The Delta independent., 1901-06-07

G1ancing at the son-in-law whom ~
would 70 gladly have welcomed. sighed
. disappointed sigh with all sincerity.
1--WE must give ball. or something.
before their departure" whispered Sir
George to his wife: and. after much
arguing. the ''something," in the shape
Of tableaux vivants. with dance after
ward. won the day.
When at length the night arrived.
Kings Abbott was in q state of CON-
fusion impossible and hopeless to de-
scribe. the most remarkable feature in
the whole case being that nobody
seemed in a proper frame Of mind. the
spirits Of all being either too high or
too low to suit the part allotted them.
SO, that sensation of mingled terror
and delight prevailed through every
dressing room in the house.
There had been numerous meetings
and rehearsals. for the most part pleas
urable. although here and there dis
putes had arisen about trifles light ~
air. and everything had been arranged
on the most approved principles.
The guests were assembled In the
doors. behind which, in a small back
apartment, the stage had been erected.
Already were the younger members Of
the audience showing evident signs OF
impatience. when the doors were
thrown open. the curtain rose. and in
the center Of the stage Mildred Tre-
vanion as Marguerite stood revealed.
Denzil-who begged hard to be all
lowed to withdraw from the entire
thing. but whose petition had been
scofied at by Mabel and Miss Sylverton
-as Faust. and Lord Lyndon as Me-
phistopheles, enlivened the back
ground. Mildred herself. with her long
fair hair. plated and falling far below
her waist, with the inevitable flower
in her hand with which she vaInly
seeks to learn her fate. and with a soft
innocent smile of expectation on her
lips. formed picture at once tender
and perfect in every detail. At least
SO thought the spectators. who. as the
curtain fell. concealing her from their
view. applauded long and heartily.
After this followed Miss Sylverton
and Charlie in the BLACK Brunswick
er." and Mabel and Roy Blount a.
Lancelot and Elaine. which also were
much admired and applauded.
Then came The United Kingdom"
when Frances Sylverton, a. Ire
land" undoubtedly carried OF tho
crown Of victory. Perhaps altogether
Miss Sylverton might have been termed
the great success of the evening.
The tableau terminated with q scene
from the court Of Louis XIV, the dress
es for which. as for most of the others,
were sent from London.
After the tableaux followed . ball,
to effect a change Of raiment for which
soon caused the rapid emptying Of the
impromptu theater.
Denxil. who scarcely felt in humor
for balls or any other sort of amuse-
ment Just then. passed through the
library door which opened on the lats
scene OF merriment, and sunk wearily
into an armchair.
He was feeling sadly dispirited and
out of place amidst all the gayety sur-
rounding him: . sense OF miserabl
depression was Weighing him down.
His one thought was Mildred: his one
deep abiding pain. the fear OF hearing
her engagement to Lyndon openly ac-
knowledged.
For the past week this pain had been
growing almost past endurance. as he
witnessed the apparently satisfied man
ner in which she accepted his lord
ships marked attentions. He hated
himself for this fatuity-this mean
ness. as II appeared to him-that COM
PEELED him to love and long for a wom-
an who showed him plainly every hour
OF the day how little she valued either
him or his devotion. Still he could
not conquer II.
As these thoughts rose once more
unbidden to his mind and took possess
sion Of him. he reused himself deter
minedly. and getting up from his chair
threw out his arms with q quick i'm
pulse from him. as though resolved
upon the moment to be free.
Ito be continued.)