The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-03
A FIlrta ton Figure.

/ hultod. why aren't you odHcAuS.
said Charlie.
| l lit a cigarette
When you come to my age''I began
| ''Rotr' he CALCULATED. 'Il INTRODUCES
you TO lovely girl
All, my poor feetr' said /. very sadly
What's UP with your poor feet?"
That last exquisite creature-in sea
green and spectacIes-to whom you intro
duced me transformed them into jelly.
Calves foot. I suppose" remarked
Charlie. Come along. old man. Don't
| be an asst"
Il am as nature made me- 1 said
laying down the cigarette with a sigh.
'Oh, l don't blame you for it. She
was a little hurried over the job, may
be. Now. are you coming? 1 can't stop
TO talk I'm ~. c. There are seven
girls over. It's awful
'Frightful,' / murmured. Il will cast
myself into the breach
Not into the breach of promise. I
hope. Look out, Tommy-she's awfully
pretty
You should know me better by now
L said, with the assurance of a man
whose reputation is established.
so ! do. you old woman-hater. Never
mind, you'll have it badly yet"
After hurried introduction, in which
l did not catch her name. l found my
self gliding over the polished floor with
one or those exquisite dancers whom a
kind providence especially manufactures
to bring few moments of happiness in
to the life of man. 1t was the perfec-
ton of movement
When the music stopped we seated our
selves in little recess which nestled at
the side Of the corridor Although we
had never met before, we seemed friends
of lifetime. We discussed our fellow
creatures as they passed before US along
the corridor, or wandered arm-in-arm
around the ballroom. II is the way of
friends of a lifetime.
There is the brute who did this" she
said, raising her dress an inch and a
half Cor it might have been two inchesl
to show torn f1ounce, and, what L OBJ
served more closely, an exquisite foot.
Clumsy lout" 1 murmured.
She smiled at me. Her teeth were per-
feet.
Il fancied I saw him with you just
now Do you know him?" she asked
Not from ADAM 1 said angrily. He
happened to be my brother-but then,
1 never knew Adam.
We watched the revolving couples for
a few moments in silence. Then 1 felt
a light touch on my arm.
Do you look at that man." she said
isn't he ridiculous? He hangs over
the girl as if he were going to kiss
her-poor thing"
'Ah, they do that sometimes-at a
dance" said 1, with smothered sigh
(not smothered too much. thought
But not during a dance, surely. It
is a quaint custom, this kissing
My fair companion spoke as If her
thoughts were far away. 1 was glad it
was only her thoughts.
I ventured to lightly touch her arm.
It was an exquisite arm.
"a penny for your thoughts, I ex-
claimed
They are not issued In a cheap edi-
tion," she said, with a little laugh.
You were thinking of-of-that Gus
tom?" I suggested.
Eyes, I was. OF my first experience
of it."
"Ah!" said. There was world of
meaning in that "Ah9'
Don't look like that. I was only 10
years old. He was r. I had a new
frock on-a pink one-and, Oh, so short
He was holding an umbrella over me,
and the stick got in the way, and he
hurt his nose" She paused
"A stick in time saved nine," said l.
There would have been more than
nine, I think
Her voice was filed with the passion
of vain regret.
'He was such an ugly old boy. too"
she added. 1T would certainly have be-
come serious if We had been older"
'Why?" 1 inquired, a little surprised.
1--WE women do not f1irt with ugly men
we marry them.
Are you always in earnest, then, with
ugly men?" 1 asked, anxiously. (My
friends do not ca1I no
But she only smiled-which was not "a
very satisfactory answer
We were looking across the corridor
into the room beyond, watching the
crowd of whirling figures, when a man
walked slowly by US. / noticed my COM
panion glance at him and then shrink
more into the corner of the recess. 1
wondered, and felt strangely annoyed.
1 remarked that he should be dangerous.
as he was certainly ugly.
HE is, perhaps, a little ungainly," she
said. But then, so many men are like
that Now, take your own carria ge-"
81 can't" I said. ~ haven't got one"
Don't be silly. I mean, of course,
your position when
1T Is my position which prevents the
carriage"
Very we'll; I shan't try to improve
you If you are going to be foolish
"Pll never smile again." said, peni-
tently.
Three times the music announced that
another dance had begun, but still we
sat together. She had bewitched me-
Each moment left me deeper in the tolls
When at last she said she must go.
I cast discretion TO the winds. 1 moved
still closer and my arm stole round her
waist. She did not appear TO notice It,
but fidgeted nervously with her glove.
drew her gently toward me.
Then, without speaking, she held up
her hand, from which the glove had van
ished, and l saw a plain gold ring on
the third finger. 7 Jumped up quickly
and Topped back the curtain. Then I
turned and saw her watching ne with
a smile on her lips
And first I did a foolish thing.
'I-er-beg your pardon 1 stammer-
ed.
She laughed-a low, musical laugh.
That nettled me, and to save my self
respect 1 told a lie.
Shall we return to the baliroom7" I
said, offering her my arm. II am en-
gagged for the next dance-to my wife"
And so I got my own back.
Not Ashamed TO Own 1t