The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-06-08
The Dancing Teacher


THE peculiar thing about Marie
Vanderpool was that she had an
Incorporate appetite for happiness.
She took to dancing slippers as natural
ly as other folk take to goloshes or
walking boots. She sang as read
lily as other people sigh. She
discovered chance for a frolic
with the same enthusiasm that
others found an opportunity for work.
No one ever claimed that she was of
any use, and she certainly never made
Cured to her that she could be useful,
and she often reflected that to world
so swarming with useful persons as
this appeared to be-if one judged by
. the self-placed estimate of these per-
sons-there was plenty of room for one
blissful creature of the nonutilitarian
sort.
All of the other members of her fam
lily were Industrious, and several of
them were wise. They won distinction
along commercial and intellectual
lines, were noted for their philanthro-
pies, and were solicited to lend their
names to causes" They were associ-
. ated with nearly all of the leading
benevolent enterprises of the city.
Now, it is impossible for any seeing
and hearing person to go about Chi
cago without becoming aware of the
fact that large number of the citizens
of this busy town are not having good
time. Even Marie observed it. She
saw children with old faces, and men
with despair looking out of their eyes,
and women nervous and crushed under
a burden of toll. She saw homes that
would not keep out the cold, and coats
that hung in rags from the shoulders
that supported them. And, what was
equally pathetic, she noticed that
many persons worked so hard to
silence 1.-The VOLTS long howl' that
they had no heart for pleasure.
1T is as likely as not" said Marie tc
herself, that they have never discov'
cred how to be happy" And she felt
a vast commisseration for them. Not
to be happy! 1t was fearful-or it was
stupid!
It CHANGED that on one occasion
there was a certain festivity at a set.
Element house in one of the most
scrowded and poverty-stricken parts OF
the city, and that Marie was invited tc
go. 1t was not, perhaps, just the sort
of thing she would have selected, but as
, there was nothing else doing that even
ing, for a wonder, and as she had nc
mind to sit down with book, she con
cluded to 60. She was good deal puz
zled to know what to wear, for she wa!
particular about the proprieties, bu
she hit upon costume at length tina
seemed to be neither too plain nor too
fine. She surveyed herself with pleas
ure. 1t was pleasant to have large ant
brilliant brown eyes, a mass of way
ward golden hair, snow white neck
and shoulders, nodded with tender
and abundant grace, and a mouth thai
smiled with more merriment than tn
common run of mouths.
But what Marie saw at the settle
ment was calculated to make her for
get, for once, the appearance of which
she was so proud. She even forgot *
be resentful because some of the PEG
pie she met were serious. For the frs
time she found herself face to face will
the serious problem of life-for tn
first time dim notion that life wa!
given to be used, struggled NJ
through her consciousness. She foun<
, women as we'll born as herself, ant
much better educated and trained de
voting their lives to others-and there
fore to themselves, since in the ex
penditure of life in service comes tn,
best.development. This type of WON
: anhood was new to her. She had beer
( acquainted with many who patronizet
charities and benevolences, but her,
were women who found it privilege tt
express life in terms of love. Moreover
she found the "neighbors' who came Il
the settlements interesting in the ex
treme. Here was whole library o.
human documents, so to speak, await
ing her perusal. She looked in tn,
faces of the girls, serious before the,
should be so, showing the signs of clos,
confinement in stores and sweatin.
shops, and the binderies and Tobacco,
factories. and it seemed to her as j
she must pour sunlight into their live
d from the abundant source of it within
Il her own heart.
"But could do nothing" she said
dejectedly, to one of the residents. 6
should only be in the way"
II don't think you could be in tn
way. anywhere, Miss Vanderpool," tn
lady had replied, gently. IF you woul'
just come here and laugh for us occa
sionally, as you know how, it seems t.
me it might be an invalua BILE service"
7 Marie laughed then involuntarily
and at the bird-like, joyful note doze1
persons turned around with a sympa
: thetic smile upon their faces.
4. The next night there was dancin.
+ party at the house Of friend Of Marie
VIZ u J. 4...a.I ~, .-