Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-05-15
THE BALL AT

The name OF DIthmarh had been known
in Il almost from its foundation,
and members of that family had filled
with honor many responsible positions
in its gift. At the time of which I write
the head of the family was one Joseph
Dithmar, a retired manufacturer of
about sixty, a gentleman of culture as
well as fortune. Mr.. Dithmar's house
hold circle, besides himself, then CON
sisted of his wife, by some years his
junior his son, Arthur, a young man
of twenty, and two daughters, Helen
and Mary. Helen was twenty-six, and
though by no means i%ll-favored, babe
fair always to remain a spinster of her
own volition.
Mary, on the contrary, though much
younger than her sister, did not share
this strange aversion to marriage, and
that was, perhaps, the reason that [ had
maintained for SO long my acquaintance
with and my friendship for the family.
Mary was the belle of N, and well
merited the position on the score both
of personal and intellectual beauty. She
had numerous gentlemen friends, as was
natural, but none that I considered my
rivals.
There was, indeed, a certain Harry
Duf-a sort OF brainless, fashionable
popiniay-who aspired to her favor, but
his ~pretentions appeared so ridiculous
to me that I did not give either him or
them much thought or consideration.
Besides I had old Mr.. Dithmar's favor,
and that went a long way toward
strengthening my position and my COM
~placency. Mary, too, seemed to lean to-
ward my side.
This was the state of affairs when
one day, in the winter of 1867, I re-
caived an invitation to a ball at Dith-
mars. Now, this invitation was moth
ing uncommon, but the fact that the
note was written and signed by Mary
Dithmar herself was signifcant-at
least so I thought.
Time wore on, and at length the event
ful evening of the ball came round, and
I was in my room at home dressing fol-
the occasion.
Suddenly the door bell rang, and in 6
moment after, the servant announced
that Mr.. Duff was below, and wished tt
see me.
He came into the chamber and threw
himself heavily down in an easy chair
stretching his legs out upon the carpet
in front of him and resting his hands by
the thumbs in the arm-holes of hiswaist
coat.
I was shaving, and as I turned round
razor in hand, l saw that Mr.. Duff wa
flushed in the face, and had evidentl!
been drinking somewhat deeply. l wa
astonished, for I knew that he too ha(
been invited to the ball.
Simpson" said Duff, in thick tones
"been to a dinner party and miscalcu
lated capacity. Can't go to ball, an(
so come to pair off with you"
duff" said I, advancing half wa,
into the intervening space between us
"my good fellow, you are out of YOU
senses! Do you think that we ar,
members of Congress or United State
Senators :"
81 don't think anything of the kind
he replied with a drunken laugh, "bu
I want to pair off with you"
At first I was rather amused at tn
situation, and talked ~soothingly to tn
man, but at length, my stock of pa
thence growing exhausted, 1 becam'
slightly angry ; and, turning from m,
visitor, I abruptly continued by prepar
ations for departure. WhenI was read,
to go, I said TO Duff:
"If you have been a fool, I can
help it and if by pairing off you meal
that you want me to stay away from
Dithmar's tonight because you hay
made an ass of yourself, I tell yo1
frankly that I do net mean to gratif
you. afn1
Iheld the door open as I spoke, an,
hat in hand waited for him to get up.
He did not move.
"Duff," said I, "don't you see II
waiting for YOU"
But the heat of the chamber had bee
too much for him, and, ven as 1 spoke
Dufrs head sank forward upon hi
breast-he was asleep. I left him wher
he was, and telling the servant not t
disturb him, went to the ball.
The sister never looked more beauti
fM or appeared to greater advantag
than on that night, and Mary especial.
shone a brilliant star.