The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-01-16
HER LAST DANCE.

she was aSSufedly fascinating Duttef-
fly of creature; even her women
friends admitted that. And though
seyen-andtwenty, and the mother of
girl of seven. She still retained so
much of virginia. expression and con-
| tour that imagination was 10th to ac-
cept the fact of matronhood. One felt,
indeed, that if the "Ewige Weiblich,
changefully changeless, radiantly soul
satisfying, were to be personified, here
was the model. Gracious and graceful,
gentle and joyous, she possessed
talents innumerable, az cultivated to
certain degree-to a degree that had
quitesuffeed forher own enjoyment and
the edifieation OF host of admiring
and not too eXacting friends, who
thought her delightful prodigy and
spoiled her accordingly.
But, now, cudgel the stunned brain
as she would, no real eapability "of
marketable value" as it had been so
bluntly put to her even in these early
hours of misery-Cousin Selma always
put things bit bluntly, she felt with a
little SILVER of annoyanee-no resource
could she discover to stand her in good
stead in the dreaded day that had come
at last. The bolt had fallen that morn
ing, and, with numb, folded hands and
dry, terror-flled eyes, she sat in the
darkest corner of her gay little draw
ing-room, beneath the CHASTITY chamber
whence were soon TO be borne the earth
| ly remains of her husband.
What was she to do? How was she to
procure, not the luxuries without which
she scarce imagined her child could
exist, but the bare necessities of life?
Every piece Of furniture in the house
was mortgaged to its full value, and
her last jewel had gone to pay the rent.
| Thank heaven, they would have this
haven for some time to come. She was
in debt TO butcher and baker, and she
had not had new pair of gloves for
months. Shillings had become the basis
of expenditure as guineas had been
hitherto.
In the morning sympathizing friends
came TO support and assist her through
the trying ordeal. All passed like a
dream. '.Tout passe, tout casse," she
said, over and over, but my heart is
strong
When, month later, she sat with
Cousin Selma in the same room, in the
same chair, listening again to the gusty
rain as it beat against the windows, it
was to her as if no appreciate time had
interviewed Dreamily she took up the
| thread of her thoughts where she had
dropped it that sad night, and the
strange conceit came back to her.
Women, less brilliant but stolid and
plodding. were ensconced in journals
where she had disdained even to allow
l4er verses to appear. With voices in no
way comparable to hers, she saw others
succeed; while she, who sang like a
bird-but like bird, too, only when in
| spircd-could make no impression.
| And so, lowered as she was, she was
poorer and more helpless than the
| humblest woman who could conscien-
tiously knit pair of stockings or en-
broider a teacloth.
The pretty face seemed pinched and
weary; two deep lines began to inclose
the dropping mouth. Il smile EN-
rarenthese," she said, to Cousin Selma.
as she turned from the mirror, where
she was trying to change the express
sion of those quiyering lips, that even at
the moment curved upwards, Cupid's
bow, at the quaint conceit.
More surely than ever she knew she
could ask no favors, but must put her
own shoulder to the wheel. But what
| TO do when all else failed? To dance on
the stage! Why not? She could dance;
all her life she had loved to dance. In
her greatest JOY she had ever found full
est expression in dancing to her own re-
| Elections before the long mirror in her
! boudoir. A hundred times her darling
had been lulled to sleep, eased of her
1 pain by the dancing of her pretty
! Mulnsie." Once, with her husband, she
! had seen a famous actress-a woman
chaste as hers dance SO gracefully,
yet with an abandone so perfect as to
captiyate an audience accustomed to eN-
| hibitions from which she had turned
in loathing-to his annoyance, since
his taste grew yearly less refined. Even
then, THE pity of it," she had sighed.
and how much even then was implied
that she should say, turning to him:
THAT l could do, am certain"
MAY you never need" he had an
swered, fervently. For he loved her and
was proud of her, though his paths in
! life were devious, though he would not
follow her. 1t all came back to her vivid
| ly-the gay scene, the eager faces, the
murmur of delight, the applause that
rose again and again, and could not be
stayed. Her heart beat fast; yes, she
would dance. 1t might cost her the few
friends she still possessed, but as long
as she helped herself she could maintain
her pride.
Next day began a tiresome round OF
interviews with impatient, incredulous
or impertinent managers, with heart
growing daily heavier and a brain
sharpened almost to viciousness. Al
last an impressario, touched by heI
grace and the expression of brave des
pair in her hungry eyes, granted her
trial, fixing an hour at the theater on
the following day in the early forenoon
Amid a concourse of women, some sym
pathetic, some brazenly inquisitive, all
so different from herself that she scarce
felt they were her sisters, she made hel
first essay. How unreal it seemed; Z
dream. she kept telling herself, a dream
from which she would waken in q mo
| mont