The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-08
The Minuet.

what do you think, girls. that old maid,
Hepsibah Springer. is going TO dance at
our May festival, Did you ever hear
Of anything more ridiculous?" And Doro-
| thy Palmer tossed her head disdainfully
| at the thought of what to her seemed an
unwarrantable proceeding
30, do tell us about it, Dolly dear. Come,
tell US all you know"
We'll, that viii not take her long"
chimed in one of the sweet girls. who did
not regard Dorothy in a favorable light
7 mean, Of course, dear, il viii not take
you long to tell the story, for II is well
known you have a wonderful faculty OF
condensing vast amount OF information
IN few most refreshIngly punsent re-
marks"
AS far as am privileged to express
an opinion I think that Dolly is little
| bit envious of poor Miss Hepsey' 5
charms said another. "Are you fearful
that she may win your Jack from you,
| dear?"
IF you girls will only be quiet" re-
marked Dorothy, II Will tell you the lit
tie I know. Tiday l went 10 Miss VII
Liers' dancing class to practice the May
pole trot, and who should walk in but
Hepsey. Miss Villiers had one of her
wretched headaches and was about to dis
tiquated maiden do but step forward and
volunteer to put the young folks through
their PAGES.
Well in justice to our village spinster,
she knows a thing or two about steps,
and Villiers became so interested that she
forgot her headache and was most profuse
in her compliments. My dear Miss Hep
sey' she said. I thought myself capable
Of teaching these children. but here are
you capable Of teaching me. VIII you not
continue 10 assist me? VIII you nit intro
duce some old-time dance? 1t will be
such an Innovation
I have not danced for years answer
ed Hepsey and would you believe it, girls.
there were tears in the poor old crea-
lures eyes. But she added. L will COM
ply with you request. Let me have my
choice of these people and 1 will put them
through the evolutions OF a minuet. We
will costume in old-fashioned clothes suit
able for an old-fashioned dance. l, my
self, can wear a dress in which 1 last
danced the minuet-almost forty years
ago. "
The girls chatted merrily over the af-
fair, and I am afraid poor Miss Hepsey
was ridiculed without stint. But Hepsey
went about her preparations for the dance
wit hmethodical precision. The chosen
few who were TO be in her set met nightly
at her little cottage, and to the melody Of
Mozart's Don JUAN squeaked out of
a wheezy-toned piano. went through the
movements of the stately number in a
thoroughly satisfactory manner.
AT last the night of the dance arrived.
fhe town hall was peopled to its fullest
capacity, for nearly every family in that
and adjacent villages had a representa-
tive in one or another of the various
dances Many were there who remembered
Miss Hepsey when she was much young
er woman. The gossips chartered among
themselves and raked their memories, re-
calling events in her early life. Some of
them limited at the cause of her state of
single 'blessedness, If such it could be call
ed, and every one was curious to see her
dance.
Miss Hepsey was late in appearing, and
her entrance was the cause of no little
excitement and some admiration. She
wore an old rose silk-quilted petticoat,
with an deliberately figured silk overdress.
An old lace kerchief was folded owed her
breast, and on her feet were high-heeled
white slippers, somewhat yellow with age.
To crown all, her scant hair was arranged
over a cushion. That hair needed no pow
der; it was already as white as newly
fallen snow.
Miss Vnliers herself came forward to
greet Miss Hepsey.
40, my dear" she said, whatever shall
we do? Your partner has not come. I
am afraid you will be much annoyed. but
the best we can do is to find a substitute
for him. A Mr.. Brooks, new arrival in
the village, has proffered his services. Do
you mind?"
If any one had closely observed Hepsey
at that moment it would have been no.
ticed that a tinge of color had crept into
her usually colorless face.
"At such a time as this one cannot
choose, she said. There Is no other al
tentative. Mr.. Brooks is kind. 1 have
no doubt that I will find him a most ac-
ceptable partner"
a moment later she found herself cour-
tesying to a stately old gentleman, who
was attired in small clothes, appropriate
to the costume of his partner. There was
no time for any further exchange of for
malities, for just then the orchestra be-
gan playing the Mozart air and the dance
began. Pdhr Miss Hepsey was the person.
ifcation of the grace Of the old school.
The audience applauded her every move
ment. and at the conclusion Of the num-
Der it had to be repeated. Those who
came to scott remained to admire, and
Hepsey, for reasons best known to her
SELF was supremely happy.
1t was not long after that when she
left her little cottage and went to live
as mistress at the Grange, the finest resi-
dence in the place. Then the truth was
revealed. Mr.. Brooks was none other than
the sweetheart Of Hepsey's youth. The
two had quarreled after having danced a
minuet and he had gone away. After
forty years. rich, yet faithful, he return
ed TO the woman Of his choice. In this
last minuet all the unpleasantness Of the
past was forgotten and a reconciliation
had been the result.
And Miss Villiers, having learned some
what Of the early state of affairs, was the
good fairy who was the instrument Of the
reunion, and in the years that followed
she was the esteemed friend OF Mrs
Hepsibah Brooks and DISQUALIFICATION
Post.