The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29
HOW PEGGY LISTENED.

est notch of elegance, but since the
participants were wholly unconscious
Of its shortcomings, what did it mat
ter. There is a more real weight in
the expression of ignorance being the
greatest bliss where social matters are
of life. The ordinary little girl, who
slips into a thin gown and dances all
night with 1.-The boys" whom she has
known since childhood, in the simple
ballroom of a family club finds mor
unalloyed enjoyment in the entire pro-
cedure than does the veriest brocade-
clad, jewel-weighted belle, who glides in
stately elegance through the gorgeous
cotillon in the most sparkling ballroom
of one of society's real leaders. When
the little girl has romped her cheeks
I'd through a gay easy german, or
more frequently, through a hackneyed
waltz, she would open her big blue
eyes in amazement if a .frigid debut
ante in the real thing stared at her as
decidedly unconventional. But the
little girl doesn't even dream that there
is any difference between her dance
and the one whose details are SO ex-
plotted in the society columns, SO she
is a thousand times happier than is her
blue-blooded sister, breathing the at
mosphere of wealth and all the gnaw-
ing envies, rivalries and disappoint-
ments pertaining thereunto.
Peggy was very pink after the last
dance. Richard always went into that
particular waltz with especial ferVor.
Afterward he explained to her that 1t
was because his first dance with her
had been that particular one and she
was tease enough to act as though she
wasn't at all conscious of the partlcu-
lar significance of the thing. So to-
night, when he Reluctantly let her slip
from his arms, she hadn't quite the
necessary courage to refuse his plea
that they "go somewhere to rest"
She knew what that meant. Hadn't
he carried her off to that particular
somewhere every night since the lit
tie club had begun it's informal fort
nightly dances? Still, she knew that
she would better not go tonight-she
had known for weeks that it was
coming and this last waltz had con-
WINGED her that it was coming very
soon. And Peggy didn't want it to
come, at least not just now, for his
was Peggy's first winter and it seemed
a shame for a girl to tie herself her
first season. Then, too, Richard want
ed so much that it should come, and
there wasn't anything in the world that
Peggy loved so much as to make Mr..
Richard wait. 1t didn't matter
whether she delayed him by taking an
unusually long time to adjust her veil
when he had called to take her some
place il the evening, or whether he had
to toast his toe before the fire while
she dallied over making his cup of tea,
or ven in the telling of his great
secret, which poor Richard congratu-
lated himself no one, not even Peggy,
knew. To be frank, everybody in the
little club had discovered it before he
had confessed it to himself. Still
Peggy yielded and was led off to the
big chair in the corner of the library,
where Richard could perch himself on
the window seat beside her, and where
the other young people were good
enough never to intrude.
Peggy leaned back and let her white
lids lutter in happy content over her
deep-blue eyes, whereat Richard felt
his last bit Of common sense leave him.
"Peggy?" he asked, leaning danger
ously near her.
Peggy sat up with a little start, and
a half air of rebellion. Then, all at
once, she felt his eyes burning into
hers, and her courage fed, leaving a
very weak, plant little girl.
Peggy" he began again, this time
laying his hand over hers as it trem-
bled on the arm of the big chair, Il
want to tell you something" added
Richard.
Peggy closed her eyes again and
gathered together her fast failing
courage with n mighty effort.
Don't" she pleaded, Don't Richard"
His face vas a trifle paler as he
asked: why not little girl?"
Peggy's white cheeks all at once
grew firery, but she said it: Because
I know what you are going to say and
I don't wan to hear it."
Poor Richard! So she knew, after
all, the secret which he had fattered
himself he had kept from all the world
most Of all from the tiny, pink-and-
white girl whom it most concerned. |
Then, all at once it struck him that |
there was a ludicrous side to the situa-
ton, and Peggy was amazed to see a |
bit of a roguish smile about the cor
ners of his fine mouth, as he asked: |
How 10 you know that you know
what / was going to say"
1t was a mean thing for him to do,
and she afterward told him SO. Now, |
however, she put herself on the defen-
sive as much as possible, an answered |
Il do know it; no matter how; and
I don't want to hear it"-then a little |
pause, and finally a whispered "just
yet"
Richard sprung to his feet, with !!