Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-08-13

rooms.
 "Won't Dot thtare?" thought tho little wretch ''One needn't be tho old after all to go to a ball. I make thenthation, don't wonderP'
 She was right. Scott left her at the door of the ladies' room in care of a nice old black "Aunty," who hooked her snugly into her lovely froc6 and tied the tilmy tracery about her waist with a real French touch, though her fingers were black as ink.
 "How in de world ob worls did yo ebber happen ter come to dis hyar growd-up ball, honey, chile?" looking at her admiringly, as she tried her steps before the long mirror.
 70, Dot ith here-my thithter, you under thand; and jutht thought I'd come, too."
 A burst of exquisite melody-a Valse of Chopin 's-brought Scott to the door to claim the little hand for round. 'Ith too bad Thcott, but you are too tall n looking at him from her loWly stand point.
 ''No, my dear Miss Barbara the fault lies i at your feet; you are too little.n looking far down at her and thinking how lucky he was to have this little bunch of exquisite loveE- ness for his sister by only going through the several stages of ccstatic bliss with Dot, thereby killing two birds with ono stone, dead as dOOr-nails.
 "I'm not going to even try to walth with you-it would thcem really too ridiculuth-
 
 l. wait for the Lantherth-I know that betht of all.'
 Dot and her submerged parent were now safely on the floor. Dots eyes roved over the heads of diminutive maidcns and squatty matrons in vain hopes of their finding the 1 recreant Scott.
 ''Would he dare to come without me? Would he dare? Well, he is capable of even so fragrant a-"
 GGMaV havn the O10o Mice D0t2 Tho Lancers, 1 bcleve," and papa's business partner, lowering a crooked elbow in her direction, leads her away by the tip of a gloved finger that rests daintily upon his broadclOth- coated arm. In a moment more they were standing face to face With-Scott and Barbara!
 For a moment her intense surprise held her silent captive; then, casting one swift glance about her, she saw that about forty pairs of eyes were curiously intent upon Scott and his companions; saw that people were not censuring but admiring and won dering over the fairY'S advent; and, with never lift of her blazing eyes in their direction, she cut them both dead Barbara felt that her sister was tragicallv inclined, despite her lack of worldly experience, and so fear kept her dumb; for Dot could be awful" when she chose, this young sister knew to her sorrow.
  grand chain Dots glove was squeezed by a poor innocent young fellow, who thought a slight pinchng of the leather-c overed finger tips would win one uplifting of the long lashes Scottward; but the lashes, though they trembled, were not raised. ! A crash of musical discord, the ''I4ancers'' was breaking up, when papa walking about with step-mamma- elect, saw a prince and fairy and recognized them as beings of his own household
 | o, the enchantment of thatnight to Bar baral And how the fairy folk came troop ing out from the gorgeous bindings of her books and danced about her as she lay in dreamland, after the lights were out, tho ball room deserted, and Dot had soleunly refused to kiss her goodnight. | Next day a note from Scott to Dot fell into Barbara's hands. She cOOlly opened it and read as follows:
 Dot am in disgrace; why is it? Why did you not speak to nc last night2 Did l anger you, Dot, by refusing to listen longer to lecture I did not need! How soon will you learn to trust me. But If you arc really convinced that I am the guilty wretch you lectured so soundly, I would advise you to | think no moro of Scott"
 ''Thath awfulr" said Barbara; 'Tth 1 thimply awful-and if Dot geth a gGmpth of thith I'll be mothed killed! I have to be ! IOI every bhlllSJ lO UucSlLcGIl tLlil Thcott ought to know better than to write a note like thith-Tll teach him a letthonp' and the red cOas of the grate had merry time for a second with a bit of crested nOto paper.
 All that week Scott waited and waited, and all that week Dot hoped and hoped; and 1 the old saying that "hOpe deferred maketh the heart sicl' proved itself truth, for it came to pass that Dots body caught the ocri I'm haar, hoort nd bar bo low downright invalid, for four weary weeks.
 The tickle little birds from Southland came back after their long vacation to set up housekeeping again, and every hedge row was alive with melody; the berries were beginning to show themselves upon the bushes and briers. Clouds hung miles high In the heavens, whenever there were any clouds and the sun went down to gather fresh heat from his underground furnace for to-morrow's discomfort. The sea grew bluer as the days grew so much longer and brighter and guests had been pouring into the Oceanside Hotel for weeks, whom papa piloted his daughters to rooms engaged for | them.
 Dot was white, and wan, and sick in l hervery soul; while Barbara if she had had her due share of remorse, had thrived well upon 1t and was as plump as 0 little part ridge.
 To the world Dot seemed a cold, self-pos sessed, naughty young individual, while in secret she really moped and pined in a cease less round of regret; and Barbara seemed just what she Was-a diminutive ten-year- old, with precocious brain and no con- science to speak of She was dreadfully ''thorry" Dot looked and felt so miserably worn and thin, but had no faintest thought that she herself was to blame for any part In her sisters lOw-spirited condition. When ever she thought of Scott at all she deter mined to bring him back to Dot again-and so make Dot happy once more.
 They had been there ono whole week and never a truant rose had crept back to the pale checks. Dot and Barbara wandered to- gether up and down the long sunny beach Dot aimlessly and Hstlessly-doing any thing to please the little unconscious dis turber of her peace; Barbara delighted and full of wonder at every thing she saw.
 Dot was thinking, thinking, thinking one day, as they sat down to rest after long tramp in the shadow Of gigantic powder when she was suddenly assailed by,
 Look, Dot, there comth boat! Wonder