The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-30

dancing men, are so scarce in summer
hotels Why, you met him, too, Name"
''Ies, / met him, and that was aboub
all. 1nlogene was very busy driving
Frank Danton wild with jealousy just
then, so she took possession of the new
conner, and no one else had chance"
''Story-teller!'' cried Imogere, max
ing ball of her paper and finging it
at Name. mo such thing, Cousin
Jane. And, besides, was well pun
ished for it. And Name. you migrate,
didn't l giVe you the first dance with
him?"
''Yes, to feel the way and report to
you about his hand. Let me tell you,
Cousin Jane
mo, let me- You see, old Mrs.
Townsend presented him to me with
such flourish of wanting me to be
cordial that l shook hands with him,
which l seldom DO on an introduction
He pulled his rlght-hand glove OFF to do
it hate man who wears gloves in
summer, don't you?-and he had the
most beautifully-shaped hand l ever
saw, as white and soft as my own. He
didn't take off the other glove. BY and
by. when he went into the dining
room, he still had it on, and our table
was too far from the Townsends for
one to see whether he took it off to eat
or not. Well, afterward dressed for
the hop rather early. AS l came
downstairs l heard the notes of q
piano. Who's that playing? / asked
little Bella Atkins That odious child
was always hanging about the parlors
watching everything that went on and
always repeating it to the last one she
ought Why, once she told Frank that
well, I'll tell you about that some
other time. So she said that it was the
new man that sat at the Townsends'
table. No one was playing when
entered the room. There were several
people there. The new man was near.
est to the piano, but it seemed to me
very strange that he should play it
with one hand gloved However, it
would be still queerer if he should play
it with one hand artificial"
~ have known of such things Did
you ever see Courtenay Thorpe in "A
Pantomime Rehearsal?
eyes; but you don't tell me that he
why. how queer! Well, anyhow, this
man asked me- if he might not take a
little turn on the piazza with me.
Frank was there. looking black as
thundercloud, SO, of course, l said yes.
Well, we walked to and fro, and fro
and to. He gave me one arm, of course,
and with the other he kept putting
aside the vine branches that grow so
thick and get in your way. The moon
light came through them. and he talked
beautifully, and several times l saw
Franks head at the door looking after
me. I was having lovely time
Here's where l come on the scene,
Cousin Jane" put in Name. Dancing
was beginning, and thought it was
time this was stopped. They looked as
ii they were having lovely lime, and
was rather relieved to hear lmogene
say: Not the first; have promised
that to Mr.. Dalton. But I shall be
pleased to introduce you to my sister,
and. if do say it, she is the best dancer
in the place"
"You see," put in Imogene, II was
uneasy about that hand"
''It was lucky he had no time to re-
ply. / was right there. you know, and
she introduced him and he just had to
ask me to dance. Cousin Jane, hi.
worst enemies couldn't criticise his
dancing.
He was an inspiration. When we
get to Heaven hope the angels will
dance like that"
'Oh. Name! Sunday, too"
"Well, don't care-but. oh. Cousin
janet His hand! his hand the one
that went round your waist, was all
right But the one that held yours-I
could have screamed when l touched
it-stiff and cold! Wood. you know,
just as we thought, or composition, or
whatever they make them Of And he
had some tiendish way of working it
with spring. Csck. it went, and shut
up on you like trap. Oh, it was aw-
full l was frightened to death. but
couldn't pull mine out till he chose to
open the horrid thing. l didn't like to
say anything, so we danced and danced
till the music stopped. Then he worked
his mechanism to let go of me, and
complimented me on my step and
asked for another dance. / said was
engaged for all but the nineteenth.
So then he went for Imogene. / made
up my mind not TO warn her"
''But l had been watching them,
Cousin Jane, and l guessed something
from Names face. 1 said to myself,
that is an artificial hand He can't feel
whether he is holding anything or not.
So just put mine down on the back of
his talking all the while And, you
know. he never looked He just clicked
his trap and went sailing about the
room with me perfectly satisfied. He
was a splendid dancer, but must say
i liked better being with Frank He
can't keep step with anyone, but he
does hold your hand nicely"
You have given him plenty OF prac-
tice. dear"
Girls. are any Of you ready fer
church," some one shouted from the
next room Here's Dalton come &c
take lmogene. The chimes are rim gingH
oh mercy me-yes. Frank. lin
ali ready. I have only to change my
dress and my shoes and put my things
oD'-and lnogene's voice died away IN
the distance -(btr.r-n rTirr.r