Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-02-25
cHAprsR IIr.-ABour THE BALL.

CHAPTER IU.--ABoUT THE BALL.
"And HOY can one get up a ball in a
stupid littl hole OF a place In which there
are not a bzen eligible girls"
"Do' tnow, Pm sure; but Beauregard
and Mp. Fanshawe have set their minds
on 10, % tin be managed somehow"
Thu speakers were a couple OF young Of
ficer who were sitting smoking by an open
win.ow looking on the pargde ground at
bennington Barracks. The window be-
loYged to the sitting room Of Major Frank
T-avers' quarters; and the Major himself,
ajolly, jovial-looking fellow, with fair hair,
md light, laughing blue eyes, lounged on
one chair with his feet on another. His
companion, seated on the edge OF a table,
was Harry Dallas, lieutenant In the same
regiment, q handsome young fellow OF
| hve-and-twenty, who had feshed his sword
In the Afghan campaign under General
Roberts.
"Beauregard has set his mind on It," re-
peated the Major. "Then, my boy, / be-
iieve you the plan will be carried out. He
Is the most determined fellow I ever met,
and Mrs. Fanshawe will Just follow his
lead-he always gets the women on his
side"
You're ~jealousl' said Dallas, laughing,
for the jolly Major was the last man to be
guilty of anything so contemplate.
mot I. / shall bless most f~ervently the
| man who can bring about any excitement
In a place like this. Why. hang IT all
there's nothing to do acknowledgement
a theatre, not even a music.hall; the circu-
lating library has only historical novels,
published between 1s49 and 1850. They
cravely offered my man The Gowrie Plat,
when | gent him for a novel yesterday
The idea of sending mel to idle away their
time In such q rat-holer'
There's lovely country round about"
observed Dallas, by way Of a solottuua
'Ohi very well for you and Beauregardi
you enjoy yourselves when other fellows
are frizziing; but it's too hot for walking
or riding-and then the eveningsl"
Eyes, the eveningsl" echoed Harry, TAX
ing q fresh cigar. But the balli"
ooh, ay, the ball. Well, has Beauregard,
or anyone else, an idea where the girls are
to come fromi So far as I can at present
make out there are" counting on his
fingers) "the r~ector's daughters, two, both
plain by the way, ~curate's daughter, one,
rather pretty; daughter Of another parson,
one; daughters Of a retired something In q
big red house Just outside the town, four,
two very pretty; then there are the few
service Neutrality-suspicious. l haven't
counted. Altogether, we shall muster un'
der twenty girls, two or three young mat
rons, and half-a-dozen fogys."
Perhaps Mrs. Fanshawe reckons to Inn
port some girls"
Where from, From London IN the
height Of the season.
The Major groaned at the thought OF his
exile from the glories Of the Metropolitan
June. mo, no! the recruits must come
from the surrounding Countrywide bulk
Of 'em, at any rate"
Somebody said there were some very
good people scattered about in country
seats" said Dallas, thoughtfully.
"Indeedl who's somebody Does he
know these partsi"
II forgot who It was. oh! Ludlam. He's
a--shire man, and he was going up yes
terday evening to dine at the Generals. Sc
/ dare say he gave Mrs. Fanshawe valuable
information"
Maybe" said the Major g~rsciously,
'there was q council of war. Was Beaure'
gard at the Generals, do you know"
mo, I don't know where he was last
night"
Securing the country in search Of adj
venture, perhaps"
mo chance Of adventure In this awfuliy
civilized country replied Harry Dallas,
~ruefully. "If they keep US here long VIC
shall have to set a few houses and hayricks
OF fire for sheer mischief"
Just then there was a knock at the door,
Come inl' cried the Major, and in walk
cd Lieutenant Ludlam.
Halo, old fellowl' exclaimed Travers
with q wink at Dallas. whats upi Any
newst"
about the ball, you meant" said Lud'
lama very young, somewhat "la-di-da'
type of man; but usually voted mot hall
q bad fellow" though much roasted fol
his affections.
"Of courscF' assented Travers and Dallas
IN q breath. The former added, "Whc
talks about anything elsef"
"Ah, we'll, y said Ludlam, seating himself
and stroking his upper lip. ''the mattah is
pretty we'll settled. There are several good
sets about here-tho Rawlings, the Nor
tons, the-ah-Chantrells, and n or two
other families-and Mrs. Fanshawe ar
ranged last night to call upon them. Sc
we shall be bettah of for partners than
might have been anticipated"
well donel' exclaimed Travers, rub
bing his hands, "and come worse to worse
we must ask some of the girls at the linen
Diapers in the High Street. Very pretty.
two or three Of 'em."
You're not serious, Majori" said Lud'
lam, who never understood a joke.
"'Pon my honor, I am. Whyi" turning
to Dallas, "what a lark 1t would bel How
Beauregard would turn UP his long-de
scended nose when he was introduced tt
Miss Bombasine."
Harry laughed uproariously; but Ludlam
looked q little disguised.
The til was a very aristocratic regiment
and held its head high, SO that the idea OF
its inviting employees to its festivities was
a particularly good joke; to which, how
ever, Travers, seeing that Ludlam took !
seriously, adhered stoutly; and when Al
last the young man took his leave, a little
stifiy, the merry Major nearly fell OF hi
chair with laughter. -.
"Dallas" he spluttered; Dallas, It'll
kill mel That fellow has swallowed
wholel He'll go and tell Beauregard tina
I mean to try and smuggle In a milliner'
grill Won't Beau chaff himl All, shall
haYe 0 at."