The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-20

did expostulate when I begged to be al
lowed to see his class in session! He never
permitted this His system was so fine,
so different from every other under the
sun-be never betrayed its secre7s to any
onei Only On condition that I kept his
personality perfectly ..incog'' was 1 per-
mitted to remain. So this funny little
man. walking around IN his dainty, patent
leather boots, Gliding and instructing in
lisping voice, goes down TO history as
monsieur and as nothing else
Seated beside Nile. Ramon, vino varied
the lesson BIZ characteristic little exclama-
tions, i watched this stage in the evolu-
ton of ballet girl Play, we think it.
Work it is to them-and hard work-as
much of profession in its seriousness as
music or singing, as much of a business
as bricklaying or painting house
And now to tho strains of music I
watched all the business of the big toe and
the hanging head gone through, and the
mystery was mystery no more.
First the pupils stood beside the bar, and
Ct a movement from the teacher raised the
body TO the point of the big toe, the mus
cles of the legs strained and hard, again
and again and again, while their faces
grew red from the e1ertion, and they puck
cred their mouths with pain or impa-
thence.
Gymnastics of the Thing.
And so it went on. A circle was de-
scribed in the air by their pointed toes
They made q triangle by touching the toe
TO the knee and then daTting 1T out again.
They whirled in way to make your head
as dizzy as their own. They wreathed
their arms according to directions, and the
harder they found the motion the longer
they had to wreathe. They practiced
courtesying and gesture as of strewing
flowers in the air as they danced
Meanwhile every few moments they were
permitted to rest, and the strain which
kept them slender was visible on their per-
spring faces.
Now, Marie, step forward and do your
butterfly Dance said monsieur, and then
his mustaches curled up in quizzical
smile as he said: Behold our coming
premiere! Yes, she viii do very weil-the
little Marie, oh, very well-when the an
giles have been filed out and the gaucherie
has gone-eh, bien?"
He motioned TO the solitary musician
scraping in the corner, and little Marie
bounded forward.
Pretty indeed she was in true Frenchy
style-a mass OF dark, 1usttous, tangled
hair, pale, smooth skin and two big black
eyes dashed with an interest compelling
mixture of melancholy and diablerie, shin
ing from beneath the most level and black
est brows l had ever seen.
Suggested Chicken.
The dance commenced. 1t was of the
swaying, gliding kind, initiating the
smooth flights of a butterfly, and gave
promise of future perfection. Just at pres
ent poor little Marie's elbows were too
much in evidence, and she suggested a
thin little chicken with only half its feath-
ers on, instead of butterfly.
"No frown-no frown!" monsieur called
softly as an expression of discomfort fitted
over Marie's face. "Ah," he continued
to me, 1.-The smile, the coquettish glance
so''-suiting the action to the word-'they
will come in time-in timei The eyes
should be fixed on the audience as long as
possible; then as you glide turn the head
softly, softly, smiling SO, and glance out
of the corner of the eye. Coquettish! Be
coquettishl No matter if the toes ache
bit,-time enough to make faces afterward
The public wants smiling face. -
OF course his words were true, and
quite agreed with Nile. Ramon when she
whispered:
''Ees he not wonderful? There ees moth
ing he forget! All, the dear monsieur
1t was almost dark now, and the girls
white dresses made pale stains in the
gloom.
"Ah, Unjust hurry, Gabrielle said Mile
Ramon. There ees dinner and the theater
for me again. But tomorrow-ah, that ees
Sunday"
This is the lastl'' exclaimed monsieur,
with flourish of his plump white hand,
and Immediately the girls began to flutter
to and fro naturally, and there was great
deal of subdued laughter from the corner.