Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-07-12

was one of those to whom a woman's
gown is not matter of Indifference.
II came In here for little air." she
said "the rooms are 30 terribly|hot, and
the whole affair is very stupid. Don't
you think it ?"
"It has been worse than stupid for
me-" he answered, laughing. II have
been insulted wherever I went. First,
Mrs. Grey told me I was often very
stupid then Miss Vincent, do you know
her? She is dancing now with Tom
Stern"
II don't know her; but never mind!
What did she say to you:"
"She told me that was awkward and
a bad dancer, and intimated that could
never thoroughly learn"
Florence Redifer burst into laugh as
clear and merry as silver bells. ''But
you know, Mr.. Turner" she said,
your best friends do not claim for you
that you dance WE'LL"
Dick gasped and then recovered he
was getting hardened now. I always
hattered myself that I did," he said
boldly.
She looked at him in some SURPRISE
"Of course I don't mean to say, !" she ex-
claimed that one cannot get around
with you at all, but only you are not
very graceful or sure-footed. There are
plenty of men here who dance worse
Mr.. Simpson, for instance"
II should hope so," said Dick, as
Simpson. little weak-eyed man, who
held his fair partner as if he feared she
was packed with dynamite and was in
danger every minute ofexploding, NOV
ed !abor1ously past the door. "If that
IyOr 10
Florence, l shall never have the audac-
1ty to ask you to dance again." and with
heavy heart he left the conservatory,
now fully satisfied he had had enough
of Mrs. Grey's ball.
He took glass of champapne in the
supper room, where its quality was be-
ing freely discussed by the young men
who fingered there, and went back to
pay his party respects to his hostess
There were still plenty of people about,
but chill seemed to have fallen on
them, the dancers were few, and every
body looked bored or discontented. Mrs.
Grey was saying the last words to q
party of guests who were about taking
t. cir departure.
"Such pity it should have been q
failure" ne heard one of them whisper
in a tone of sympathy. "And after all
the expense you have gone to-"
II am sure, then, 1t must have been
the fault of my guests" returned Mrs.
Grey, "fOr did my part as we'll as
could. Why, Mr.. Turner, are you GO
ing 30 soon? / wonder if you, too,
found my party stupid one?"
She looked SO harasse6 that Dick for
got the grudge he owed and would glad
ly have declared her ball both brilliant
and delightful, but the words he wished
to say stuck in his throat-he absolutely
could not give them utterance. An aw-
ful impulse was upon him, and to his
own secret horror and dismay he heard
himself assuring her the painful truth
that 1t was the most dismal affair he had
ever witnessed in his life. Then over.
whelmed with shame at lis own in
voluntary rudeness he turned away, and
bis eyes fell upon the crimson roses still
blooming freshly over the doorway.
What an idiot he must have been =
There, in plain English letters, were The
three words, palace of T-uth.n AS he
looked and read, the magic flute pealed
forth 80 loudly and with 80 shrill 9
triumph In its tone, that Dick fairly
jumped and in the violence of his start
kicked the sleeping Snip, who leaped
out of his masters way and gazed .,
him with reproachful, wondering eyes
Eleven O'Clock, as Pm living man, y
said Dick, yawning. ''Three hourl
asleep and no ball for me, tonight.
Snip, you little villain, why didn't you
awaken me ?n
Snip was silent. He felt the arrant
injustice of this remark and bore it with
the eQuanamity of stole.
well" !" said his master, slowly. as hi
lit his candle, 'since you did not, and
as have had all the dissipation and al
the candor need for one night, / think
nttle dog. that you and will go peace
ably and gratefully to bed"