids,
the conkS, the butler the page, the groom, aud
the c0achman, besides Mr.. and Mrs. Stanley !;
there were seventeen, think, altogether.
We got along very well up stairs, with the
exception of jealous quarrel now and then
brtwrrn Glotil,lr and Mary They We're both
g0otl.lO0king, and more like ornaments to the
member one night We had given great party,
and aFtcr the supper, the champagne autguoi
things having received their usual attention, !
vas sitting in the ladies lreSSing.rOom reading
when. happening to look up, | saw, to my hor.
ror, the reflection. in the glnsS from the oppO.
site room, Of young Dick DashcelS, who lived
over the way-a very handsome fellow he
was, t0O-in the very act If kissing Mary.
l,,.k 1I,t,, VaC,Isar ~ Nl,A
tender n.nInent, who should appear upon the
scene but Clotildc think never saw such
n scene They were all aware Of my being in
tho aIiidintug TuuIn, auh as WIS fuukrd ufIun
rs little blue, each felt particularly anxious
to keep such matters from me. However, it
was too much for ClOtihlr--hcr French blood
could not stand such perfidy AZ that-for only
the moment previous, on the stairs, young
DaSheclS had sworn eternal devotion, OH the
strength Of which he had received the same
favor and now, while her kiss was still warm
upon his lips, he had wasted it upon rival I!
4 moment the passion Of her nature Overcame
her, and stizing swOrd-cane belonging to
one Of the guests, which we, with our usual
curiosity, had been Admiring and inspecting,
she drew the blade, and charged mt the faith
less dccrivcr. There was nothing for poor
Dick but flight. and, dodging the deadly wra-
pom, he doubled upon his asSailant, and with
rnilroad speed dashed through the door aud
down stairs. Clotide soon subsidized. and
Mary hal vanished in thin air As for me,
never turned my head but half hour later,
happening to pass the parlor door, | saw Dick
DaSheelS dancing the schottishc with little
Kitty Magruder, daughter Of old Peter MagrI.
der, President Of the Lrndnothing Bank, tO
whom report said he was then engaged, and
which has since turned out to be true. be.
lrvr Clotilde is now the dressing maid of Mrs.
DaShccls. can tell you, people don't know
the half that's going on in the word, especial
ly in the basement and up stairs.
But am forgetting all about my story.
We were to have great party-sOmebody
or other, forget who, had come over from
England, about some bonds, and it had been
settled in Wall street that Mr.. Stanley should
give him reception. My lady had not been
well for many weeks; what with operas and
thAtrrs aud parties and late breakfasts, she
had got to feel that her delicate organization
could not stand the usage to which she was
suhjecting it. Besides, singular melancholy
seemed to have fastened upon her. had
thought for long time that she threw herself
in the way Of all this activity and excitcmen,
more 10 drown some hidden sorr0w-some un.
happy mcmory-than from any real fondneSs
Tor such SCENES
1t was about seven o'clock in the evening
the gas had just been lit in the parlor, and
Cl0tilde had come up to announce . visitor
whose ring We had just heard-my lady sat in
her 6OUdOir, and was dressing her long luxu-
riant hair, while Mary. knceling at her feet,
was lMcing her slender slipper
Clotilde, who had dressed for the evening,
entered the room bearing silver salver, on
which rested some envelopes and cards.
" Here are some more regrets and the card
Of n gentleman waiting in the parlOr," she
said, extending tho waiter towards Mrs. Stan
ley.
My lady took the regrets one by one from
the salver. rCnd them and then returned them
to ClOiilde, then she took up the card.
could not help observing the name, writ
ten with bold, free hand in pencil, Edward
Huntington; but was not prepared for the
strange agitation which thrilled through the
frame Of Mrs. Stanley, anu for moment SEEM
ed to deprive her Of VII power.
After few minutes she recovered her com.
poSure, and turning to Clolildc said, while her
face was deadly pale, and her voice tremulouS
-"Tvll the gentleman that We entertain our
friends tonight, that Mrs. Stanley is making
her toilet, and that she will be most happy ia
SEE Mr.. Huntington later in the evening.
Shortly after we heard the front door close,
and knew that he had departed.
"Did he say he would return ?" asked Mrs.
Stanley, as ClO:ilde entered the room.
lie said it would give him great pleasure
to pay his respects to Mrs. Stanley before he
Il knI lOu,v IL.
late in the evening, rs he had other engage
mentS to till in the meantime, he should avail
himself &c the lady's hind permission"
ClOtIde was very exact in repeating mes
Sagcs, aud often followed not only the words
but the very tonc and manner Of the person
giving them.
At half.paSt eight Mrr. Stanley descended Ia
the reception room, and the carriages began II
arrive. At nine the band commenced playing
in the conservatory, and at hAlG.past mine the
great English banker made his appearance
and was introduced to the most prominent
PERSONS present. Attrn, dancing commenced
and the great English banker claimed my Ia
dy'S hand. Mary had charge Of the dressing
room. and Clotilde was flirting somewhere
with Dick DaSheels; and ], as = privileged
character, had taken up my stand in the con
servatory to watch the dancing.
The house was 80 constructed that two o
the hyawing.rOOm windows opened into thu
conservatory. above which Was q balcony
where the band was placed, the whole being
only separated from the parlOr by heavy dam
ask curtains sweeping to the floor. Thu,
standing in the recess Of the farthest window
by drawing the curtains little one side.
could enjoy tho whole scene without being
nhparund