Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-05
HER FIRST BALL.
She Expected Too Much and Was of
 Course Disappointed.
HENRIETTE ROUSSEAU.

Course Disappointed.
 Why does Bella look so sad today ? Why has she taken no pains with her hair, and why does she sit with her cheek upon her hand and heavy lidded eyes that seem just ready for tears? Has she had bad news? Has she lost her best friend? What has happened?
 Oh, nothing, only that she went to her firt ball last night and does not care when the world comes to an end in consequence. :, ..s
 Did she have no partners? Was she not asked to dance or, taken to supper? Did she play wallfower and feel neg lected? .
 On the contrary. she danced good deal. She was provided with much moro to eat than was really good for her at midnight
 Her mother is of the opinion that she had very nice time. All the other ma irons told her how well Bella looked. But, as for the,girl herself, she threw . her. lovely white slippers into corner and flung her ball dresaover chair be- fore retiring. She mentally repeated the verses beginning, "This world is all a fleeting show,' and burst into flood of tears as finish.
 This morning she is quite ready to abjure society forever, even to shut her. self up in convent for life and never think of anything but her soul and other little things like that again..
 In those novels dear to Bella's heart, when the heroine-always a debntante -"enters the room,' "a murmur of admiration" arises and follows her as she passes through the glittering throng. She is quito unconscious of her own beauty aud never. dreams that she has aroused this enthusiasm and looks about her with the innocent gaze of a child and meets 0 pair of dark eyes fixed upon her face and wonders why her heart be- gins to beat so wildly.
 Now, Bella, of course, is not so fool ish as to consider herself beautiful, but she did rather expect to find herself un- conscious of her charms-just little, you know. Quite low murmur would have satisfied her, but there was no murmur at all. No one seemed to be aware of her arrival, except few peo- pie whom she knew already and despis- cd accordingly. So that when the young men asked for dances she was not in the least pleased, and when new men were introduced they were only some commonplace brother or cousin of some acquaintance. Everybody brought up those stupid creatures, saying they had determined Bella should have a good time at her first ball.
 A good timel Was that having good time at ball? Then she prayed that she might never be asked to one again.
 Poor Bella! She expected too much and was as sure of disappointment as is the little boy on his way to his first circus, who, deluded by fairy tales and posters, expects to see giant 50 feet high and is at last introduced to fel- low not more than three or four feet tall ar than his own father. The world is all affecting show to him. as it is to Bella on the morning after her first ball. as lt.is to every girl at every ball until a certain person appears. Then: all is changed.
 What makes the assembly shine2 Robin is there What makes the ball so finef Robin Adair. A ball, poor Bella, is never anything worth while to any girl until Robin Adair lis there"
 MARY KYLE DALLAS.