St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-03

| festive scene.
My wife was very much opposed to
my going. She has dread OF raZorS
and s. kraps." and she thought that in
All unguarded moment [ might come
into contact with one or the other, or
| both. In order to render myself suit
| able for the occasion. as it were, l came
down to tea rugged out like an old-time
minstrel. minus the burnt cork. My
wife was aghast.
"Oh, Rhody" she exclaimed, "where
in the world are you going?'
To a ball, my dear, to ball" re-
piled gravely.
I'm such "a costume as-as that?"
she asked incredulously.
Certainly"
Then she commenced to cry. [ sup
pose she thought my senses and l had
fallen out and parted company for the
time being.
''Patsey." I added, tenderly taking
her head between my two hands, Pat
sey"-{her name happens to be Maud.
but call her Patsey for short: it's a
way have)-s'Patsey, I'm going to
masked ball-that is, every one wears
black mask but me, and wear this cos
tune because don't want to wear such
a mask as they wear, and believe that
am now sufficiently disguised for all
practical purposes"
swell, | should think So" she re-
piled. her indignation getting the better
of her tears, as she surveyed me from
crown to toe.
This wasn't very reasSuring, but it
rendered it unnecessary for ne to make
further explanations.
walked to the cake walk, in order to
be in
SYMPATHY WITH THE OCCASION,
and by way of practice for what might
be expected of me after | arrived there
The hall was on the second floor, and /
gave my invitation card TO gentleman
in the entry at the foot of the stairway
He eyed me rather suSpiciously, but
after sizing me up for a moment, he
came to the conclusion that | was not
particularly dangerous, and that he
would let me pass-or. strictly speak
ing, he didn't let me pas, for he ordered
me up-up stairs.
Did you ever see cake walk? No?
Well, you've missed one of those unique
sights which no well-regulated family
They are of that class of interesting
sights, which if they could be bottled,
canned Or Grated. wonld supply a long
felt want i'll every household.
After depOsltng my dicer and paletOt
with a custodian who occupied a small
box with slot in it, and receiving in
exchange therefor small square OF
pasteboard hleroglyphically emilia
Zoned, walked into the ball room.
1t seemed as though some of the
guests had mistaken the highly polished
floor for a skating rink. for they were
sliding about on tOboggans improvised
from the footgear which they wore.
Perhaps it was because it was so slip
perry. Even [ once or twice imagined it
was chute myself, and it was only
with the utmost presence of mind that
refrained from sitting down real hard.
When entered, a dazzling scene pre-
sented Itself to my eyes. There were
perhaps 100 ladies and gentlemen in the
room, and they were all trigged out in
the latest Minnesota street styles. The
various gradatiOns of color, from lemon
peel to hcorice, blended tremendously
together, and the decollete costumes of
the ladies disclosed neckS. arms and
shoulders of varied degrees of lowell
ness--with an accent on the varied.
1t was evident that the festivities had
not yet begun. TWO fiddlers, a from
bone player and a man who stood ready
to perform on pcculIar-looking instru-
ment resembling bulbuous black GU
cumber. were seated on ealico-draped
dais at one end of the large room. They
were as yet i'll preparatory stage, as
might be gathered from the chaotic
strains of melody which -fiatted. rather
than fioated through the apartment.
The tiddles were Saueaking with pre-
mOnitory symptoms of misery to come,
and the trombone player wasindustri-
ously showing the greater part of the
instrument down his throat like a
sword-swallower. The man with
the cucumber had not yet begun
to test his apparatus. | was
curious to know what the nature of the
thing might be- whether it was a lung
tester, an improved dynamite gun on
which cayeat had been filed, or a SUI
peranuated funnel for kerosene. The
man seemed to be waiting for revenge
He wore a suit of clothes of which sew
eral components had evidently been
lost in the shuttle, peculiarly ma
liciOuS expression of countenance. and
an air, or aroma, of general soupy
nature. as if he had recently been
picked out of that element of limbo. |
was anxious to hear that instrument. 1t
seemed as if it might give forth some
thing out OF the common run OF music.
and as virtuoso, was curious to hear
it. Its appearance seemed to faScnate
me. and | could not withdraw my gaze
from it for any length of time 1t was
a second sword of Damocles.
Every one who was not skating was
sauntering around with some one else,
waiting for the thing to begin. be-
gan to saunter too, and in the execution
of the saunter act l took occasion to
bow to my many familiar acquaintance
among the cOlored brethren and sistern.
| wasn't overlooking any bets, and as |
may run for governor some day after
Pve grown tired of the newspaper bust
ness. may need some voteS-in fact, /
am not violating any confidence when |
assert that probably shall need some.
Presently / sped screen at one side
of the room, which was decorated with
evergreens. Ever green and unmind-
full of what Patsey might think mot to
mention what she might say if she were
to see me, my flirtatious spirit impeled
me to look behind that screen. am not
in the least inquisitive, but I was al
ways Unfortunately fond of brunettes.
and always DESTROYS of making myself
solid with beauties; and, asI fully be-
lieyed that there were brunette beau
ties behind that screen, | thought. in
casual way, that | might investigate.
My costume was great success, as l
could see by the many admiring glanees
thrown in my direction, ard [ did not
know with what favor might be looked
upon by some fair damSel. / might
certainly have an opportunity of dis
tinguishing myself.
went to the screen. and cautiously
peered around one end of it in diff