The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-18

ball Not the Cercle Harmonie.Of course,
/ though Florine was regularly one Of It's
ornaments This was a smaller affair. A
caprice Of going back TO the old ungllded
days sent Florine there, CARRIED as a Sis
! ter Of Charity, with 4-year-old tleurette,
a scarlet Red Riding Hood clinging 70 her
hand yet laughing at the motley scene.
The baby had no shyness. She was too
well used 10 the homage OF her mothers
visitors. To most of them she was toler-
ant, but one big, heavy-lawed man, who,
though he came more rarely than the
rest, took on always the airs of master,
was never suffered to touch so much as
the tip of her small finger
Il hate, hate, you big, bad man, }" she
said at his approach, doubling her dimpled
| fists and stamping two feet that looked
/ made for dancing Then the others
! laughed significantly. The big man was
! impassive, though inly furious. OF course
! he could withdraw his protection upon
the instant, but to what end, when a
dozen others were eager to step into his
! place. He had known from the first that
Florine herself hated him, only less openly
than did Fleurette, and had got out Of the
knowledge a little SAVIOR that gave flip
to the appetite for forbidden fruit
The ball was q mighty entertaining
spectacle There we're but few swells in
the boxes, but heaps and heaps of diver
easement on the floor Most dancers
were en- masQue, about half in costume,
A motley scene they made, massed for
the grand march, wheeling, parting,
about the wide circular floor. Here red
light fell on them and gave murderous
brilliance to tinsel and scarlet. There
blue beams showed spectral figures in
black and gray or food of green radi-
ance made new Inferno with its CHASTITY
glare.
What need to tell of the dancing! Is it
not written yearly in all the papers how
girls in Quaker garb kick higher than
their heads, how virgins in yestal white
hang amorously on the. necks of their
partners, how flower girls stimulate their
rose cheeks with champagne and peasant
brides bare white bOsoms to the libations
of strangersl
Forward, forward, went the sad, mad
reYel, sadder, madden, with each dance,
each interval of rush TO the wine room,
where you saw now and again the police
man detailed to keep order" with one of
the floor fairies perched upon his knee,
while his club beat out rataplan of calls
for more wine. After all, though, law
got some observance Wine bihbing en-
dured until the morning, but at l o'clock
the music gave its last despairing note.
Then, indeed, the madness, the sadness,
the badness rose mountain high. Here
a dozen young fellows linked hands
and ran bowling about a fat woman
in short skirts and no waist to
speak of, who dashed violently at the en-
circling round, clutched and kissed some
component of it, then darted again to the
middle, gave a few fancy steps and slet
fly q dozen kicks, each higher than the
other. There. two tall fellows had throned
a yellow-haired sylph on their broad
shoulders and bore her aloft in triumph,
each pressing to his breast pink blue
slipped foot. Oyer against a dozen en-
thusiasts made a stairwayof arms and
backs and shoulders by which some gor-
geous young women came and went from
box from which, a little later, a chain
of knotted handkerchiefs let down bot
ties of champagne.
Skipping ropes came out, too, from none
knew where AS they were thrown tall
young women ran in and began to spring
up with their passing, raising the skirt
little higher at each leap. But in between
the skipping ropes We're players of leap
frog, agile young fellows, steady enough
in spite of wine, to go over the half-dOzen
backs that their tipsy comrades gave
them.
Florin laughed at it all. Indeed, it
seemed to bring back TO her the avid en-
joyment of the old days, when once in
long while that haunting first lover had
dared to take her to some cheap gay
scene The husl of fine ladyhood slipped
away with her mask. She was heart and
soul with the roysterers, part and parcel
of their spirit. With her face still hidden
in her deep bonnet she flung off her cum
bering cloak, caught her black skirt in
either hand and darted to the nearest
rope to skip and skip so light, so true of
foot, with such swaying grace, as of a
flower upon the stalk, that those about
involuntarily clapped their hands and
cried aloud with their delight,
Baby Fleurette laughed too and clapped
her tiny hands. Florine did not heed it,
Without seeming to see it she felt herself
the object of admiring regard from tall
fellow magniticently muscled, closely
masked, who wore a white continental
uniform, complete to the wig and sword.
Despite the incumbering costume there
was 1.-the suppleness, as of a panther, in
his every motion. AS FIorine paused for
breath he made her deep reverence
pressing his cooked hat to- his breast,
turned half about, gathered himself for a
spring and without seeming effort Yaulted
over each of the line of STOPPING figures
running quite half the long rooms length.
A grand handclapping followed the feat,
and broke out more wildly than ever as
the continental again laid his cooked hat
over his heart, bowling deeply to Florine
:
with light half beckoning movement,
needless that Fleurette had run to her
side, was Juggling at the rope's end and
her mothers skirt, crying in her baby
voice: More more me want to see my
pity mamma in the ropep
A dainty elfin creature, her brown eyes
like stars, her red mouth. jewel, her
cheeks pink as the, daWn, Red Riding
Hoods cloak had been cast aside, leaving
the small creature all in vapory, white
silk, out of which her little golden shoes
peeped and flashed. Still the mother had
no eyes for her. All her regard was set
upon the man who stood as if irresolute,
quaffing glass of wine thrust on him by
some uproarious admtrer, Could he,
would he, stay afar Off Florine raised
her two hands to her mouth, kissed them,
then stretched them toward him in gess
ture of invitation.
Instantly he dashed the glass backward
over his head and made ready for the
leaping that should land him at her feet
The onlookers applauded wildly, dozen
of them rushed bent into the line before
him, eager for the honor OF. upbearing a
champions weight Still he came leaping
forward Three men more and the tale
of them was complete. just then tipsy,
broad backed fellow dropped down be-
yond theflast of the backs, so close that