Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-08
a WITLESs THING"

fitted - I!sHs'et act ~ SC ;
Now remember Lord GRAFTON" said the
Doctor soiemnIy ''ali / told sou. You are very
welcome 70 come 70 our ball. though, a. a rnle.
We, only ak "a certain set Of wise men and maid
eu< who Know our way and N,Si- ways stu.
you are gOod-looking. humorous. and CHEEKY
AMI II You are sensible you eau enjoy yourself
and ma te do them a world Of good heieVe
In r.ectrlitr a. a curative a-enf-n0t the quaCA
oouseuse Of belts and chains and muslcai ooAes'
that ONLY shake the nerve-ceuters Ont Ihe Feai
electricity OF animal spirits, The tonic CT good
health"
IL shall do exactly as am bid. said Lord
GRAFTON. a han fs0me. forid. muscular Young
man strong as a horse. huoyant as BALLOON.
Inst back after a srif-impo-ej exile OF five years
i'm India with the big game: ''but tell me Of all
those COMPOUNDED cautions again. ! did a lot
Of dancing of various kinds years ago. before
went after the tiLer~"-and ne laughed a. min
gied memories OF Mayfair and the Lotus Club
swan tack to him--''aud I've tried both the
COrroj0res and the SGiorgG: but pom honor |
never danced with iunatic girl Yet"
Are Yea quite sure OF that" said the Doctor.
grimiy; they are tn BE- met with outside Cops
wood. can tell you. However. listen the rule
Is simple Be civil and don't contradict. II old
Crackst0n asks you to p!ay chess. play He's
goCd player. and will beat YOU fairly if he can;
/: ~ cant he'll make a false move and call
'Checkmate. and you must resign. If poor
SMOKY thinks YOU are the Prince. and '~irs
YOU all over the place. and throws out hints
about being asked to Sandriugham;-f You are
asked to listen 10 the Ginning clock in Bakers
interiors; or 10 AVOID some one else. because he's
glass and might break. you must DO your best
TO be courteous 10 them all and on no account
laugh at their ianCies-
sounds rathSr iumpy. And the ladies'"
I'll see 10 that. aud Introduce you to the
incest. and tell You what 10 avoid speaking
about; the men will make the talking for them
selves tne women don't talk much
Sign ofjusanity. ] suppose. And what am
TO talk about
Everything save some one thing-the En-
press of Austria. or the stage or white roses. or
Mr. Maock or black stockings. I'll give you
the cue-never fear; only u may happen that
one Of them will ask Won 20 dance and then you
must steer a. Oest yUu can-taik society or art
On chance Ms own girls and their friends get
on famOusiy With the male patients. and YOU
must DO your best, Come. YOU are going TO be
Dur best tome tonight. and you must be off and
dress; nine sharp, mind. as they all go to bed at
midnight"
queer thing this" soiiioquized GRAFTON as
De completed an elaborate dressing beginning
nv first season after five wears by dancing with
q LOT Of luuatics- Hope they wont wear straw
IN their ha'r If they do | shall bolt to the Con-
gletous dance
He had many strange adventures that even
Ing a he StfO.icd about the pretty ballroom at
:
teated at chess by the venerable CTaCkton Who
deliberately slid back a captured queen the
board and performed prCdlEies of vaior with
her. He sympathlzei with the gentleman who
had swallowed a croCOC and he noticed the
pale CaiayeFOuS man who amused himself hy
counting the lights on each side OF the room and
singing softly 20 himself: ''SOrry can't admit
Y. sorry | can't admit il ;" He had been au
Aero site Editor once upon time. He noticed
the fussy little man. with pale blue
Oh fs4no 10. tC
the sixteen Lancers. and who piteUu>ly
entTeated the dancers to 40 back over all that
again. please and try and get il crisper:" and
TIE erratIc journalist who wrote paragraphs on
