The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-02-02

father as he had limited in his letter?
l saw that she danced a good deal with
Dakyn, and the suspicion increased I'M
til it became unbearable. | hardly
knew what to do with myself. | was
not sulking; it was nothing else than
sheer sorrow of heart. Never till that
moment had | realized what it would
cost me to lose Ella. | had come to the
ball in the full resolve to offer her her
freedom for her own advantage. but
with no thought that she was already
prepared to take the initiative. Al
least. | thought. almost with tears in
my eyes, she might be kinder over it. l
could not dance with any one else in
such a state of mind. | sought out
Geraldine. who was standing with Nat
in an alcove of curtains enjoying an
interval, but she could tell me nothing
Ella had nodded to her as they passed
in the dance, and that was all.
But. my dear boy" Jill said, pok-
ing at me with her fan. don't look like
that. Go and dance with all the pref
tiest girls in the room. That is the
quickest way to bring her round il
she's cross with you"
And Mats counsel was the same in
effect, if more sportingly expressed:
Don't pull at her, old man. Give
her her head, and she'll come to hand
presently"
Then they whirled off, leaving me
glooming in their alcove until another
youthful couple plunged in out of the
circling throng, the lad g~laring at Inc
with such evident disgust at finding the
sweet retreat already occupied that |
moved off in confusion.
Oh, that ball, how sick | was of il!
Never shall l forget those dreary hours
with the giddy dancers jostling me
hither and thither, and the band din
ming its endless waltzes and polkas into
my weary ears! Nowhere could l find
a refuge. Every corner was occupied
by amatory or merely flirtatious couples
sitting out" who resented my ap-
proach with indignant scowls. Gap
ital ball!' said every man 1 knew.
Not dancing, old fellow? Let me in
troduce YOU etc. AT last, when |
was meditating a retreat to the hotel
smoking room until it should be over.
before | could escape, the nj. F. Ell. ac-
costed me, Here, Martindale, you are
doing nothing take in Mrs. Tucking-
ton to supper, there's a good fellow
So | had to give my arm to a ponder
GUS matron just as Ella glided by me
in the arms of Dakyn. He whispered
to her as they passed. Something, to
my detriment of course, l thought, and
she answered with a smile, without
even a glance in my direction. How
lovely she looked, all radiant with the
exercise, and her perfect form swaying
to the rapturous strains of "Parfait
Amour" They were dancing well.
What a beautiful girl that Miss
Davenport isl remarked my compan-
ion. rs it true she is fiancee to Mr..
Dakyn?"
Most improbable, replied. almost
crashing my teeth.
"Ah, well, l thought they looked like
it. l may be mistaken" And gra-
ciously accepting my reluctant arm the
matron descended with me to the sup
per room, which was just open.
What a banquet that lady did get
through! l thought the time would
never come when she would cry,"Hold,
enough!" Lobster salad and scalloped
oysters, mayonnaise and o~rtolan, cold
lamb and pigeon pie, to say nothing of
trifes and tipsy cake, cream and jelly.
foor did nofhinn f0 rocfroin hoJ,
but, on the contrary, in my own reck-
less mood urged her on to fresh exploits
and pastures new. After all, she was
old enough to know her own constitu-
ton and what she could really do.
For myself l could eat nothing, but
the champagne for a wonder was
good, and Natty could hardly have
called me a cup too low when at last
my matron drew on her gloves, and
beaming on me, for l had served her
we'll, announced her readiness to re-
turn.
Arrived once more in the ballroom,
l %bethought me of my sisters advice
and set to work dancing with vigor.
Although late in the day, there was no
lack Of partners, the feminine element,
as is usual at county balls, largely pre-
dominating. WAS not an accomplish
ed dancer like Dakyn or Dalrymple of
ours; but, animated by pique and per-
haps also by champagne, I made up by
energy for what l lacked in skill. The
floor was now in excellent condition,
and after supper everybody danced.
And to the inspiriting strains of the
"Hopscotch Polka" even the jolly broad
backed squires, who usually confined
themselves to quadrilles and lancers,
stamped merrily around till their rubi-
cund faces were as scarlet as their hunt
coats. l got on admirably, having
several times for partner my ~colonel's
wife, a rather young and very pretty
brunette and the best lady dancer in
the room. We were extremely lively,
and l put out my best wit to draw the
fire of her brilliant dark eyes, that Ella
might imagine we were in the midst of
q hot Irritation. Presently my maneu-
vers. or rather Geraldine's, began to
have the desired effect. l had perceived