The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-01
The Dancing Teacher.

The peculiar thing about Marie Van
derpool was that she had an intempera.e
appetite for happiness She took TO
dancing slippers as naturally as other
folk take TO goloshes or walking boo. 8.
She sang as readily as other folk sigh
No one ever claimed that she was of
any use, and she certainly never made
any such claims herself. 1t never oc-
CURED to her that she could be useful,
and she often reflected that in wolld
so swarming with useful persons as this
appeared to be-if one judged by the
seif-Dlaced estimate of these persons
there was plenty of room for one bliss
full creature OF a non-utilitarian sort.
Now, il IS impossible for any seeing
and hearing person 10 go about Chicago
without becoming aware of the fact that
large number of the citizens OF this
busy Town are not having good time.
It CHANGED that on one occasion there
was a certain festivity at a settlement
house in one of the most crowded and
poverty-stricken parts of the city, and
that Marie was invited TO go. It was
not, perhaps. just the sort of thing she
would have selected, but as there was
nothing else doing that evening. for a
wonder, and as she had no mind to sit
down with book, she concluded to go.
But what Marie saw at the settlement
was calculated to make her forget, for
once, the appearance of which she was
so proud. She even forgot to be resent
full because some of the people she met
were serious. For the first time she found
herself face to face with the serious
problem of life-for the first time dim
notion that life was given to be used.
struggled up through her cons .sness.
She found women as well born as her
self, and much better educated and
Cd
and therefore to themselves, since in the
expenditure of life in service comes the
best development. This type of woman
hood was new to her. She had been ac
quainted with many who patr9niZed
charities and benevolences, but here were
women who found it a privilege to ex-
press life in terms of love. Moreover,
she found the 'neighbors" who came to
the settlements interesting in the ex-
treme. Here was a whole library Of
human documents, so to speak, awaiting
her perusal. She looked in the faces Of
the girls, serious before they should be
So showing the signs of close confine-
ment in stores and sweating shops and
binderies and tobacco factories, and it
seemed to her as if she must pour sun
light into their lives from the abundant
source of il within her own heart.
''But 1 could do nothing" she said de-
jectedly, to one of the residents. ST
should only be in the way"
81 don't think you could be in the way
anywhere, Miss Vanderpool." the lily
had replied gently. IF you would just
come here and laugh for US occasional
", as you know how, it seems to me it
might be an invaluable service
Marie laughed then involuntarily, and
at the bird-like joyful note dozen per-
sons turned around with sympathetic
smile upon their faces.
The next night there was a dancing
party at the house of friend of Marie
She went to it as eagerly as if 1t had
been her first ball. and she was lovely
sight in her white gown with its silver
lilies Of the valley woven IN the mesh
and her necklace of turouoises.
Her program was filed ten minutes al
ter she had entered the ballroom, and
as she danced it seemed to her that life
was never so nearly perfect as when the
music throbbed and every one was gay
hearted and the lights burned and the
flowers perfumed the air, and she, Marie,
could lend herself to the rhythm.
Miss Vanderpool," said one gentleman
as ne led her to her seat 81 1have danced
With a great many good dancers in my
life. but I have never enjoyed a waltz
so much as the last one. II is the per-
lection of motion which you have and It
is a charming gift. Really, I can call it
nothing else than a gift" He had ex-
pected a careless acknowledgment of
this compliment. and was amazed when
| she said gravely:
"And a gift is something which ought
| to be used. I suppose. That is what my
sisters would say"
''Then, they would approve of you,
surely, for have you not been putting it
| to the best use possible?''
'I meant that it ought to be used for
others
TT has been-for as many others as
could avail themselves of ii. I regret
that ii has not been used more for me.
One dance is a short allowance, it seems
to me-
yet greater gravity.
Some time soon I am going to show
you what I mean, Mr. Hadley," Fad
then, smiling and dimpling, she went
away with her next PARTNER.
| It was a month later when Kenneth
! Hadley received a letter from Miss Van
derpool asking him to be at the Brown
street settlement on a certain night. Mr..
! Hadley was not interested in settle
ments, but he was in Miss Vanderpool,
| and he accepted the invitation. His cab
| took him along a thronged street, past
| tenement houses and saloons and shops
| and stores till he came TO the brightly
| lighted tenement house standing tidy
and serene-looking, in the midst of a
| block. He asked for Miss Vanderpool
and was shown past the crowded class
rooms and lecture halls and music rooms
| to a room on the upper floor. The sound
Of piano, violin and harp came out TO
| salute his ears with a familiar tune. and
| he opened the door and stood within a
| large room filed with young men and
| women. But II was not a party which
| he beheld. He saw that at once. Il vas
| a dancing class. The pupils stood in line,
awaiting the directions OF their teacher.
| He looked about him for Miss Van
| derpool but the chairs by the wall were
vacant. Probably he had arrived too
soon. However, he decided to inquire
| Of the teacher At that moment he be-
/ held her-Marie Vanderpool-in her pref
/ ty mink froek with SIS short dancing
skirt, standing before the class. Il was
she who was the teacher. Her eyes had
never seemed brighter. The smiles which
were never willing to leave her Hrs.
| played about them bewitchingly. Her
/ golden head looked more adorable ard
unkempt than ever She seemed the in
| csrnsted spirit of the joy OF life. She
| came running toward him.
Come. co7ner' she cried 'T In
weighed YOU over here with a purpose.
/ . wanted YOU to show Us the mazurka
! You dance Il so aezutifniIy"' She called
! 70 the musicians 70 pay a mazurira.
gave the class permission to be seated,
and poised herself delicately. Come.
( come she cried again. II insist on your
/ dancing the best you know how"
! Kenneth Tfadley. the diEuifed and re-
| served, the man who had thought him
/ self q uttie better than Others AMI had