The Press., 1898-01-06
,uried memory should revive tonight.

buried memory should revive tonight, but he has not much time for wonder ing, for as fresh smoke rises up he sees fresh figures forming themselves behind it. Still himself, but older, browner and more manly Dick, this time of 1872. A ball again, evidently in private house. There is wide flight of stairs, of it at one side conservatory filled with flow CTS and at its top wide landing, with the ballroom opening bright, noisy and joyous behind it.
 In the doorway stands the hostess, welcoming her guests. Dick of today tries to distinguish her features, but they elude him just as the colors had a few minutes before. He passes on in- to the room. Again all the figures are blurred, until he comes quite to the up- per end, immediately beneath the big hanging lamp, where there stands 8 very distinct one in white silk and a quantity of soft white tulle, who has her back turned and displays a very fair head with a bunch of pink moss roses at one side. Dick of 1872 speaks, and the figure turns and looks at him with little uncertainty at first, and then a gradual, pleased look of recog- milton comes to her face-that same sweet face, with its warm, brown eyes.
 Dick of 1872 thinks five years have passed very lightly, leaving behind them only. a touch of dignity and wom- inliness in place Ot ,,4moat childish ness. She is, ill fact. improved by them, and so thinks Dick of today.
 Dick of 1872 dances three times with "my little sister Kitty, aud the third time she is carried away from him by very tall, dark, handsome man, with small pointed black Leard. He watch es them, and a voice at his elbow says: What jolly couple they makel He is old Lord Easton..s s nephew, and they are to be married next week, you know. " Dick of 1872 goes homo, and ill the morning comes to the conclusion that he had taken too much champagne, for he had dreamed all night that his room was of gold hung over with pink moss roses, and. turn as he would, he could tnd no door to escape from the heavy scent of them, which maddened him, and the touch of them, which thrilled him with joy and sorrow, pleasure and passionate pain mixed.
 The smoke clears of again, but Dick of today has ceased to wonder, and only waits, expecting mere, uncomprehend- ing, however. Very soon more comes; still Dick, still ballroom; Dick of 1880, and quite a different ballroom with quite a different atmos phere, and different tone about it; many men, few CT women than heretofore, but all the latter are most beautifully dressed, and most of the former are ill uniform. "Government House, Calcutta, |" thinks Dick of today, and he instinctive- ly looks about him for the well known figure which he now expects to come, but it is not there. Dick of 1880 is talk ing to Cranter C"Poor old Cranter! Went under just ten years ago. com ments Dick of today.) Cranter says: "I am going to introduce you to the most lovely little woman, clever, charming, everything desirable. Her husband nev- CT looks at her, passes all his time ill England with Sibyl Ruby, and all his time here with Mrs Major Golightly. " Dick of 1880 and Cranter make their way through the crowd into another room where there is no dancing, and seated in low chair, in listless attl- tude, is a lady in white Dick of 1880 goes straight up to her and says, "I hope I don't need an introduction to "Mrs. '' - and then pauses - "Mor- toun," she finishes for him.
 He sits beside her. She is much more splendidly dressed than ever before, all in white satin, finely embroidered with silver, and there are diamonds scintil. lating in the burnished gold of her hair. But, oh, the change, think both the Dicks. The face is thinner and less bright, the mouth is sweet and red, but has pitiful droop at the corners, and the clear brown eyes are sad with un' shed tears, but they look very kindly on Dick of 1880. And Dick of 1880 talks 8 long time to her; his heart is filled with deep, passionate pity.
 Finally they are interrupted by the tall, dark, handsome man with the point ed black beard, who is not perfectly so ber As he comes up the lady says "This is Captain Kenneth, Devereux. met him at my first ball.
 Dick of 1880 only bows and moves away, and Dick of today looks at the fading mist of tobacco smoke, and ever when it has cleared, for the good reason that his pipe is out, there is little l mist, as of an autumn evening, between him and the fire. He is not uncompre hending any longer and knows now tht answer to his sister question. He risei and takes up his candle, saying: "Ant I never knew it till tonight. Verify am slow man. Daughter.