Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-12-27
WISE IN HER TINE,


Of tule or net, but a really handsome confec-
ton in white corded silk, the sort of thing
which exactly suits my style, nature never
having cut me out for the part Of jeune file.
We arrivcd "A little late, but a great m my
people seemed 20 have room for my name on
their programmes; indeed throughout the
evening" enjoyed the rather novel sensation
of Il ball room success. Not that | set much
value on sucn bit of social gilt gingerbread.
All very well for boys and girls in their first
season, but by no means fitted to satisfy the
appetite of persons arrived at years of dis
oretion.
The dancing had stopped when we got into
the room and stood for u few moments in
the doorway making up nv book for the
events of the night. Regy Walker was ne
gotiating with me for the supper dances
when the Stands were announced. / looked
up, without moving "A hair, and saw them
within yard Of me-Phlip and Philips wife
The latter observed to be slight and pale
not ugly, of course, for in these days even
heiresses cannot afford to be ugly, but gener
ally insignificant. But her maid, her tailor
and her corset maker are evidently the best
of their kind.
don't know how long Regy Walker and
stood there adjusting our ball cards; perhaps
II minute. perhaps hundred years. Then
the room went round suddenly, and | found
myself shaking hands with Philip.
Our eyes met; he smiled his wonderful
smile 1t might almost have been last year.
But it can never be last year again.
Last year, Philip, you were a hard work
ing, ambitious young man, of whom gr"at
things Were already prophesed at the tar:
tins year yC u are a person OF Importance
your fortune made, your position asslr".l
Last year was one ideael young uers3. in
n white frock who blushad and smiled "..
uulisrui,ed delight when her friend APP
preached her: who had smiles and biu-..os
tor no one else; whose days wore iull oi
vague, delicious happiness; whose Nal"4ul
nights were sWeater than nights %. dr,a'}-.
This year | au a man who knows n.r
weakness, knows also her strength, ami b.,
had Eer experience.
II is the third day, and ! have risen AMI.
Without inowiedgo Of life there can bali3
trua enjoyment of life. Life, maintain, IL
the face of the sentimentalists, TO he an a.
9uirad taste For the educated palate there
Gre all sorts of gustatory su-prises-oliye,,
caviare Il host of sauces--far more delicious
than, if not quite 50 wholesome as, the roast
meat and boiled padding OF domesticity.
You vera right, Philip; and |, who once be-
lcVeI myself your victim, crushed beneath
tht Juggernaut car OF your ambition-I was
wrong.
Meanwhile, I have left us-Philip Shand
and Nirpiria MISUNDERSTANDING hands with
or, another. and smiling into one another,
faces with almost exaggarated amiabilitv.
Am too late for a waltz
There is only No. II left"
~ auadrtle ! ask for bread, and YOU
give me q stone
wroJ,. down his initials on NV card and
hemade off. smiling brilliantly.
stood looking after him with n curious
sense Of nnreautv. divided between n desire
t. laugh aloud, and anotner-to 20 from tn,
house. to some vague. impossible region If
darkness and silence and solitude. Al the
same moment grew aware of a pair Of wide
open gray ewes fixed upon uy,elr with mn
conventional lu.eutuess from tho Distance
Their oy,,rr wa, a tal. fair. yeely vnuu.,
man. WHOSE whole appearance WA, iu,,efinably
different from that of our surrounding y .5-
ule. 1t was not long before Mrs. Westar-
leigh swept up to me with this unknown
Young man in her wake
Sir Guy Ormond-AIiss Warwick
We both bowed and he asked me for a
dance. with a fervor quite disproportionate
to the request
"Some Door little waif of a swellln was
my reflection, as he wrote his name against
the twelfth waltz--the only unclaimed dance
on my card
For it must be owned that we were that
night distinctly middle class gathering, a
great mixed mob of Iondoners: no mere
Belgravian birds of passage but people
whose interests and avocatinns Law well
within the great city.
"May take you in TO supper later on ~
said Sir Guy earnestly.
Eyes, please" | answered, giving him a
glance almost as serious as his own. Ger
tainly, there is no game SO amusing as that
which Philip taught me to play last wear.
At the opening of the eleventh dance Philip
came to me.
"You don't want to dance this thingr'
He lowered his voice to the old confidential
pitch; but his manner was shade less con-
fdent than of old After all, why notl l
hated auadrihes, and | like 70 talk with
Philip