Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-22

where the present stunning and non
descript and dowdy white gowns
were futtering in lady-like little
gauze fan breezes. He was sitting
just where he must two-step past
glorious score Of tunes that night
a pretty glorious score, he qualified,
tolerant Of himself. Her dancing, he
recalled, was something to dream
over; if only her eyes
shut up, you carping old geyser,"
he recommended himself, recalling lit
tie Brady. She, who was Miss
Morthallow, was to be there at seven,
and would be staying with the
Audreys. She could, therefore, get
himself irreverently; so he slipped
liked; and he, having no interrogative
smaller sister or INEFFECTIVE older
one personally to conduct could de-
vote himself to her exclusively. He
recalled with satisfaction that he had
down every other dance with her
and all the extras. He wondered
what she would wear; he hoped
When he had gone on in this
fashion for a period indefinite, he was
conscious that the painting rows on
the platform were standing up pre-
paratory to the classmates, though
the ties he sundered act" he told
himself irreverently; so he slipped
out as the rest rose, and lounged back
to his room. The last of his novel,
a hammock and something cool with
or without sIraws in it, he decided,
were to be preferred to meeting every
body's relatives. All relatives are
barbarous to the other mans notion.
The sun was shut out of his room,
and a stiff Mendoza breeze, come sud-
denly and gratefully, was f1uffing the
muslin curtains. He was hunting
out some cigarettes when he found
the note. The note was brief and
greatly to the point. 1t was from
Washington. It set forth that Aunt
Brabazant had been summoned to
Milwaukee by telegram, and that he
-Lushington- could do no less than
take her; that he would hardly get
back before twelve, and that Leonore
would be so disappointed. Not an
other fellow about who was not TAX
ing his fiancee or nearly so-and
knowing Ruggles did not particularly
care for-and considering and in
brief Washington knew he could de-
pend upon him? Leonore, his cousin,
was young, and not CONNIE everybody
else, but he felt sure he could depend
upon him? And he was eternally,
gratefully Washington.
Ruggles bit down on the end of
his cigarette until he put it out and
what he said under his breath, while
it did not materially affect his own
conscience which took Ruggles with
allowances, would most seriously have
disturbed that of anyone else who had
been present and had resisted any
lingering desire to demonstrate. He
thought of her-the her who could
two-step and who was more CONNIE
everybody else" than he really liked,
to tell the truth; and who knew how
to do everything and to say every
thing and when and how long, to
degree that sometimes left Ruggles
behind, admiring And Leonore. He
recalled the glimpse of her he had
had on the lake front-her and the
aunt with the loud sunshade. He
remembered a blur of duck skirt and
shirt waist, but that was so very
indefinite; that much might mean
everything in the world or less than
nothing, so great is the elasticity of the
two terms. Both might be trifes,
but trifiing with either will not do.
He could not even comfort himself
by arguing by differences and deduc-
lions from the fact that Lushington's
mother, whom he knew, was a kind
of queen; for on the other hand he
knew Grants little lady mother too,
and he recalled that Grants memoir
able cousin had resembIed a Tim
hucto0 lady, and had danced like a
centipede. Leonore! He could imagine
a vapid Leonore in limp sleeves and
low heels, who should smile in con-
tinuOus performance; or a vivid
Leonore with a jeweled fan-chain
who should lug in dazzling person
alities to pass as originality, and
hurl deliberately bazaar adjectives at
him for wit; or ht-could plan out a
Minerva Leonore with many college
degrees obtruding, and a high-necked
long-waisted gown limiting at dress
reform. Now these might be fine
points and nice details, but Ruggles
had observed, and those same de-
tails had stood sponsor to so many
inevitable results that Ruggles
trusted them
He waited for Miss Morthallow in
the Audrey's drawing-room that
night with an Achilles frown which
was not Indigenous She came in
presently with a swish and a futter.
her head well back, her light hair
parted and falling smoothly on either
side, her gown of white the dream
and despair Of half that evenings
dancers. She had not seen Ruggles
for seven months, and her greeting