The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-03

!
closely to my arm, with sti1ed groaD,
as we entered the one long room which
then composed the entire second floor of
the German Clubhouse, with its polished
floor and brilliant lights, and the little
curtained stage at the upper end on
which her eye fell first. There was no
danger to be apprehended from that
| quarter, however, as she soon found; but
scarcely less alarming, from her point of
view, was the array of many-colored
glasses which clustered beside each plate
all the way down the three long tables.
What does it mean?" she moaned,
family. "Will they make me drink
wine? o Frederick, take me homer
should not have done so in any case,
but it was already too late, for George
had caught sight of US and fastened up,
followed by one Herr Miller, German
OF the stout, jolly, rubicund type, whom
she introduced to my mother as the son
OF German Protestant minister. My
mothers face partially lost its look Of
bewildered dismay al this item of news,
and she allowed him to lead her to her
place without further objection.
l am afraid that at this point my at
tention wandered slightly from my moth
er, for Helen was there, the darling, more
beautiful than ever in her draperies oil
pale blue and paler salmon, with tea.
roses and forget-me -nots nesting among
the ripples of her bonny brown hair;
with her pure proud face, and her clear,
steadfast brown eyes, and the gentle,
tranquil grace, which, of all her charms,
was the one which had most attracted me.
OF course Helen knew nothing of the
state of affairs between my mother and
me. She would have broken off our en-
gagement in an instant, even at the risk
OF breaking her own heart, had the faint.
est suspicion of it entered her mind.
Fortunately my mother and she were not
likely to be brought into close contact
for the present. Even had they been,
Helen would probably account for my
mothers Indifference on the ground of
her being still ignorant of our engage.
ment, which was an affair of only
months standing. AS for me, thought
it best to let things rest as they were I'M
til the way should be cleared, of which
my mothers involuntary gambling had
already given me good hopes.
The dinner was thoroughly German
affair. Servants, dishes, conversation,
music, all were German of the purest
type. 1t was little slice cut out of the
very heart of VaterIand, and set down
bodily in the midst of an American town.
My mother did not understand a word of
German, but Herr Miller spoke excellent
English, and | was glad to see that nv
mother was gradually becoming more
and more absorbed in the conversation.
When she found that her refusal to take
wine provoked only very mild surprise
and remonstrance, her last scruple |
melted away, and l was scarcely sur
prised to see her wildly waving her
empty glass, and chanting with the rest
the musical H0ch, which is the Ger
man version of our unmelodious cheer. |
10 be sure, the toast which she elected |
thus to honor was: "To the health of
our American ais friends now present" but
,eeding crossed her mind it would have
been pity to enlighten her.
Now there was a stir around the table |
The band, which had hitherto been ST.
lent, struck up march-like air. Each
gentleman offered his arm to his partner
and we moved around the room in dig
nifed promenade, while the walters en-
tered to clear the tables and push them
out of the way. Round and round we
went, my mother beaming with mild en-
joyment as she leaned upon her partners
arm. Suddenly the measure changes;
81, L.
winds and waves, weaving itself in and
out in graceful undulation. For an IN
slant my mother, in confusion and be-
yields to the impulse. Then
a dreadful suspicion breaks upon her
mind, and she turns to her partner, with
the frenzied question:
"What is it? What are we doing?"
Doing, madam" repeats Herr Miller,
looking bland, but slightly puzzled
"W We are dancing the Polonaise, to be
sure. Do not be troubled; you do per-
fectly well, l assure you"
But my mother waits for no further
encouragement. With gasp she wrests
her hand quickly from the grasp upon it,
and, mechanically retaining her hand
upon her partner, she whirls him, too,
out of the ranks and drops, limp, col
lapsed heap, upon the nearest chair.
Helen and disengage ourselves from the
line and hasten up to her. But consola-
ton is in vain. She only raises her tear
full eyes to mine and murmurs:
Frederick, your mother will disgrace
both you and herself in her old age.
First gambling, and now dancing! o
Frederick, send me back to Nepoosuc
before / sink furtherr' And covering
her face with her hands she bursts into
helpless tears, while her bewildered part
ner looks on, unable to form the slightest
conjecture as to the meaning of this re-
markable scene.
Obviously there is but one thing to be
done, and that do, by hastily consign-
ing Helen to Herr Miller's charge, and
leading my mother out of the room as
quickly and as quietly as possible.
".
1t is Sunday morning-the Sunday
after my mothers little escapade at the
German Club. The church bells are fill.
ing the air with music, church -goers
throng the streets, and still my mother
does not come. have been waiting in
the hall for fifteen minutes, and already
the bell has ceased Ginning and began
to toll. grow uneasy at last, and am
no IL wou nm tho ctoirc whan 7 meet her