bis shrt-cufs. and many other strange folks
that passed by in the motley pageant of unset
tied reasons
There's King Lear" whispered the Doctor, as
"a very foolish fond old man tourscore and up
wards. passed them muttern@ of Brighton
As; you know who be was" and TIE wins
pered NE in Grayton's ear that made that
nobieman whistle softly
And are there any OEhelias, whose Young
uaIds wits should be as mortal as an old mans
HE asked GRAFTON. showing that he knew
his Shakespeare a. we'll a. the Doctor
Yes but We Keep their secrets Now 20 and
dance: and le Doctor took King Lear OFT for a
cup Ofcofee
1t as sad. weird sight altogether. and as
GRAFTON watched II, il reminded hm of kaul-
bach ; Dance of Death aud he telt oddly NOR
nal once loved and gwen his heart to a woman
whom lie both ideaiiZed and idOiiZe,l: he
had yot 4. aims and post on and with her he
Trt be could conquer fhs world Ir was an old
story: she turasd out TO be as ioveIrSS a. she
was lovely. aud so he took to the tigers He
had get over IL all now. but he shudiered as he
remembered The fret Of il all. and thought how
near madueS- he had been driven when he
heard OF her ultimate fate. and where her life
lad drfteG to. So there were Ouhe!iaS here,
fEt.A no he
some rather uGcOuth gambolinI ia a corner.
His eyes wandered round the room. and rested
Il last on a face.
II was an exquisite oval face. somewhat sad
and wlsttul in expression. of that rare delicate
olive color one sees in the south. with the skin
OF so due a texture that the Ted flush springs
W through tue ytln-tracery at a moment rX-
Clement. the large brown ewes were soft and
dreamy, the chi-eiiri mouth WAS ha!f-parted
and The dark brown hair looking black at
night. was worn Greek fashion close TO the
head. sweeping in undd!atin- line past the tiny
rU>e-tiPprd ears she was seated on q low sofa
etreleSsIy CldSpng one Knee with both hands
She wore a simple white fr0ck. Just mysterious
" 'rilied round tHe little white column of a
throat. and a great back-red rose nestled in
her breast. One little hjGh-arched foot in
peach-cOiored netted siik. kept swinging to the
MUSIC No one seemed 10 talk T. her r-cept
the Doctor. who smiled ?. sanity as ne passed
ana SAID something 10 which she answered with
Nod.
'Ophelia At last" said GRAFTON 10 himself:
and In melancholy vein he wished he were
Hamlet. and could liz al her feet and watch the
play.
- Poor Opheiai divided from herself and her
lalr ju1glueut- (tte quotation was irresistible
i wonder what sent her hrre-sOme brute Of a
man. or solder-lOvrT killed al kasSaSsin Ora
cIous, hope this terrible Meg Merrilie- is not
going 10 ask NE To dance and he moved away
a. ne SAW 4 wild-ey ri woman bearing downup0n
MIN. 70 seat somewhat nearer the pale lrlrI
with the b,acH-rej rose
OF time he watched her. then he tried TO
magnetic" Der. AT last their eyes met: he
stared her tut in the face She never shrank
non his look only sort Of pityinr light seemed
U glow IN the sOrrowfui eyes A moment
passed aud then She rose quietly and with per
iect Seti-poSse~sed grace walked over to hiGn-to
Ms intense aStoniehmenr SAT down quietly by
his side. aud SAID iH a >oft musica! voice:
You seem sad Tonight: am sorry
For moment he was tUngu.-tipf;. theD no
reco.lected his instructions aud pulled himself
together.
Well. l think l was sad because YOU were
looking sad
was |: suppose | always do then. OF
o0ur~e. being here naturally makes one feel sad
But We won talk oil that" She added quickly
do YOU care for dancing? III dance with YOU
II You like"
"pance' with you:"
20 yes. If you ike; many OF the others dance.
sou know"
How calmly she seems to recognize her sad
yE..r4 -.