Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-10-24
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possible TO move In the ball room.
The charity, on account of which the
entertainment was being held. was
popular one; some great ladies had
taken the thing mp and made 1t a sue
cess. And as many of the men. and
nearly all the girls were In fancy
dress, the scene was striking and bril-
liant.
Among the Henrietta Marias, the
Amy Robsarts, Flora McDonalds and
other characters that filled the rooms,
one girls face took my heart captive
the moment beheld it. She did not
look more than seventeen, though she
may have been a year or two older,
fair, slender, with sunny hair and to
represent the Snow Image Of Haw-
thorne's charming fantasy, and the
character suited her style Of beauty
admirably. She vas pale as the snow
wreath that crowned her head, and
she seemed almost as fragile as the
icicles that were her only ornaments.
The girls beauty was, indeed. re
markable. People turned and looked
at her as she moved here and there;
and whenever she stood still she was
instantly surrounded by a small crowd
of men, eager to get their names put
down ON her programme. l noticed,
however, that there was sad, abb
stracted look in her eyes. Her heart
was not in the ballroom.
In spite of all my efforts, 1 failed to
get an Introduction to the girl who
had fascinated me. l failed, even, to
learn her name. But, none the less.
I had fallen in love with her-like a
fool. / had fallen in love with
stranger--a vision that, in all hkeli-
hood / should never see again, but
would be for me as fieeting and unsub-
stantial as the Snow Fairy whom she
represented.
There was one other person at the
hall who attracted my attention. This
was a tall, dark man, with thick,
short, black beard. man considera-
bly, over the middle height, and evil
IDENTIFY possessing a strong will as well
as a powerful body. More than once
| this man approached the Snow Fairy,
| and on each occasion she seemed TO me
| to shrink from him, as II she, In some
| way, had cause to fear him. They
/ were evidently connected, but what
the relationship between them was !
/ could not be sure, for the man seemed
too young to be her father. Surely.
| said to myself, with a jealous pang,
surely, he cannot be her lover.
i The whole evening I pestered my
friends in the hope of getting. In some
Indirect way, an Introduction TO the
girl who had fascinated me; but was
quite unsuccessful Once her eyes
met mine. What she read there i dc
not know, but she suddenly turned
aside, her pale cheeks showing a sud
den glow of rose color. Vexed with
myself for making her blush, l turned
away in the opposite direction, and
took care OF to approach so near e
: her again.
, The evening wore on. and 1t was evi
| dent that my ambition was not to bt
gratified. About 8 o'clock / left tn,
, ballroom, and, muffied in my thicl
ulster, was making my way along ;
side street which led to the mali
! thoroughfare where haBsoms were t.
be found. when heard rush of fly
2 ing feet behind me.
/ turned, and there, close to me
stood the Snow Fairy. a white oper;
cloak wrapping her from head to foo,
y and her sweet, sad face looking out a
me from within hood Of swansdown
!. i stood and stared, too much sur
4 prised to think or to form a conjeC
4 ture.
rs there a letter box nearf" sh
gasped out, FIR she was GREATNESS, n
much from excitement, it seemed L
me, as from the exertion of running
6 "Oh. please, please tell me. Wher
1 shall I look for oneg" she went Oh
e without giving me time to collect M.
r thoughts.
: II don't know where the nearest let
], ter box is" / replied but / can easil
find out. If you will entrust your lei
> ter to me will see that 1t is posted.
II mo; cannot; dare not entrust
i to anyone. Do try find out for me
q The words died away on her lips
!, for she, as well as I, had heard tn
!, noise of some one running up to M
> and the next moment the man wit
the short, black beard stood over u.
Rage knCtted the veins on his fore
head until they seemed to be nea
i bursting. Rage. for the space Of tw
i seconds, kept him speechless. Durin
n these two seconds the girl crept pei
eeptibly nearer to me, and somethin
smooth, stiff, thin, like piece of THO
: pastcboard, was pressed into my hant
u / slipped 1t at once into the pocket Q
n my ulster.
n "What are you doing heref" he sale
n to the girl, in tone of suppresse
i fury; and before she had time to al
! swer he turned savagely upon IN,
How dare you speak to my daugl
y ter" he demanded, advancing on IN
e In slow and threatening manner.
= had just time to see look Of NUT
u supplication in the girls eyes. Sh
Z was entreating me Lot to betray her.
i. REALLY, sir" ! said, with as niue
!. GOODNESS as l could command; "reall,
Z you must pardon me for saying this
you seem little less than REASONABLE
u One is permitted to speak to youn
e lady Mt ball."
II "In the open street, In this clar
d destine Manner
u I'VE were not in great privacy, to b
sure, but that might be urged In NIT
CATION Of the offense," ! said, with
y smile.
q You shall not hoodwink me. Whs
= was that she was saying to you whe
] came upr'