Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-06-13
THE DANCING MASTER.

Against the lilac walls Of the room
the white dresses Of the girls made
blots Of light. The shape Of theil
faces, the color Of their hair seemed Il
become indistinct to vanishing point
In the pale gloom Of the place. Beyond
the fact that they were Ill dressed In
white they seemed TO have no exist
ence; no Idea Of individuality, Of per-
sonslity, 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 bebolder one
flower difereth not from another IN
glory.
The old dancing master walked slow
ly up and down the room surveying
the girls. He held his kit and bow ten
derby under his left arm, pressed
judiciously to his side. With his right
hand he alternately atroked and
tweaked at his chin, which was always
q sign that the teacher was perplexed.
Up and down the long room the mas
ter paced, visibly perturbed. Each
time that he came 10 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 " get some
encouragement from IT. 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 of 20 many lessons
seemed all Of q sudden to tick with I'M
wonted loudness, asif It, like the girls,
were impatient for the master to stop
his promenade and say or do some
thing.
Perhaps the appeal Of tho clock had
Its effect Perhaps In the stiffness the
master could catch family the sound
Of all those girlish hearts Auttering
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 .
little start. Then she went into the
antcroom 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 rcticule that hung on her mittened
arm, the master was standing at the
window again, drumming nervously on
the pane. lie had put his kit and bow
down on the gllded table between the
two windows, the gildcd table that al-
ways seemed to 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 II he had
struck her. lie saw the expression
and spoke quickly and sharply to hide
his pity.
at is no use for you to come here
any more,' he said you will never
make dancer"
"But must the girl answered.
with tears in her eyes, while her right
hand pulled nervously at the fingers Of
her left.
"Never, never, neverl' he insisted.
"lt's no use decelving yourself, and /
look you, canlot deceive myself.
Please do not come here any more"
"0h, but sir!" the girl lifted her
clasped hands toward him. He 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 Zcphir?' Never. Can you do the
'Eouette or the 'Ballone?' Bah! You
will never know the difference between
q coup and a jette. Goaway, please.
We have finished. You will never
make dancer"
There was tirmness in his voice
which showed that his decision was
final. The girl made no further at.
tempt to contest the decree. 1t was
like the Judgment Of the gods; abso-
lutte, irrevocable. She turned silently,
and went out Of the room very quietly.
hut 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
he was tempted to go to the
window and call her back. But he
shook his head. Better sooner than
Iater," he said to himself. "She could
never make q dancer" Then he sat |
lown to the harpsichord and played
over gavotte OF Lully's until he had
played the plain, awkward girl out Of
lis memory.
1t was summer, and very warm. The
master sat at his window In the same
ong lilac-room. 1t was very pleasant
% sit there and watch the river and
,he wherries and barges, and to reflect
n It's prosperous, peaceful evening up
IN the events Of painstaking, sue
.essful life. The master did not smoke
1T was a custom he abominated-but
here was flask Of white wine near to
lis hand, and q glass half-full Of the
'ellow Juice, from which ever and