The Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 187?-187?, 1873-01-04

y
| tie, said Mrs. Burlington. 1T is pos
sible for us to go, and for one would
enjoy it. General, we will go and. take
/ Daisy with us.
every WE'LL" said the general sub
! missively.
| Now, Mrs. Gen. Burlington did not
wish togo to the ball at Porter's Gulch,
/ and only the controversial spirit inspired
/ her to do So But, of course, it was i'm
| possible for her to recede from her pO-
/ sitiOn, and so on the appointed evening
! she and Daisy, together with Gen. Bull
| lingtOn sand DR.. Gilbert, entered the
/ huge mountain-wagon belonging to the
camp, and started for Porter's Gulch
! Just as they entered that hourishing
settlement, DR. Gilbert was recognized
and carried off to attend a sick person
near, so that the Bullingtons and Daisy
entered the dining-room of the Gulch
| house, where, the ball was to take place
alone.
/ The dining-room was certainly not an
imposing apartment The ceiling was
low and smoky the walls, unlike those
in most of the houses at POrter's Gulch,
were papered, but with paper so hid
eous in its design and color as to make
| the spectator regret that the laths and
plaster which had, at all events, the
merit of simplicity, were hidden from
view. Dancing had already began when
the Burlington party entered. The
room was crowded there were three
| sets of plain cotillions," wonderfully
/ plain, Daisy thought, with shudder,
/ already on the floor while fOrty-three
/ young men with large hands and feet,
! who had been unable to secure part
! OF l.A nI,
| placed on all four sides of the ball
room. Such molly assemblage as
that was. Fat women, gaunt women,
! gray-haired women and little girls were
among the dancers, and grandmother,
! if Daisy had only known it, was execut-
| ing that interesting and beautiful figure
known as the ladies chain with her
! grand daughter.
At one end of the room the orchestra
| sat in state, composed of a melodeOn. Il
violin, guitar, cornet and brass
| trumpet. The performers on these va
rious instruments seemed to have va
rious ideas of time and tune, and con-
| tinually indulged in little departures
| from the key in which they were play
| ing. The blast of the trumpet was not
sustained, but intermittent when it did
| occur, however, 1t was SO powerful as to
| entirely drown everything else In
! spite of the confusion and noise. the
/ entrance of the two ladies excited an
amount of attention calculated to de-
| light both ladies had they been vOra-
ciously craving of masculine admiration
The "plaiu cotillion" soon reached its
end and several men thereupOn rushed
| toward Mrs. Burlington and Daisy.
1.-The next Dance" said one of the
roughest-looking of these, ''is a waltz
May l have the honor, marin ?"
Sir" said Mrs. Burlington, in min
gled anger and disdain, 4 do not
waltz"
"Ill learn you how, marin, said the
man, with persistence worthy of a bet
! ter object.
q do not dance with strangers, said
Mrs. Burlington, with increased sever
ity.
You'd better, marm," said the man
| persuasively. "Woman is scarce here
/ abouts, and we'd like to have you and
your daughter there trot ont n little
/ We don't want no folks here that won't
| dance"
, In spite Of the presence of Gen Bull
/ lington, poor Daisy felt little fright
| ened. She did not want to dance with
a man whose pistol and bowie-knife
were his most striking features. Just
/ as she was sitting there, perplexed and
/ confused. hardly realizing what the va
! rious men about her were trying to say,
! the tones of a mans voice, which sound
| ed fresh. pleasant, and manly, struck
( her ear. Now, when the feminine ear
is struck by the tones of mans voice.
! the feminine eve turns to look at the
I bu-DaI. Df +ba ynion Tho I-nina Cail
''Why, Miss Gilbert, this is pleas
ant surprise. Don't you remember me,
/ Harry Curran ?"
/ And Daisy looked, i'll accordance with
! the law we have just enunciated, and
recognized him. Then she gave a little
/ gasp, and looked at Mrs. Bullington
and saw that she did not recognize him.
/ I" May | renew our acquaintance by n
waltz, Miss Gilbert % said Mr. Harry
| Curran; and Daisy said yes and they
left Mrs. Burlington, and in an instant
his arm was around her supple waist,
! and off they went, all fire and grace and
/ beauty, in spite of the melodeOn and
| trumpet, exciting admiration even in
/ the stupid lOuts around them. So we'll
/ did Mr.. Harry Cu1ran waltz that Daisy
went once and half around the room
! before she stopped, and then she said,
''Of course you must explain your con-
duct, sergeant.
e owe it to you, know" said Mr.
Curran q" but | wish you could trust
me enough, and believe [ am sufficient
/ ly a gentleman for you to forget my real
| position. | came over here without
leave Of absence and, if l am discov-
cred, am disgraced. [ saw that those
men troubled you, and l hoped to help
you out of your difficulty
"What did you come over here for q
said Daisy.
For the same reason that you did, >
said the sergeant land yet that was
not my only reason.
"What was it then, said Daisy, i'm.
periously.
Because you came, said the ser
geant boldly: and then he colored.
''You are no sergeant, said Daisy
''At least, you talk to me as [ have
heard other young gentlemen,-nO,
don't mean that, but,-who are you?"
Don't ask me please, Miss Gilbert,
said the sergeant. My life has been {
ruin and a waste my brilliant hopes
I and prospects have been worse than
crushed and now [ am simply Sergeant
Butler-except tonight, when try tt
forget what | am, and return to what
was. This waltz is over; may 1 dance
with you again o.
But Mrs. Burlington Will detec
you, l am afraid, said Daisy.
Not bit, said the sergeant gayly
. Introduce me and see" And stright
way Daisy did so.
"Let 1ne see, =" said Mrs. Burlington
reflectively " "Curran, Curran. You
face seems familiar. Are you any rela
tive Of Mrs. Joseph Curran of Philadel