San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-23

hardly restrain myself; and when we
came out into the curving corridor full
of flowers and plants, behind which sat
merry couples, thronged with gay prom
enaders, altogether mysterious and Won
derful-when we caught our first glimpse
of the crowded ball room, saw the blue
hangings, heard the crash Of the band,
was in the seventh heaven of bliss and
excitement. But in very short time
| my spirits came down to their level
again. 1t was only an ordinary party on
a large scale-very much the same men
talked to me, very much the same things
were said. l did exactly what had
been doing at every party throughout
| the winter. l was tired of restraining
| myself. | wanted to "let out and swipe,"
as the cricketers say; | wanted to cut
dash. Mrs. Hathorne didn't want Lofty
| to sit on the stairs; of course that meant
that must stay near her all the evening.
or ruin my character with her.
If l could have gotten off by. myself
somewhere where the eyes of all the old
ladies were not fixed on me could have
| given myself free play; it was only when
we We're sitting on the stairs at supper
| Everybody did that, so Mrs Hathorne
didn't mindD that l managed to get into
a corner, where l had a quiet Irritation.
| Otherwise l danced, or rather tried to
dance, for the floor was awfully crowd
ed, and six or seven men kept appearing
- - - 49, -
and reappearing and saying things |
could not hear; and l always felt con-
WINGED that must let Mrs. Hathorne see
| me pass by at least once every ten min
utes-and | was acknowledgements! l
looked at those suggestive doors in the
corridor, and would have given my head
| to have gone with Bran Boullter into the
pitch black galleries or slipped down to
the supper room, where the men were
| now smoking, to see what was going on
or to have done something exciting, no
matter what! 1 think Bran felt that l
had not fulfilled his expectations, and in
truth l was so impatient that evening
with myself and my surroundings that l
was once or twice quite cross to him.
Mrs. Hathorne took us away early. /
did not breathe a sigh. wanted to go.
But l preached patience to myself
with much diligence; and 1 dare say
| that my state of mind at the assembly
was more gloomy than at any other time
during the winter When Lent sent us
| all into comparative quiet | had fewer
temptations and more time to reflect.
After all" said to myself, suppose l
do not go to wildly gay suppers after
| the opera, or on racketinS sloighing
| parties with sham matron-suppose /
am forced TO curb myself in every way.
l ought not to complain, and am posi-
lively ungrateful for so doing. Learn,
| Ethel, to be contanted with what you
have achieved. Tout Went qui salt
| attendre."
With this maxim, and with the little
catch word of which Mr.. Temple was
so fOnd-"Patience, gentlemen, and
shuffie"-I comforted myself. l shuffied.
I addressed myself once more to the
routine of gaining favors, and tried to
liked. And l think my spirits really
rose to considerable extent.
But the occasion when l really felt SUI
peIior TO the world were those hours when
into the delighted ears of Lofty and
Olive | poured my condolences, and for
them satirized my acQuaintances. Not
that | was i'll natured; but my nerves
were so soothed and my temper so i'm
proved by the process that it was double
pleasure to me. 1t was so satisfying to
be able to mimic the little foolish ways
of the men, to hit off the affectations of
the girls-and could do it in the best
natured way in the world. Often while
some fussy dowager was drawing on my
discretion or my patience, have l said to
myself: You shall pay for this, my
dear lady. Shall l not remember your
bonnet strings, and your ridiculous
waist, and that egregiOus false front:
Be careful about the pronunciation of
your French, beg, or ] shall be tempted
ut some future time to initiate YOU"
Md oh, the men N,ho patronized me!
1t was such fun to see them bowling to
Lofty or Olive on the evenings of the
lavs on which we had been laughing at
them. 1t was so delightful to pretend
innocence, to lead them on in their folly!
/ protest, believe girl can make a
man say or think anything. Well,
may have been i'll natured; but consider
the provOcation.
Toward the end of Lent decided on
little offensive strategy, and got up a
couple of small Saturday afternoon teas.
OF course, Lofty and Olive came to my
assistance. l decked up our compare
lively bare walls with hundred or so
of japanese fans WHICH l got for few
cents apiece; and, in a moment of in
spiration conceived the happy thought
of covering our dresses also with the airy