The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-27

I d
| light that, bat tor the evidence of my
| eyes, l might have been clasping empty
| air.
smiled to myself when [ thought of
my notion about her being lame, and
/ telt as if could go on waltzing forever.
But, alas my bodily strength did not
correspond with my imaginative mind,
and after some time l had to confess 10
nj self that l was getting out OF breath
| and tired. l looked at my partner, but
| there were no signs OF fatigue about her;
on the contrary, she Sc med, ii anything,
| tresher than when we began. The sad
| expression in her beautiful eyes had
gone, and they were sparkling with de-
! lighl; so | nerVed myself tor fresh ef-
| tort, not having The heart to spoil her
evident enjoyment.
| Round and round we went, until at
| length, hardly able to stand, l was
Obliged TO propose stopping to rest. |
suppose she did not near me, for l
received no answer. l repeated my
proposition little louder, but my
strange partner did not speak; and then
| tact began to dawn upon me, which my
intense admiration had prevented me
from noticing belore-that since L had
asked her to dance she had not uttered
u single word.
| | was getting more and more ex-
hausted, aud tried 10 stop, but found
| that, though this singular girl looked SO
fragile, l could not disenyage myself
rom her, and that my effort to do 50
had only the effect OF making her waltz
fuster and iaSLer with renewed Vig0r.
| Well, it could not last long for soon
the music would stop. So l did my
best 10 keep up with her; but it seemed
| to me that The nu 5icians were play lug
| longer than they mad done the Whole
eyenlnv, and as L Whirled round and
| round | could see nothing but the red
| sash flashing before my eyes, and be-
gan to wonder whether every some was
| u uticing my painting and wearIed ap-
pearance. when, hurrah! tne music
sloDped: buL-uoTrOr OF horrors my
nartner did not. On the contrary, she
seemed to spin mo round faster and
more wildly than ever. Sne kept per-
| feet waltz time, and was smiling and
ENJOYING it thoroughly, as far as could
Judge from the hurried and implorlpg
glance gave her. On, how | repented
| allowing myself to be so rashly lntatu-
ated with her beauty! WHAT was she 7
| A mad womau--a fiend, hurrying me on
10 some horrible fateI Perhaps l was
doomed 10 dance on till l died, and the
dreadful spectacle Of a skeleton cling
| ing 10 lovely living woman, aud per-
| forming what2-an ordinary Waltz?-
came before my mind.
Presently | became conscious that all
the company stood gazing az US in pale,
| frightened amaZement, My Draln reeled,
and began TO feel FAINT. Why did not
| some one release me from her dreadful
hold? l looked III despair from lace TO
lace, and called feebiy ior help, but saw
| only a horrlheJ, scared crow, SHRINK
| ing away from US raIuer tlan approach
| ing to the rescue.
On, fool that | was to long with such
| feyeIIsh impatlence lor--WuatI - THIS
dance OF dedlh, as it seemed to me,
| Ana ell The time the dreadful bloOd-red
| sash kept glaring before my eyes and
almost binding me. l glanced once
| in helpless despair at my partners face,
| which, to my horro', was stlIl smiling
and as lreau and beautiful as ever. l.
closed nj eyes and fell TO tAe ground
! with y Wild sArleK, dragging ltaNl!calIy
| at the red sash, which came united IN
nv hand. Instantly my dreadful part.
! uer vanished, and | became lnsensl bic.
| When l came TO M self looked fear
| fully around, and at my side on the
Ground was liLLle neRp OF gray ash95
| from which a light tlln smoke was
rising. | was so weak from my terrible
| exeriion tAaJ could barely speak, but
with what little strength had left L en-
! treated that these might be removed. J
called particularly on Fred, as pathetl.
! cally as | could, and Lnis time he all
sVereQ me.
"NVnat is it, old teIl0Wf7 ne said,
| sootuingly, aud raising my mead. Let
me smooth your pillow tor you, and
make you comfortable"
! "Has It gone? ~ said, teebly.
| "Poor old cuapw said my friend, oom-
passiouately, laying my head down
again, and Lnen | began 10 realize a de-
! lighttul sense Of rest. When l had tried
for some time, in vain, 10 collect my
| senses.
Fred, what on earth is The meaning
| of il alI?' i exclaimed.
10 which Fred. replied that had been
| i'll, aud that A6 would explain IT all 10
me when / Was better.
"No! mo-" | exclaimed, eagerly. "Iell
me noW--l am quite well enough"
| And seeing, L suppose, that | should
be more agiVaLed If he did not comply
with my request, he SAID:
| 'Well, tuen, do you remember the
nigut OF Lady Harbord's ball, ten days
agoW
Did l remember? Should ! ever for
| get 1T? But WnaL cOulu lie mean by ten
days agof 1t was last night. / tried to
tnink, but gave it up, and contepted my
self with nOdding, and Fred. went ou.
| swell, we were driving rather reck-
lessly, If you recollect, ard just as we
| reached the avenue leading to Lady
| Harboru's house that c0pfOunded horse
Of niue took fright and tore down the
hill ike mad. i knew his tricks of old,
and managed to keep my seat; but you,
poor boy, were pitched, head first, out
| he pnaton. | took you home immedi-
ately, and here you have been ever
since, frightening us all TO death and
rayiug like mauman."
| rnls then accounted for my strange
adventure at Lhe ball, to which it seems
| never went; but SO real did it all ap-
| near to me that it was some time before
| | could persuade myself that it was only
the working OF my own brain. When l
| was getting a little better, l began to
feel uneasy about the trouble l must
nave been to Fred.'s family, l had been
| in the house nearly three weeks, and
had been very Ill, giving every one great
anxiety on my account, and l felt 1T was
quite time to relieve them of my pres.
ence, limited all this TO Fred. one day
uut he only laughed.
| "You don't know my mother, Phil.,' y
he said, "or you would not talk about
going yet. Why, it has been quite a
| pleasure to her to take care of you. Be.
side.n he added, "my sister Mabel has
| ot "a c