The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-11-27
ANITA, THE DANSEUSE.

The prompters bell rings, the full
notes 81 the orchestra crash out on the
perfumed air, the suppressed hum Of
voices and the soft frou-frou of fans
cease, the great green curtain raises
swiftly, there is a sound of castinets in
the air, and Anita bounds on the stage
with the grace and beauty of-Anita
alone. For there is nothing to which I
can compare her, save her glorious self.
Rather above the medium height,
slender, but not thin. A face that at
tracts and repels.
An olive skin, clear md colorless,
long, black, almond-shaped eyes, del
jcate, patrician nose, with tnely-curved,
sensitive uostrils, lips always bright
crimson, the upper short and curved
like the old Greek goddesSes, hair black
as night, with a purple bloom in its
meShes.
You could believe her capable of
ascending the scaffold to the headsmans
block, with firm, unfinching step, and
smile on her mouth, to save one she
loved. and you could fancy her driving
the steel of her poniard home to the
heart of that same loved one should he
prove faithless.
AS yet Anita had no lovers. -Lamirers
BY the score. But when they began to
speak of love she curled her lips scorn-
fully, and answered them in words to
match her scornfui smile. If that did
not repel them she opened her almond
eyes full upon them, and in few words
gave them to understand beyond ali
doubt that there was no hope, that she
did not wish to marry. And they skunk
away, wondering how it was that Anita,
who was so bright and quick in all else,
could be so dull in affairs of the heart.
Marriage indeed! But none had the
temerity to undeceive her.
Her mother had been dead year, and
n little over, when ou story opens.
Bright, beautiful Rosa Camacho. She
had not the high-bred, patrician air Of
Anita, but she was a thousand times
more beautiful. A fairer skin, a rounded
dimpled form, and head of dusky gold,
over which all Spain went mad
She was danSeuse, like Anita, and it
was whispered there was Il rumor-
Bah. who that has beauty escapes
SANDER? And Rosa was very beautiful,
and danseuSe.
Anita's father died when she was an
infant, so she was told, and the death of
her mother left her quite alone. To her,
her mother was an angel, and her death
left Anita desolate.
Anita comes before them tonight, her
beautiful limbs barred to the knees,
short silken skirt of red, black velvet
bodice, narrow comb at the back of her
dusky head, q face vail thrown in true
Spanish fashion over it, one red rose at
her breast She bends low, and smiles
brightly TO their applause, and then her
1.-the form sways gently, gracefully, to
the rhythm of the orchestra.
When the dance is finished, she is
lcaicncd with applause, she is showered
with bouquets of beautiful flowers. She
stoops to gather them, when from
private box on her right, bouquet all
OF roses. red roses, her favorites, is tossed
to her, striking her lightly on her breast
as it falls.
She raises her eyes and meets the
earnest gaze of the donor, fair-haired,
blue-eyed Englishman.
Anita gathers them all hastily, and
retires, trembling in every limb.
The curtain falls, the orchestra plays,
the people talk of her, for moment.
What grace! What beauty! They
never observed until tonight just how
beautiful Anita is; she is always so
colorlcss. But tonight, when she
gathered her flowers, she was almost as
lovely as poor Rosa, her mother. And
it was all owing to the bright dash of
crimson that came to her cheeks Why
docs she not rouge? Being a danseuse,
she could do that sort of thing and be
none the worse. What does it matter
what q danseuse doesH And then the
conversation drifts to the play, or a
little bit of scandal
And Anita! She is pale enough now,
trembling still, and with an angry gleam
in her black eyes.
SIS she in her dotage, that a pair of
blue eyes should call the blood to her
checks like that"
Sne rises hastily, strips off the gaudy
skirt and its belongings, and presently
emerges from her dressing-room, a tall,
slender figure, all in somber black.
As she crosses the stage at the back,
her manager speaks to her.
-"One moment, please, allow me: Lord
ErsAne, let me present you to Anita
Camancho."