The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-31
LA MASQUERADE.

There 1t lies on the chair in its beauty
OF dainty rosettes, lace and all.
Where l threw II down when came in late
Last night from the masquerade ball.
Dear Old dress How love 1t this morning,
Il think Ii looks best in this | light
And how different the world looks to me since
dressed in it only last night.
just last uightl Why, it seems almost ages
Perhaps It's because I'm so glad
And last night as dressed for the ballroom
Twas feeling lonely ana sad
I'd been sitting awhile by NY window
Ana dreaming of days that past
And the good times we had here last summer
Good times that were too good to last.
The moonlight was soft on the water
Iheard the low beat of the sea,
Ana the June winds that. perIumed with roses,
Whispered only Remember to me.
" Remember Yes too well remembered
That twas one year ago last night
That we parted. Jack and /, IN anger,
AID since-hes been lost to my siRht
Twas that evening that we gave the drama
For the aid 0: some charity,
And we quarreled inst because acted
TAe love scenes with Lieutenant Lee.
And last night it all came back so plainly
How we parted, ne cold and grave,
Ihaughty. I'd not give up my wishes,
Not even my lover TO save.
SO I thought when dressed for the evening
I'd wear the same dress that wore
That last night that we gave them the drama
And l was the fair LeOnore."
And somehow when got out the costume
could hear Jacks voice In my
whispering Just what he said that evening
You'u do this to please me, my dear ?"
But 1 crushed out his voice and his mem'ry,
And drew on my mask and went doWn,
And was soon dancing GaViy and listening
To the empty talk Of a clown.
1t was late. near the en- I OF the evening,
The band had just started d" Berlin"
And, as the next dance was to unmask US,
The room was beginning to thin
Ny partner was gaudy Venetian
was sure it was Lieutenant Lee,
For he knew the waltz step to perfection
And he's danced great deal with me.
He proposed some air and the piazza,
So we stepped through window near
And found the long promenade deserted
With nobody near Us TO hear.
Wen. we walked for awhile in deep silence,
Then he said TO me, bending near,
" May hope, Miss st. John, you remember,
The merry old times OF last year?
If I'm not much mistaken; thinks that
The dress that you have on tonight
Is the same that yon wore at the drama
When you played LeOaore, fair aud bright"
q was sure twas the gallant Lieutenantl.
answered, half sadly fear,
Very well, most too Wen. remember
The merry old times Of last year"
You regret them ~ he said speaking quickly,
"Yet we were a boisterous set.
Let me see, there was you, Miss Lorency,
Myself, and. oh, Jack Castelet.
Dear old Jack! You surely remember him?
He and were greatest of friends
Until we'll. YES Till came between
And when love comes all friendship ends.
We all thought that. at last, Jack would win yos
You favored him more than the rest
Till the evening that we gave the drama
When he left for the far-off West
Forgive, Miss st. john If l seem too bold
In recalling those bygone hours.
Shall we go inside? II is almost time
To take of these masks of ours"
AS you please, said. 1t was hard to speak.
For hand seemed Rraspiag my heart
" But tell me. Lieutenant, you hear from Jack;
We have been very long apart"
/ could hardly keep the tears from my voice
And glad of my hidden face.
Often" he answered, " I'll tell you at twelToI
But let's go, or We'll find no place."
We stepped inside aud went blindIy through
The first half of the slow quadrille
And longed for the time could rest in sleep
And the voice of memory still
But at last the order was given, "Unmaski"
lifted mine and started back,
For steadily facing me, pale and grave,
Was not Lieutenant Lee-but Jack
Well, it's over now, and it's all explained.
He knew me at once by my gown
And tried to learn il his memory lived
BY speaking of days that flown.
He knew that did not know him and saw
L thought he Lieutenant Lee,
So he helped my mistake the best he could
By speaking in that way to me.
So now am happy, and. dear Old dress,
You have helped me so brayely through.
And l love dearly each dainty frill
That always viii cherish you;
And tell you there's no one quite ike Jack,
And the memory never will fade
OF the moonlight on the ocean last night
The hour after la masquerade.
lfdy, 1891 BEATRICE DE LUNA.