Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-06-07
THE DANCING MASTER.

faces, the color OF their halr seemed 10
become indistinct 10 vanishing point
IN the pale gloom of the place. Beyond
the fact that they were all dressed in
white they seemed TO have no exist
ence; no idea Of individuality, of per-
sonality, associated itself with those
faint masses of hueless garments.
They were like So many white flowers
held up against piece of purple paper
and TO the ordinary beboldcr one
flower differeth not from another IN
glory.
The old dancing master walked slow
" up and down the room surveying
the girls. He held his kit and bow ten
derby under his left arm, pressed
judiciously 10 his side. With his right
hand he alternately strOked and
tweaked at his chin, which was always
sign that the teacher was perpleXed
Up and down the long room the mas
ter paced, visibly perturbed. Each
time that he came To one Of the two
long windows that lit the room he
paused and looked ont through the
naked branches of the plane tree at
the river, as if he hoped To get some
acknowledgements from us CtdNNlCNS Al'N'
And each time he turned away from
the river view with the same look of
disappointment upon his smooth. neat,
elderly face. The great clock at the
other end of the room-the clock that
had counted off 50 many lessons
seemed all of sudden TO tick with un-
wonted loudness, a. if it, like the girls
were impatient for the master 10 stop
his promenade and say or do some
thing.
Perhaps the appeal OF the clock had
its effect. Perhaps in the stiffness the
master could catch family the sound
of all those girlish hearts futtering
timidly together. lie stopped for an
instant and looked at the long line of
expectant faces
Young ladies, you can go"
Then as the girls, relieved from their
suspense, moved eagerly forward to
the adjoining room, where their be-
longipgs lay, the professor reached
out his thin, fine white hand and
touched one of the girls upon the
shoulder.
Come back" he said, Il want TO
speak with YOU
The girl looked up in his face with a
little start. Then she went into the
anteroom with the rest
When she returned in her everyday
dress, with her hat and tippet on and
her dancing shoes neatly put away in
the reticule that hung on her mittened
arm. the master was standing at the
window again, drumming nervously on
tie pane. He had put mis- kit and bow
down on the gilded table between the
two windows, the gilded table that al
ways seemed 70 the girl the emblem of
inetfable luxury and repose.
The master heard her come in, but
for moment he did not turn, and the
girl stood watching him, her pale,
plainish face paler than ever with eX-
pectation, and her dark eyes shining
in the twilight The master turned
and walked abruptly up TO her.
You will never make dancer" he
said
The girl looked back at him with an
expression on her face as If h, had
struck her. lie saw the expressi IN
and spoke quickly and sharply u hide
his pity.
1T is no use for you TO come here
any more" he said You will never
make dancer"
But ! must" the girl answere !,
with tears in her eyes, while her rig i
hand pulled nervously at the finger Ok
her left.
Never, never, neverH' he insisted.
ats no use deceiving yourself, and I
look you. | cannot deceive myself
Please do not come here any more.
"Oh, but sir" the girl lifted her
clasped hands toward him. lie shook
his head angrily.
II know what | know, and ! say
what | know. cannot have you here
any more. Could you ever do the Pas
de Zephir?' Never. Can you do the
'Fouette' or the 'Ballone? Bah You
will never know the difference between
coup and 'jette. Conway, please.
We have finished. You will never
make a dancer"
There was a frmness in his voice
which showed that his decision was
final The girl made no further at.
tempt to contest the decree. II was
like the Judgment of the gods; abso'
lutte, irrevocable. She turned silently,
and went out of the room very quietly
But when the door closed behind her
the strained sensibilities of the master
could hear the stealthy sobbing, which
she tried TO stihe as she slipped down
stairs and into the gaunt hall. lie
heard her close the door, and for one
moment he was tempted 10 60 TO the
window and call her back. But ht
shook his head. Better sooner thar
later" he said to himself. she could
never make a dancer" Then he sat
down to the harpsichord and played
over a gavotte of Lully's until he had
played the plain, awkward girl out OF
his memory.
1t was summer, and very warm. The
master sat at his window in the same
long lilac-room. 1t was very pleasant
TO sit there and watch the river anC
the wherries and barges, and 20 reflect
in its prosperous, peaceful evening up
on the events of painstaking, sue
cessful life The master did not smolx,
it was custom he abominated-bu
there was a flask of white wine near I,