Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-11-11
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splendid eQuipages, prancing horses,
the glittering liveries, the excited
cabmen, the magnificent toilettes
OF the ladies, the solemn and
resigned department of the gentle
men,-and he envies none of them
vot he! Why should he? His oranges
are in his pocket untouched as yet
and it is doubtful whether the crowd
lrg guests at the Winsleigh supper
table shall find anything there to yield
them such entire enjoyment as he will
presently take in his humble yet re-
i eshing desert. And he is pleased as
a child at the pantomine-the Win
sleigh at home" is a show that
1muses him,-and he makes sundry
remarks on i'm" and 'er" in a
meditatiye soto voice. He peeps up
Awning Avenue needless of the severe
eye of the policeman on guard, he
sweeps the edge of the crimson felt
foot-cloth tenderly with his BROOM
and if he has a desire ungratifed it is
that he might take peep just for a
moment inside the front door, and see
how they are all a'goin it,"
And how are they a'goin' it? Well,
not very hilariously, If one may Judge
by the aspect of the gentlemen in the
hall and on the stairs gentlemen of
serious demeanor, who are leaning
as though exhausted, against the ban
listers, with universal air of profound
| ,rin ;cfn
OF these are young tledglings of man
hood, -callow birds who, though by no
means innocent, are more or less in
eXperienCed,-and who have battered
hither to the snare Of Lady Winsleigh' S
at home half expecting to be al
lowed to make love to their hostess,
and so have something to boast Of af-
forwards, -others are OF the middle
aged type who, though bored, have
cOLdescended to look in" for ten min
pretty women worth the honor of their
Criticism-others again (and these are
the most unfortunately are the no
bodies" or husbands, fathers md
brothers of beauties" whom they
have dutifully escorted to the scene of
tt 'umph, in which they, unlucky
w,ghts! are certainly not expected to
share A little desultory conversation
goes on among these stair-loungers,-
conversation mingled with much
dreary yawning-a trained opera sing
er is shaking forth chrobatic roulades
and trills in the great drawing-room
above. there is an incessant stream of
people coming and going,-there is
the rustic of silk and satin perfume
shaken out of lace kerchiefs and bou-
quets Expresses the warm air, the heat
is eXcessive.-and there is a never end
ing monotonous hum of voices, only
broken at care intervals by the "soci-
ETY. laugh ''-that unmeaning giggle on
the part OF women,-that strained cha,
ha, ha!' on the part Of the men.
which is but the faint ghostly echo of
and farewell voice of true mirth.
Presently, out of the ladies' cloak
room came two fascinating figures-the
one plump and matronly, with gray
hair and capacious neck glittering
with diamonds other slim girl
in pale pink, with dark eyes and raw
iShing complexion, for whom the lazy
gentlemen on the stairs made imme-
date and respectful room.
How dye do, Mrs. Van Clupp?"
asked one of the loungers.
Glad to see you, Miss Marcia"
says another, sandy-haired young
man, with a large gardenia in his but
ton-hole, and glass in his eye.
At the sound Of his voice Miss Mar
Cia stops and regards him with sur
prised smile. She is very pretty, is
MISUNDERSTANDING pretty, and
she has an air of demule grace and
modesty about her that is perfectly
charming. Why. oh, why does she
not remain in that sylph-like attitude
of questioning silence? But she
speaks and the charm. is broken
WAL now! Dew tell" she exclaims.
Il thought yew were in Pa-ar-is! Ma
would yew have concluded to find Lord
! Icy here? This is too lovely. If Id
known yew were coming I'd have
stopped at home-yes, l would-that' S
SOL"
And she mods her little head, crowned
with glossy braids of chestnut hair. in
very coquettish manner, while her
mother, persistently Leaning d stereo-
ty ped smile on all around her. begins
to ascend the stairs, reckoning her
daughter to follow. Marcia does SO,
and Lord AIgernon baskerville es-
corts her.
"You-you didn't mean that? he
stammers rather feebly-"Yo you
dent mind my being here, do you? I'm
I'm awfully glad TO see you again, you
know and all that sort Of thing!"
Marcia darts keen glance at him,
tho glance of an ebservant, clear
headed maybe.
"Oh, yes! | dare say" she remarks
with airy scorn. "S'pect me to be-
lieye yew! Wall! Did yew have a good
time in Pa-ar-is?"
Fairly So said Lord Masherville.
irdifferently. II only came back two
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