The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-27

She was poor she was ugly, and IL was
9 her first party. In these few words was
written the history of her little tragedy
and Of the countless little tragedies that
go to make up the great undercurrent of
society, while Its surface Is ever of the
same hcartless brilliancy. We beg for
"woman's s rights, yet II seems to me that
they, like charity, should begin at home
or In the homes of her friends where Of
ten, invited as an honorcd guest, che is
the veriest slave to conventionality. II IL
might only be that q young girl at social
functions could have all the independence
that she demands elsewhere. AS IL now
Is, she must rely upon three things-hcr
wit, man and chaperon. The first fail
Ing, the second Is very apt to, while the
third proclaims an ignomonious retreat.
We're her privileges the same as those Of
the more fortunate man, she would be free
from all embarrassment. We're 10 no more
cause for remark TO find q woman stag
ging it, or standing alone at n ball than
1t Is to see man smoking on the piazza
or leaning I'm blasc attitude In tho door
way how much happier sho would be- 1t
would do away with all that vulgar talk
about being stuck with n girl, when she
Is far the mora miserable OF tho two, real
izing her abj~ct dependence on this stick
of humanity who has not enough tact to
hide from her the fatal fact that he can
not get away.
You may argue that even were these
privileges granted that man when sought
by maiden might bow himself away
without any compunction and she would
still bo where she Is now. But no, the cir
cumstance surrounding her social failure
would be entirely different. 1t would not
be so much noticed, and there would al
ways be q certain amount of conjecture
concerning it. At any rate, the world
could not say the next day: Poor Ara
bella, she came To the ball last night with
out a chaperon and spent the whole even
ing with one mani 1 suppose the next
thing we shall hear will be that she doesn't
care for society and Is going TO become
trained nurse"
Why does the world always make these
remarks with IA peculiar smile of ainuse-
ment as though such things were very
trivial and it's only real interest was cen
tered in the tactful, beautiful woman, who,
TO be sure, wins all the more glory under
the present regime? But, then, old world,
you only laugh with u.s." You were
never known TO condole. So 1 suppose
you will find nothing to attract your at
tention in the incident which / am about
to relate regarding the girl who was poor,
who was ugly and who went TO her first
party.
A cousin under obligations to her moth
er had been asked TO take her. A heavy
snow had fallen, which, though the dis
tance was not great, necessitated a car
riage, fact not adding TO the cousins
good humor. No flowers need be sent,
however, so there was some consolation In
that When they had fitted through the
long awning like hurrying phantoms of
the night "a great wave of light from the
opening door had engulfed them. They
found themselves borne resistlessly along
with the crowd surging up the broad stair
way and dropped finally into their respeo-
tive dressing rooms-the one all full Of
eager chattering voices, soft, fluffy wraps,
fur lined shoes, etc, the other -rtsid, sober
study in black and white, blurred by much
smoke.
Arabella, for that was her name quick
ly freed herself Of the old made over
cloak in order to display the dainty, lace
trimmed muslin which showed mothers
deft touches Then she went TO the mir
ror where all the others went, but the
contrast between her own homely face and
INC ndppy, pTttty uuts thto DStptu oNtf
her shoulders TO get a last glimpse of rec
ommendation was too great. So she
turned away with little sigh, joined her
cousin, who waited outside and went sol
emnly down the wide stairs. As they
made the first turn vision so wonderful
spread itself below that she impulsively
grasped her companions arm, exclaiming,
"Oh, how beautiful" whilo he, to cover
his annoyance, said laughingly: "But you
must appear very used 10 it all. You must
not let every ono know that 1T is your first
party.
So she accordingly became very quiet,
but she could not help thinking that the
long oxpanse of polished floor appeared to
be saying, Come, dancing feet, I'm wait
ing, and long TO be caressed by the soft
touch of downy skirts that the massive
chandeliers stretched out their arms in ST.
lent benediction over the fair scene, which
the mirrors never wcaried of repeating
Then tho music, so provokingly attractive
Would any one ask her to dance? Her eyes
sparkled, but they were not pretty eyes
SO nobody noticed them.
At this moment n tall blond in pink
gauze swept by. but turned In affected
~