Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-02-02
A CALICO BALL.

2 voice fully as high pitched but somewhat
less bitter than that with which she wa.
accustomed 20 remark; "Ca-a.shl Seventy
iivel Come here, can't your several time.
in the course Of the day.
"Aw, what would want to do that forS'
retorted George, much as he might have
told the boy to take that steak around Ia
Mrs. Smiths, and be quick about it now.
With these little preliminaries a con
yersation began, which resulted in a mu.
tual understanding, whereby George was
20 get the next Saturday night of from
the boss Of the butcher shop, and with
Jennie was to 90 10 the ball.
The ticket said, Grand march begins
promptly ut $780, and so George, who
hadn't had much experience with balls,
| got around to Jennie's boarding house ut
1880 p. m.
You must think you're going to a mat, +"
was Jennie's salutation.
Jaw, see here this thing begins at $50 /"
I protested George, producing the ticket.
'Oh, they always put that on the tickets
| II don't mean nothin there won't no ball
| begin In New York before 10 O'Clock. and
don't you forget it,"
And it didn't, for when at g:A5 o'clock
1AlAf tN NAA uAAtAAAb llNN vi iiit hlIEtH car
the corner and hurried down the cross
street in the direction OF d faint blare Of
brass and string music the people were
| just beginning to stream into the doors to
! the hall Jennie wore an old gossamer
over her jacket and skirts, and George cast
| constant furtiye Chances down behind him.
as If making sure that nothing was show
ing beneath the tails Of his overooat.
The reason was suggested when George.
IN the little room at one side that served as
mems dressing room, removed the over
coat and disclosed beneath 1t a remarkably
KAY and phenomonally long tailed dress
coat OF brilliantly figured calico Mean
time Jennieis gossamer and jacket had
come of IN another small room and re-
Vealed her costume, which looked as
though it might have been a Sunday best
dress borrowed from the cook but which
really had been loaned to her by an accom-
modating friend at the same counter, who
had rot It 20 wear at a calico ball on the
east side earlier in the season. 1t was 4
little slimpsy not having been starched
sufficiently, but Iennie's person being ~
no means an III formed one, the gown
might have been even more clinging than
II was and not have made any unpleasing
revelations
The gown was Of pale green goods. with
small dark pattern, and while Jennie
was waiting for George in the hall She
Went up to the hat check window, and re.
ceiving a plain white envelope slipped into
u small necktie which the rules OF the
game required should be OF the same ma
terial as her dress. When George. with
much trepidation and an evident disposi-
ton % keep feeling Of the unacoustomed
tails of his giddy coat, came out from the
mems room Jennie gave contented sigh
and remarked vivaciously,
"Oh, Pm so glad you've got a red one. III
it'd been blue it'd have just killed my
dress
George, who had hired the coat for seven.
ty-iive cents from costumer, gave the
tails twitch and asked II it looked al
right on him.
ANYTHING looks all right on a man"
replied Jennie sharply, "but I'd never
have forgiven you if you'd had a blue coat
ON
George and Jennie went up stairs with
the rest and sat down awkwardly ia two
Of the single row Of chairs strung around
the sides of the large dancing floor. George
seemed bothered by his coattails and his
feet Jennie looked him over critically
and remarked:
Say, brace up. You don't look any
worse than the rest Of lem
This was comforting, for George could
see by looking about the room thar calico
dress coats didn't look so outlandish as
they felt.
The band was playing iitfully in the gal
lery, and few couples were engaged Ia
spasmodic and apparently unpremedi.
tated waltz, but the ball was not vet open.
aud the half down gas lent general MI
mosphere Of depression to the place. III
fifteen or twenty minutes an important
looking man with regular dress suit NJ
which the coat and vest were elaborately
faced with gay calico, came hustling Us
stairs and waved his hand toward The pal-
lery. The band struck up a march. At
the same instant the light was turned 81
full head, and Jennie's spirits going lib
with the gas, she poked George suddenly
"A the ribs, and exclaimed:
SAY"
"Whatfn
"Oh, nothin; amt it pretty2n
Jennie probably referred TO the looks Of
the hall under the brilliant lights, ana
George replied that it was pretty.
With the first bars Of the music the i'm
rortant looking man had started out on a
@toNt impressive pace straight down one
side Of the hall Others in calico coats fell
IN behind him, keeping step George got
up after Jennie had nudged him seven or
eight times and Joined the procession.
After all who wore calico coats were march.
ing, those who were in ordinary dress. in.
GLIDING three swallow tails, a few frocks.
many getaways and a fine assortment OF
sacks, fell in behind them, so that present.
ly there were hundred or SO men in line
pacing solemnly and with short steps down
the hall. At the end the leader turned.
took two steps, and then turned again 10
face back at the end from which he had
started, and so, the line doubled on itself.
the march proceeded
Meantime the girls and women had left
their seats and were standing an about IA
good spots from which to inspect the pro.
cession, which kept doubling on itself up
and down the hall, walking about four
feet sideways every time it crossed the biz
room. It was tedious progress, and the
girls got TO making audible comments on
the men as they passed. One girl with
strawberry blond hair, pale pink dress
ant an upper gum that was exposed when.
lyer She spoke or smiled, nudged her com