Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-05-03

meau almost as well as the old teacher
whom he adored. But the master liked to
sit in the dancing room of an afternoon
after dinner, and dream over old expert
ences.
just now, however, he was thinking
not of the past but Of the present, for he
| had laid down a new sheet in which there
was talk of dancer at the opera who was
| setting the town wild, dancer who had
conquered European capital after Euro
pean capital, and was now making play
| goers mad with pleasure. The master sell
dom went to the playhouse now; he was
| old and liked his ease, but vague fancy
came into his mind that he would go to
the opera and see this pearl. 1t would be
a treat for his son and daughter.
A carriage came slowly down the river
road where carriages did not often come
The master looked at 1t with languid sur
prise and lifted his glass to his lips. But
it stopped at his own door, and he set the
glass down again in surprise. A gilded
footman got down and opened the car
riage door, and very splendid lady got
out. The footman pushed back the iron
gateway of the little front garden, and the
splendid lady came in, waved her hand
|
and out of his sight and he could hear the
muffled thunder of knocking at the door,
He had scarcely risen to his feet, slowly
trying to recall the face that had just
laughed at him, when the door of the
dancing room opened, and the splendid
lady came in, bringing blaze of color
into the quiet room. The master bowed
but the lady ran rapidly across the room,
and before he was we'll aware Of it she had
kissed him on both cheeks. He seemed to
be enveloped In an atmosphere of delicate
haunting perfume as she caressed him.
Then she let him 60 and fell back little
way, looking at him and laughing. He
had confused sense that she was dressed
| in rare brocado that glowed with crimson
and orange, and her cloak was brightly
blue. She was not very handsome perhaps,
but she looked handsome in her rich habit
and the many jewels on her fingers and
throat. Her great dark eyes danced with
mischief, and as she nodded her head the
feathers in her hat danced also.
You do not know me,' she said. II
am''-and then she gave him the name Of
the dancer who had become the talk of the
town.
The master took pinch of snuff and
bowed again, while he murmured some-
thing about the honor in tone that i'm
| piled question.
"You don't remember me?" she said
again. ''Ah, remember you" and she
mentioned this time another name-the
name of little girl whom he had sent
away from his class because she was SO in
capable.
The man sought in his memory over
space of nearly ten years. Then he re.
membered, bowed again and again took
| snuff.
The splendid lady would take no denial;
he must needs come that very evening
and see his old pupil dance at the opera
She had got the noblest box in the house
for him. He must and should come
There was something about her manner
which was quite irresistible. So he prom
Used and the shining vision vanished, leav-
ing behind it in his mind tumble Of col
or and jewels and perfumes and divine
eyes and divine laugh. He watched the
coach drive off from the window, and the
dancer leaned out Of the window and
waved her hand to him merrily till she
was out of sight,
That evening the old dancing master sat
| in the opera house In the noblest box In
the theater He sat between his son-in
law and his daughter, with his eyes fixed
upon the stage. The great theater was
| packed and when at length the time came
| for the ballet and the curtain, drawing up,
revealed the adored dancer, the house
raved at her. Only the master In his sober
black and white sat with his hands folded
on the front of the box and waited.
The dance began. 1t was marvellous.
The dancer body was plastic, supple, ex-
quisite. She danced strange dance, in
which she did wonders with a long silken
scarf moving hither and thither like some
figure from Grecian vase, from q Pom
peiian wall. When it ended, and the
house ragged for more, she did Spanish
dance, in which, to the clicking of her
castanets, she expressed, hardly, tri-
umphantly, all the passion of the south.
When it was over, the house rained flow
ers upon the stage, and thousand hands
Numbered an applause that brought the
woman again and again before the curtain.
When 1t was over servant of the thea
ter came to the box to beg that the mas
ter would come to the dancers dressing
room. He babe his children 60 home and
to the dancers room.
A crowd of men were waiting out
side it. HaGlone was admitted. She was
changing her dress behind the screen, but
soon came out again, clasped him by the
hand, kissed him on both cheeks and
thanked him for coming. Then she talked
volubly of all tho places she had seen and
showed him trophies Of her triumphs-
wreaths of gold, wreaths of silver and
rare jewels-and finally she asked him II
he would come out to supper with her and
some friends, and she mentioned some
great names. The old man declined with
his politest bow and would have with
drawn, but she insisted upon his staying
and seeing her to her COACH So presently
the impatient young gentlemen and the
impatient old gentlemen who were wait
ing outside had the surprise of seeing their
idol come out in all her splendor leaning
on the arm of little gentleman In black
who showed traces Of snuff ON the rutile
of his shirt.
Through the crowd there the master es-
cortod the dancer to the stage door, and
through the crowd outside the stage door
he conducted her to her coach. As he still
declined to accompany her she leaned to
him out Of the window, waving aside as
she did so the throng Of her admirers and
tho handsome gentleman who was waiting
to take his place at her side.
swell, uueshe said, with bright laugh,
''you see you were wrong, after all. Say
that you are sorry, and I will forgive
you"
But the master shook his head.
~ do not think was wrong" he said
very gravely. You will never make o
dancer"
Then raising his hat politely he turned