The Van Buren press., 1895-06-08
ltal, and was now making playgoers

would go to the opera and see this
pearl. It would be treat for his son
and daughter.
A carriage came slowly down the
river road, where carriages did not
often come. The master looked at it with
languid surprise 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 carriage door and
q very beautiful 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 laughed, and then she ran up the
steps and out of his sight, and he could
hear the muff1ed thunder of knock
ing at the door.
He had scarcely risen to his feet,
slowly trying to recall the face that
had just laughed at him, wher The
door of the dancing room opened and
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 well aware of it she had kissed
him on both cheeks. He seemed to be
enveloped in an atmosphere Of del.
icate, haunted perfume as she caressed
him. Then she let him go, and fell
laughing. He had confused sense
that she was dressed in rare brocades
that glowed with crimson and orange,
and that her cloak was brightly blue.
She was not verynhandsome, perhaps,
but she looked handsome il her rich
habit and 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. 81
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
something about the honor in tone
that implied 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 incapable.
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 de.
nial 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 some.
thing about her manner which was
quite irresistible. So he promised and
the shining vision vanished, leaving
behind it in his mind a jumble of color
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 win
dow and waved her hand to him mer.
rily till she was out OF sight.
That evening the old dancing
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 dancers body was plastic, supple,
/ exquisite. She danced q strange dance,
in which she did wonders with long
silken scarf, moving hither and thither
like some figure from Grecian vase,
from Pompeiian wall When it ended,
and the house ragged for more, she did
Spanish dance, in which, to the click
ing of her castagnettes, she expressed,
hurriedly, triumphantly, all the pas
sion of the south. When it was over
the house rained flowers upon the
stage, and Thousand hands thundered
an applause that brought the woman
again and again before the curtain.
When it was over servant of the
theater came to the box to beg that
the master would come to the dancers
dressing-room. He bade his children
90 home and followed the messenger
behind the scenes to the dancers room.
A crowd of men were waiting outside
it, He alone was admitted. She was
changing her dress behind the screen,
but soon came out again, clasped him
bv the hand, kissed him on both
checks and thanked him for coming.
Then she talked volubly OF all the
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 if he would
come out to supper with her and some
friends, and she mentioned some great
names. The old man declined with his
polite bow, and would have withdrawn
but she insisted upon his staying and
seeing her to her coach. So presently
the impatient young men and the inn
patient old men waiting outside hao
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
ruffle of his shirt.
Through the crowd there the master
escorted the dancer to the stage door
and through the crowd outside the
stare door he conducted her to hel
coach. As he still declined to accom-
panv her she leaned out of the window
waving aside, as she did so, the throne
of her admirers and the handsome gen
tleman who was waiting to take hi'
place at her side.