Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-06-20
The DANCING MASTER.


The white dresses of the girls made
'oiots of light. The shape of their
races the color Of their hair seemed to
oecome indistinct to vanishing point
Al 'ne pale gloom OF the place. Beyond
tne TACT that they were all dressed in
Wnite they seemed to have no exist
cncei no idea of individuality, of per-
eonahty,-- Associated itself with those
Iaint masses Of hueless garments.
iney were like SO many white flowers
heid up against piece of purple paper
and to the ordinary bebolder one
Hover 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
perly under his left arm, pressed
fudiciously to his side. With his right
hand he alternately stroled and
&weaked 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 out through the
naked branches Of the plane tree at
the river, as II he hoped to get some
encouragement from its ceaseless flow.
And each time he turned away from
the river view with tho 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 so many lessons
seemed all of a sudden to tick with I'M
wonted loudness, as If 1t, like the girls,
were impatient for the master to stop
his promenade and say or do some
thing.
Perhaps the appeal Of the clock had
ats effect. Perhaps In the stiffness the
master could catch family the sound
of all those girlish hearts futtering
timidly together. He stopped for an
Instant and looked at the long line Of
expectant faces.
Young ladies, you can CO."
Then as the girls, relieved from their
suspense, moved eagerly forward to
the adjoining room, where their be-
longings lay, the professor reached
out his thin, fine white hand and
touched one Of the girls upon the
shoulder.
"Come back" he said, II 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 ant
her dancing shoes neatly put away il
the reticule that hung on her mittenet
arm, the master was standing at the
window again, drumming nervously OF
the pane. He had put his kit and bow
down on the gilded table between the
two windows, the gilded table that al
ways seemed to the girl the emblem O
ineffable luxury and repoSe.
The master heard her come in, bu
for moment he did not turn, and thu
girl stood watching him, her pale
plainish face paler than ever with ex
pectation, and her dark eyes shining
in the twilight. The master turnet
and walked abruptly up to her.
"You will never make dancer" h
said.
The girl looked back at him with al
expression on her face as If he ha'
struck her. He saw the expression
and spoke quickly and sharply to hid
his pity.
ut is no use for you to come her
INV more" he said. "You will neve
make dancer"
But l must" the girl answered
with tears in her eyes, while her RICH
hand pulled nervously at the fingers o
her left.
"Never, never, neverl'' he insisted
ats no use deceiving yourself, and l.
look YOU, | cannot deceive myself
Please do not come here any more"
sOh, but sirl" the girl lifted he
clasped hands toward him. He shoe
his head angrily.
II know what l know, and sa
what l know. cannot have you her
any more. Could you ever do the Pa
de Zephir9 Never. Can you do tn
.Fouette' or the 'Ballone?' BAIL 70
will never know the difference betwee
a coup and jette.' Go away, please
We have finished. You will neve
make dancer"
There was frmness In his voic
which showed that his decision wa
final. The girl made no further a
tempt to contest the decree. 1t we
like the Judgment Of tho gods; abs
lutte, irrevocable. She turned silentl.
and went out of the room very quietl.
But when the door closed behind hi
the strained sensibilities of the mastt
could hear the stealthy sobbing, whic
she tried to stife as she slipped dow
stairs and into the gaunt hall. Z
heard her close the door, and for OF
moment he was tempted to go to Il
window and call her back. But
shool, his head Better sooner tina
later" he said to himself "she coul
never make a dancer" Then he S;
down to the harpsichord and Flaye
over gavotte OF Lully's until he ha
nlayed the plain, awkward girl out
his memory.
It was summer, and very warm. II
master sat at his window in the san
long lilac-room. 1t was very pleasal
to sit there and watch the river al
the wherries and barges, and to refe
in its prosperous, peaceful evening u
ON the events of painstaking, So
cessful life. The master did not smol
it was a custom he abominated-b'
there was flask Of white wine near
his hand, and glass half-full of Il
yellow juice, from which ever al
anon he took self-satisfied sip. |
seldom gave lessons now, for his daug
ter had married, and his son-in-la
carried on the teaching admirabl
knowing Rameau almost as well as I
=. ..Lar whom he adored. But Il