Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-01-19
1aiIn Amnttrt gournal.
s.BELLE'S BEAU"
rcoScLrpKD FROM rEsrERDAr,l

Anu 10flsty Caught Hef bItdtH SuuuVhiN
when an opening in the crowd showed
her Mr.. Ross walizing with Belle. There
he was, transformed again 10 his arlsto-
cratic self, dancing with the naughty, IN
dolent grace that Christy knew SO wei, as
handsome and courteous as prince: Inc
little Observers cheeks burned while she
thought of her afternoon experience, ana
how she had reckoned him lust like a
bow" And Belle, whirling in graceful
circles, with his arm around her, how
beautiful sine looked.
Nobody noticed Christy. Two or three
dances passed. People chattered and
laughed about her, promenaded and whirl-
ed past her. Sitting still was becoming "A
torture, and she was casing longing
glances at the stairway, when the strains
OF her favorte waltz hoated through the
rooms. In sheer despair of enduring 1t,
Christy sprang to her feet, about to seek
refuge up stairs, when some one pat the
curtain aside. Turning. astonished, she
beheld Mr.. Ross bending before her and
Offering his arm.
II have been trying to find you. VIII
You do me the honor of waitzing with
me ?"
Waltz with him. Between fright and
delight, 'Christy stood undecided, turning
red and white alternately. Then, forget
ting everything but the music and the dan
gerously beautiful dark eyes looking into
her own. she put her hand on his arm, and
in moment they were crclag down the
room. Chrsty's cheeks burned like fire.
Whenever she dared raise her eyes from
her partners broadcloth sleeve, she be-
came aware that she was the locus OF all
ewes. For while she was dreadinlly
conscious of this. Then she forgot every
thing but motion and music and the hand
some head bent SO near her own. When
at last they paused. and Mr.. Ross led her
out to the moon-lit piazza, the fright came
back again, and she nervously withdrew
her hand from his arm, and flushed scar
let when he asked her for the next dance.
"Do you care for quadriles:' -
Poor Christy looked wisttully toward
the parlor, and pulled blossom in pieces.
'Oh, do like to dance-beiore any
thing, I'm very much obliged to you,
but can't dance again.
The young autrocat in society, whose
invitation to dance had never before been
refused by any lady, looked at Christy in
surprise.
You oughtnt to dance with me- I'm
not grown up" said Christy. checking
sob. They all want you to dance with
them"
Mr.. Ross would have laughed if his
politeness would have allowed. He only
said, leaning closer TO Cnristy ia the moon
light. and speaking low
but want to dance with YOU"
And Christy, of course, yielded. What
happy evening that was that followed ,
If people looked amazed at Mr.. Ross
dancing with q schoolgirl. it was no mat
ter. He wanted 10 dance with her, and
the thought made her eyes shine and her
cheeks glow. as she moved through the
quadrilie with the prettiest grace in the
world. A waltz followed then polka,
then another quadrile. aud still she mon
opolized the lion of the evening, apparent
ly to the lions satisfaction.
'And now," he said, as they returned
to the piazza, knitting his brows over his
dance card-"now l must go and dance
with Miss Honoria Clapham. But shall
come back to you. You will give me the
rest of the dances after supper, won't
youP"
"Oh. haven't yeu any names on your
card P"
Not one. But perhaps you would like
to dance with some one else ?"
''Oh, no nobody wants to dance with
me-"
Then you will wait for me here till
after this dance ?n he said, hurriedy, as
the music sounded.
Christy felt as If she were in dream,
as she sat alone, the moonlight falling
around her, the music drifting out to her,
waiting for Mr.. Ross to come back. She
had a rude awakening thereirom. A
hand grasped her shoulder so harshly that
she almost cried out. and Bellies voice
said, in fierce whisper:
Go straight up stairs to bed miss; do
you hear me2 Go this instant aud each
pause was emphasized with shake.
"Oh, Bell
"Hashl not a word aloud. You've
been making yourself ridiculous. and
mamma and 1 are ashamed of you. Go
straight round the piazza and up stairs. -
Christy never thought of dlsobeying.
Her rose-colored visions all floated away,
and she went slowly around the house,
and up the back way to her room. There
she sat down in the moonlight, with wide
eyes and burning cheeks. Oh, what had
she done! And finally all her wondering
resolved itself in bitter burst of crying
When Belle came up stairs after the
last guest had gone, and looked in her
sisters room, Christy was lying across the
foot OF the bed, asleep, her pretty dress
all crumpled and her cheeks stained with
tears. So her Indignation did not break
upon Christy's head till morning, at the
breakfast table, when her piqued pride
sought revenge. Poor Chrisly! before
the meal was through she saw herself a
forward, pert, bold chit, at whom Mr.
Ross had laughed in his sleeve, and Of
whose simplicity he had made capital.
Ii you could have seen yourself whirl-
ing around with that silly smile, and he
playing mock-devotion!'
did he say anything about me, BELIEF"
bah! why should he ? We had better
things to talk about said her sister, with
little concious toss OF the head
Why need tell of the days that fol.
lowed? Surely every girl will understand
the change that came over Christy'
schoolgirl life, Why say that her cheeks
grew pale, that she had frequent Ats OF
and that the very mention OF Mr.. Ross
name brought q guilty flush to her cheeks
She would not have met him for the world,
and it would have been hard to calculate