Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-05-17

greet new Datcn OF guests.
'Was | ever damned to such faint
] praise before2" thought Dick. 81 won
der If / am at my best to-night?'
For minute he stood taking q sur
vey of the scene before him. The mu-
sicians were playing waltz and play
ing it we'll; only, strange to say, there
was flute among them, which came
iping in with its shrill, persistent lit
tie treble in manner distracting TO
Dicks over-sensitive ear. He thought
of Mozsrts saying that the only thing
in the world worse than 3 flute in an
orchestra was two flutes, and wondered
at Mrs. Gray's choice in music. Never
heless, as long rs he was there, he
might as well dance, and looking
around for familiar faces, his first
glance fell upon a brown-eyed maiden
whom he had met at party only a
week before and whom he had admired
with the guarded and Interpretations
admiration of veteran society man.
In another minute they were on the
floor confronting with their fellow crea-
lures for little room to whirl around
in, and seemingly successful in their
struggle, until a slight lurch sent them
rather suddenly against another pair
of dancers.
THAT was stupid, wasn't it?" said
Dick, as they stopped to take a breath
after the conclusion.
YES" replied she of the brown eyes,
raising them frankly to his eyes. "You
are rather poor dancer. Perhaps you
are out of practice"
Indeed, | ought not to be-" protest
ed Dick, in unutterable Indignation at
the charge. 81 never danced more in
my life than have this winter"
as that so7 Unjust be awkwardness
them" said his companion gently.
Some people can never thoroughly
learn. ] think it is a natural gift"
Dick wondered if he could have
heard Alright, or j. that wretched little
flute, still piping away 80 complacent-
ly, had absolutely bewildered MIN. II
there was one thing he prided himself
on more than another-one gift, nat
ural or therwise--which he felt sure
of possessing--it was his dancing. Was
the brown-eyed damsel out of her mind
or was she simply an ill-bred little
thing who did not know q good dancer
from bad one? Whichever was Tn 9
case, he lost no time in getting rid of
ner, and, mute with amazeme nt and
disgust, took refuge among a group of
men at the door.
"You here, Turner said one oil
them. II hardly recognized you at first,
you look 30 vel low"
"Do |, indeed said Dick shortly, and
wondered what would come next.
"I should think you did," was the
friendly answer, ''l just said to Smith
acre as you came up, that between
your sallow skin and that bad spot on
your head that you were beginning to
look like an old man before your time.
Why don't you take to country life and
early hours and freshen up a bi,?'
"Why don't you mind your own
affairs and kindly leave me to attend
to miEt?' retortered Dick now
thoroughly aroused, and without wait.
ing for another word, he veered around
and left the group, one and all seemed
profoundly astonished at his i'll tenn.
per.
BY this time he began to feel little
uncertain who to approach next. HAY
ing been told already that he was STUPID.
ugly and a bad dancer what was there
left for him to bear? He certainly had
never met so many disagreeable people
in his life, and ne had serious thoughts
of beating 81 permanent retreat, wnen
he caught sight of blonde head half
hidden behind the azaeas in the con.
servatory. 1t was Florence Redifer.
whom he had not expected to meet to-
hight, aud whom two hours ago he
would have avoided. But for some
reason his contempt for her tlattery and
talsenood had been strongly modified
IN SO short time, and he felt a positive
yearning to listen to her pretty moth
ings and to see her blue eyes lifted with
that tender glance of Sdmiring trust
fulness to his. 1t must have cost her
great deal Of time and patience to cul-
uvate that glance up TO hor present
perfection, and it WAS unkind, after all.
to sheer at the result of such honest and
enduring toll.
The next minute he was by her side.
She did look very pretty; her mir hair
NuuibASN III oOhiG mysterious IRSQlOO on
the top of her shapely little head: her
bright face was lit up with smiles, and
her white silk cleaning under the col
ored lamps with soft and shifting ra.
dance that pleased Dicks cultivated
eye He was not one of those to whom
a woman's gown is r matter of iudiffsr-
ence.
II came in here for little air" she
said; "the rooms are so terribly hot,
snd the whole affair is very stupid.
Don't you think 50?
at has been worse than stupid for
me, he answered laughing. 81 have
been insulted wherever 1 went First.
Mrs Grey told me was often very stu.
pid; then Miss Nincent-do you know
net? She is dancing with Tom Sterns."
Il don't know her; but never mind!
What did she say to your
she told me that was awkward and
a bad dancer and intimated that / never
could thoroughly learn"
Florence II 3diter burst intoa laugh as
clear and merry rs silver bells.
But you know, Mr.. Turner, she said,
'yOur best friends do not claim FOR YOU