Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-02-28

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In my rUrath / lit my mccrSchaum NTH
| the obnoxious letter.
| hind it, inasmuch as it chimed in with
| what my own conscience told me. Only
it is one thing to he told ones duty
| by ones conscience and another to have
| it dictated by Il pompous, purseproud
| but. gently, must not abuse my lady
loves father. He actually Intercepted
my next letter to Ella and returned it
unopened, felt sure, without her
| knowledge. Well, | should see her at
the Sherburton Hunt ball, when l re-
solved | would offer her her freedom if
she chose to accept it.
Shortly after receiving the above
mentioned letter my luck in racing took
a turn, for Skittles won the first race
sho ran in tho new year and inspired
me with the hope that she might do
something after all, her trainer report
ing that she was much improved. 1t
was only Il small stakes ut Four Oaks,
but was greatly elated, as may be
| imagined | gave Geraldine her pres
ent and had her down to stay with Inc
for the ball which took place at the end
of the hunting season. \ party of MS
drove over from the barracks in the
regimental drag, and Marty, who had
just been riding in their point to point
| races, was to be there too. He took
me aside as soon as we met and told
me that, as had placed the mare in
his hands, he had, with Pearce's con-
currence, entered her for the City and
Suburban-a as tho sporting reader will
be aware, Que of the chief spring handi-
caps and Il great betting race-intelti-
gence which / received with Il lack of
| interest that surprised my friend.
why, what S the matter, old chap?'
he exclaimed. "One would think the
mare had gone amiss, or that the fair
Ella Tilted you! Where did you dine?
You seem "A cup too low. It's rather
early to attack the champagne, but" -
NONSENSE: interposed, and then
told Nat about the returned letter and
what had been said about the racing.
Like his cheek, " said Nat. But
the girl had nothing to say to that. you
bet
Until tonight had thought the same,
but now | hardly knew, for the cause
of my dependency WAS this: | did not
! enter the ballroom until late, having sat
over the claFet at the Digby Grand no
tel, where we had dined, hearing about
the red coat race and being congratulate
ed upon my own success, and when |
did so Ella was dancing with Richard
Dakyn. | waited until the music ceased
and then went to ask her for the next
waltz, but she coldly said sho was en-
gagged Il long way on. | thought she
was annoyed at my want Of gallantry
in being late, but soon saw it was some
thing moro than that. Heavens, could
it be that she was in concert with her
father, as he had hintcl in his letter:
| saw that she danced good deal with
Dalyn, and the suspicion increased I'M
| til it became unbcarable. | hardly
knew what to do with myself. was
not sulking; it was nothing else than
sheer sorrow of heart. Never till that
moment had l 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. At
least, l thought, almost with tears in
| my eyes, she might be kinder over it.
could not dance with any one else in
such 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, polk
| ing at me with her fan, don't look like
that. Go and dance with all the pref
test girls in the room. That is the
quickest way to bring her round if
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 II como to hanGl
presently
Then they whirled off, leaving me
| glooming in their alcove until another
youthful couple plunged in out of the
circling throng, the lad glaring at me
with such evident disgust at finding the
sweet retreat already occupied that l
moved off in confusion.
Oh, that ball, how sick was of it'll
Never shall 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 find
a refuge. Every corner was occupied
by amatory or merely fiirtatious couples
sitting out" who resented my ap-
proach with indignant scowls. cap
ital balli' said every man 1 knew.
Not dancing, old fellow? Let me in
troduce you," etc. AT last, when l
was meditating a retreat to the hotel
smoking room until it should be over,
before could escape, the N. F. Fl. ac-
costed me, Here, Martindale, you are
doing nothing; take in Mrs. Tucking-
ton to supper, there's 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, thought, and
she answered with Q smile, without