The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-22
The Jorain marble.

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orstocrotic place of resort was the
Jnrdin NIabille, took a cab and pro
seeded thither. | found myself in II
beautiful garden, brilliantly lighted
There was u crowd of ladies and gem
tlemen, fine band was playing, and
ouadrille was forming, While l was
gazing about, gentleman asked me II
/ wished to dance l said that lwoui1
like to, but that | was q stranger and
not acquainted with any OF the nobiilty
present. He smiled, and said the
French nobility was exceedingly atiable
and obliging, and that he would be
pleased. to Introduce me to lady OF ing h
rank and varied accomplishments, who
would dance with me il l wished
Then he presented me to tho young
Duchess d Asafmtida Chats rs near rs
[ could catch her nance. had never
stood face to face with duchess before,
and therefore felt difident and Ill at
ease. This graceful creature UNDER
stood my case at once, and IN TWO OF
three minutes made me feel perfectiy
at home-more than at home l may
say. Inoyer met a lady SO easy to get
acquainted with as she was. 1t must
require high cultivation, only to be
attained III the upper ranks OF soclety'
to give one such seIf-possesslon rs hers,
This duchess smiled on me III the most
encouraging way, and tapped me on
the shoulder with her fan then she
looked up in my face and charmed
away all my embarrassment with
burst OF cherry laughter that was fntl
of happiness and garlic. Next she
took my arm beating time to the music
with her fan, and still utternG that
fragrant laughter, And next she put
her arm around my neck. ms was
quite unexpected, must say. 1t made
me feel bliSsfully uncomfortable. l
enjoyed it, ut the same time, was
afraid it might attract attention. L
intimated, as gently as l could, that
the duke, her father, might be in the
crowd somewhere; but she only laugh
ed more odorously than ever. lteafed
the paternal duke might invite me to
breakfast on pistols and coffee, llke
coffee, but | don't consider it improves
it to mix it with hardware. This !!
limited to the duchess, and she received
it with one Of those peculiar laughs OF
hers that was perfectly smothenng'
just then the music struck up furious
", the duchess exclaimed "come!
and dashed away with me. The crowd
closed up to our set and walled MS III
on every side. l had never before
seen so much curiosity displayed IN
mere quadrille by distinguished parties
Dukes and duchesses began to prance to
and fro iii the dance with wild energy
of purpose and extravaganza OF Ses-
turo, l began to get interested.
glanced across, my partner was Just
turning. She miscalculated the length
of her limbs and lifted her dress ac-
cordingly. She came pranclng over,
I sailed forth to meet her, and When
VIC were were within yard Of each
other, I wish l may never be believed
again if she didn't kick the hat off my
head! l stopped to pick up my hat
and q noble ariStocrat fell over me;
others followed him--both ladies and
gentlemen-ani / never saw such n
chaos OF struggling limbs and frantic
lrapery since the benches broke down
at the circus when [ was a boy.
TWAS pure good fortune that nobody
got hurt. When | got out, went to
my place at the head Of quodrille. and
staid there. lost confidence; the dance
was too high-toned for me. 1t had pc
cuiarities about it that were new and
unexpected. had soon plenty of quad
rifles, but l had never seen one with the
variations before The duchess rcsum-
ed her mad career, and the rest OF
of the nobility danced as she did
each SEX seemed to have but one object
in view-to Guido its opposite IN vio-
lenco of action and eccentricy of con-
duct. These French people are very
Frenchy. I'll had not known that these
people were the flower of the French
nobility, [ should have thought that
they began their education in a gymna-
stun, and graduated in a circus. The
first time the duchess halted by me for
moment, I whispered to her to calm
her gushing spirits, not to NEEDLE with
her dress, and for public opinions sake
not to step SO high. [ said she could
get over just as much ground at mod
crate gait and besides, the noble grand
duke, her father, might happen along
at any moment. 1 might just as well |
have talked to the wind. She only |
laughed that Characteristic laugh Of |
hers-that silvery laugh that 1 could re- |
cognize anywhere, if / were to leeward;
and then bending little, she grabbed
up the sides Of her apparel with both
hands, began to jerk it to and fro in a
violent manner, threw her head back,
and skipped furiously away on an Irish
jig step, all excitement, wild hilarity,
distracted costume, frenzied motion.
A spectacle to scar the eyeballs and to
astonish the soul Of hermit ! And
when she reached the centre she snatch
ed her numbering dresses free, and
launched a kick at the hat OF a tall
nohIeman that fairly loosened the top
of his head. I fled the scene exclaim-
lug: "What can she mean by such con
1uct MS those" MARK TWAIN.