San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-10

But, as he began to notice, Ada was
looking remarkably pretty that even
ing, and really was a partner who
would bring any one credit; and her
Corporal danced villainously, revolving
with stiff and wooden jerks, like a toy
soldier. Now Leander fiattered himself
he could withdrawing had consider
able practice in bygone days in a select
assembly, where the tickets were two
shillings each, and the gentlemen, las the
notices said obscurely enough, "were re-
stricted to wearing gloves"
So he felt Indignantly that Ada was
not having justice done to her. "Tve
good mind to give her a turn" he
thought, land show them all what
Waiting is"
Just then the pair happened to come
to a halt close to him. "Shockin' time
they're playing this waltz in, O." he heard
the soldier exclaim with humorous
vivacity Che was apparently the funny
man of the regiment, and had brought a
silent but appreciative comrade with
him as audience), "abominable! excru-
ciatin'! comic!! orribleI!n
Leander seized the opportunity. Eek
cuse me, " he said politely, "but if you
don't like the music perhaps you
wouldn't mind giving up this young
lady to me?n
ooh, come, say" said the man OF
war, running his fingers through his
short, curly hair, my good Teller you'd
better see what the lady says to that"
(He evidently had no doubt himself)
I'm very well content as | am, thank
you all the same, Mr.. Tweddle," said
Ada, unkindly adding in a lower tone,
"If you're so anxious to dance, dance
with Terpsy-chore!"
And again he was left to watch the
whirling couples with melancholy eyes.
The Corporal's brother-in-arms was
wheeling round with plain young per-
son, apparently in domestic service,
whose face was overspread by a large
red smile of satiated ambition. James
and Bella fitted by, dancing vigorous
ly, and Bella's discomfort seemed to
have vanished for the time. There
were jogging couples and prancing
couples: couples that bounced round
like imprisoned bees and couples that
glided past in calm and conscious
superiority. He alone stood apart, eX-
cluded from the happy throng, and he
began to have a pathetic sense of in
jury.
. But the music stopped at last, and Ada,
dismissing her partner, came towards
him.
you don't seem to be enjoying your
self, Mr.. Tweddle, " she said malicious
ly.
Don't 70" he replied. well, so long
as you are. it don't matter, Miss Parkin-
son-it don't matter"
But I'm nOt-at least. didn't that
dance. she said: that soldier man did
talk such rubbish, and he trod on my
feet twice. I'm SO hot | wonder if it's
cooler outsider"
"Will you come and seq" he sug-
gested, and this time she did not dis
dain his arm, and they strolled out to-
gether.
Following path they had hitherto
left UNEMPLOYED, they came to little in
closure surrounded by tall shrubs; in
the centre, upon a low pedestal. stood a
female statse, upon which gas lamp
some PAGES off east a Pickering CLEAN
athwart the foliage.
The exceptional grace and beauty of
the figure would have been apparent to
any lover of art She stood there. her
right arm raised. partly in gracious in
vitatiOn, partly in quCenly command,
her left hand extended, palm down
ward, rs if TO be reverentially salutcd.
The hair was parted in boldly indicated
waves over the broad, low brow, and
confined by tillvt in a large. loose knot
at the back. She was clad in a long
chiffon, which Tapped in soft zigzag folds
over the girdle and fell to the feet in
straight parallel lines and a chlamys
hanging from her shoulders concealed
the left arm to the elbow, while it left
the right arm free.
In the uncertain light one could east
ly fancy soft eyes swimming in those
wide blank sockets, and the ripe lips
were curved by dreamy smile. at once
tender and disdainful.
Leander Tweddle and Miss Ada Par
kinsOn, however, stood before the statue
in an unmovcd, not to say critical,
mood.
"WhO's she supposed to be. Il wonder?"
| asked the young lady, rather as if the
sculptor were a harmless lunatic whose
| delusions took marble shape occasion
| ally. This, by the way, is a question
| which may frequently be heard in
picture galleries, and implies an en-.
.lghtened tolerance.
@I don't know" said Leander: "a
foreign female, fancy-that's Russian
on the pedestal" He inferred this from
a resemblance to the characters on GER
tain packets of cigarettes.
But there's some English under
MEATH" said Ada; IL can just make it
out. Ap-Apro-Aprodyte. What a
funny name!"
"You haven't pronounced it quite cor.
reckly," he said; "out there they sound
the phi like f, and give all the syl
lables-Afroddity. lie felt kind OF
| intuition that this was nearer the cor
| rect rendering.
well" observed Ada, "she's got q
silly, look, don't you think?"
Lnander Mas loss narrnYN- and gave Ri