Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-13

/ ton had become plainly evident to the very
I simplest intellect in the room; then, Selling
her chance, when she was passing particu-
larly attentive group OF young men who
were watching her every movement, she
gave-dehcately, lightly, but Enthusiastically
"a very distinct and expressive wink with
her right eye to a young lady on the watch
! for her who at once reached forward with
/ impressive zeal: ooh, MIR. Tottenham!
! surely it Is my dance nowI" and before he
! knew it Jack was transferred to q new part
ner and whirled off in the mazes of the
waltz, while the relieved Lily sought pastures
new.
The young gentleman in the corner did
not know whether to laugh or TO groau. Ii
was awfully clever in Miss Lily, but how APP
paJling to find out that the soft Gowan eyes,
and evidently all the other soft eyes in the
room, had actually seen, interrupted and
soTnprehended those wonderful signals TO
/ each other On which the youths had long
( prided themselves So it seemed the girls
I had actually caught on the wing and trans
lated as readily as the young gentleman ac-
completes, those neat, quiet little winks
which had been intended to convey to
masculine friend, and only to that friend,
the message "Bored to deathl Take her off
my hands, old fellow, for turn or two, and
I'll do as much for you another timer Poor
Jack! He began to wish he hadn't under
taken to tutor the young ladies in the matter
of chaperons, he had intended to wear Miss
Lily out; but, instead Of that, he was in
fair way of being worn out himself with the
multitude Of his attentions. No gentleman
in the room had so much devotion from SO
I 40 hai bor lu OIL
around the room with one fair partner, when
another would approach and entreat turn"
He felt that he was rot playing his preInedi.
tated part as well as Miss Lily was playing
her unprecedented one; and he was perhaps
the most thankful person IN the room when
attention was momentarily diverted from hin
and his multitude of partners, as Helen Col
gate in her role Of club man, appeared care
lessly upon the scene, adjusted her single
eyeglass and scanned slowly the entire room,
remaining however, in the doorway with not
the slightest sign of interest in anything.
# the feminine conspirators had feared lesa
Helen's powers of endurance should fail under
the test Of the bewitching dance music and
the many glances of waiting admirers, they
soon saw that she was feeling the fascination
Of her part in the private theatricals to be
b
Apparently unconscious of everything, she
was nevertheless On the alert No sooner
had any young gentleman accepted a partner
than she would advance toward him with
sudden interested avidity to entreat the
dance, with the inevitable ''Too late cav,
Mr.. Van Brunt, I'm awfully unlucky to-
nightP Nor did she fail, occasionally, as she
w,lsled past group Of young gentlemen on
h.a,. IL -. =
carelessly, Lucky escaped had to be polite;
mother gives capital dinners, yer known
The girls began to believe that Helen meant
70 deny herself even the three dances permit
ted by the committee Of arrangements. To-
wards the last, however, she INDUCED in one
or two languid turns with a few young gen
tlelnen, very evidently chosen with care as
partners representing the wealth, pedigree
and beauty Of the little Lakeville world. She
left early, alone, of course, in her carriage
and as she emerged from the dressing room
heavily furTed for the outer air, she caught
glimpse Of one for]orn youth who had been
pers-stently ignored the entire evening by
general agreement beforehand To him she
now made her way, hat in hand, end with q
very low bow: Jaw, Mr.. Langdon! is it
really you, sitting eli alones So sorry l am
just goingl I've been waiting turn with
you al the evening, but every time looked
toward you, You were SO surroundedl" and
with another low bow she had left him
The supper room, how ever, was to be the
great field for the display of valor from both
parties. The masculine mind had evolved
the brilliant conception of collision with the
walters, who, as masculine minds also, might
be expected to synpaUhize with the victims
OF feminine appetite, and side readily with
that division of forces more given than the
other to generous tips" Il had been ar
ranged that at a certain hour of the evening
there should be great and sudden demand
for ice water The ladies should be sent in
variaDiy for glass of water, and it had also
been arranged that ice water and glasses
should be extremely difficult to obtain from
tie reticent waters Finally, however, the
Hebes were to return with Drumming goblets,
from which each suffering victim to extreme
thirst was to take daintily single sip, re-
turning. the glass with a ''thank you so
much" for Eebe to bear it back the length
of the dining hall This coup d'etat was to
be executed at 1l:.5; but precisely at 11:30,
neat handed, whitley capped Phyliises ap-
peared with trays, each tray laden with
glasses, and in the bottom OF each glass re-
posed minute swallow of water, which was
all the victims of thirst had been meaning to
permit themselves.
''Dy Ceorgel" cried Lindley Grant in adj
Iriration, as he rushed round to the supper
room on a tour of investigation, they've
bribed those fellows over our heads to 90 of
and get lot of maids 10 wait on us!"
Il was intended to take full revenge when
the supper room was opened for refreshments
Then should the fair partners be given be-
wildering orders for ices, salads, oysters, cake
and coffee, with rapid changes OF mind and
caprices of appetite, They should bs kept
running fer one dainty at q time, till their
own chances of finding anything left for
themselves should be extremely narrow. Ur-
fortunately, however, before this campaign
could be begun. the announcement OF supper
was followed by quick ordinations from the
attentive fair ones; LET me get you an ice!n
and ii a tvinklins every young lady had
disappeared where the tempting viands beck
oned- In another moment they reappearsd
with single slice Of ice cream reposing on 9
fair eypanSe Of plate, the sole trophy from
room redolent even in the distance Of seal
loDed oysters and coffee The victims had
not even time to mention the missing fork
or spoon, before the devoted fair ones had
again vanished 10 the supper room, where,
through the conspicuously opened doors,
they could lie seen lndist;ncsly in the dis
tSnce lowering around the heavily laden
tables with evident enjoyment and vigorous
sttack upon the visible means OF support
Ii was long before they returned, and
when they did, many of them could be seen
fling OF upstairs, with mysterious sig
nails 10 each other, which the masculine ere