Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-02-26


And keeps you young, though head be gray?
The precious romping baby
Fascinating Duchess.
MARK TwAIN's ADVENTURE IN THE
JARDIN MABILLE.
On my arrival at Paris inquired
what was the best place to spend an
evening, and was told that the most
aristocratic place of resort was the Jar
din Mabille. took cab and proceed
ed thither. found myself in beautl-I
full garden, brilliantly lighted. There
was a crowd of ladies and gentlemen,
a fine band was playing, and aquadrille
forming. While I was gazing about,
gentleman asked me i'll wished to dance.
I said would like to, but that was a
stranger, and not acquainted with any
ofthe nobility present. He smiled and
said that the French nobility were eX-
ceedingly affable and obliging, and that
he would be pleased to introduce nae to
lady of high rank and varied accom-
plishments, who would dance with me
if wished. Then he presented me to
the young Duchess d. AsafWtida CHATS
as near as could catch the name.
I had never stood face to face with a
Duchess before, and therefore felt dit
fident and ill at ease. This graceful
creature understood my case at once,
and within two or three minutes made
me feel perfectly at home-more than
at home, [ may say. Inever met lady
SO easy to get acquainted with as she
was. It must require high cultiva-
ton, only to be attained in the upper
ranks of society, to give one such self
possession as hers. This Duchess smil-
ed upon me in the most encouraging
way, and tapped me on the shoulder
with her fan, then she looked up into
my face and charmed away all my
embarrassment with burst of CHEEKY
laughter that was full of happiness and
garlic. Next she took my arm, beating
time to the music with her fan, and still
uttering that fragrant laughter. And
next she put her arm around me Tails
was somewhat unexpected I must say.
1t made me feel blissfully uncomforta-
time, I was afraid it might attract at
tention. I intimated as gently as
could that the Duke, her father, might
be in the crowd somewhere; but she
only laughed more odorously than ever.
feared the paternal Duke might in
wife me to breakfast on pistols and cot
fee. like coffee, but do dot consider
that it improves it to mix it with hard
ware. This I limited to the Duchess,
and she received it with one Of those Pc
culiar laughs of hers that was perfectly
smothering.
Just then the music struck up furi-
ously, the Duchess exclaimed. "Come ~
and dashed away with me. The crowd
closed up to our set and walled it on ev-
cry side. I had never before seen so
much curiosity displayed in mere qua
drille by dis1nterested parties. Dukes
and Duchesses began to prance to and
fro in the dance with wild energy OF
purpose and extravaganza of gesture.
1 began to get interested. / glanced
across, my partner was just turning
she miscalculated the length of he1
limbs, and lifted her dress accordingly
she came prancing over sailed forth
to meet her, and when we were within
yard of each other, [ wish I may
never be believed again, if she did not
kick the hat off my head I stopped to
pick it up and noble aristocrat fell
over me; others followed him-both la.
dies and gentlemen-and I never saw
such chaos of struggling limbs and
frantic drapery since the benches broke
down at the circus when [ was boy
1t was pure good fortune, that nobody
got hurt.
When I got outI went to my place
at the head and staid there. I lost con.
fidence; this dance was too high toned
for me. It had peculiarities about il
that were new or unexpected. Z haC
seen plenty of quadrilles, but 1 had new
or seen one with the variations before
The Duchess resumed her mad career
and the rest of the nobility danced Just
as she did. Each sex seemed to have
but one object in view-to outdo its op-
posite in violence of action and eccen-
tricity of conduct. These French peo-
pie are very Frenchy. If I had not
known that these people were the flow
er OF the French nobility I should have
thought that they had 'begau their edu-
cation in gymnasium and graduated
in a circus.
The first time the Duchess halted by
my side for moment, I whispered to
her to calm her gushing spirits, not to
NEEDLE with her dress, and for public
opinion sake, not to step so high.
said that she could get over as much
ground at moderate gait; and besides
the noble Grand Duke, her father
might happen along at any moment.
might as well have talked to the wind
She only laughed that characteristic
laugh of hers, that. silvery laugh that
could recognize anywhere; if 1 were te
the leeward and then, bending little
she grabbed up the sides of her apparel
with both hands, began to jerk it to and
fro in violent manner, threw her mag
nificent head back, and skipped furi-
ously away on an Irish jig step all ex-
element, wild halarity, distracted cos
tune, frenzied motion A spectacle to
scar the eye-balls and astonish the soul
of hermit! And when she reached the
centre she stakeholder numbering dres-
ses free, and launched kick at the hat
of tall nobleman that fairly loosened
the scalp on the top of his head. I fled
the scene, exclaiming. "what eau she
mean by such conduct as those?n
admire Paris; but, in my opinion,
the ways Of its nobility are not what
they ought to be.