The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-21
Our. Daily Short Stories
THE FIRST DANCE.
BY FRANK H. SWEET.
Copyright. 1901. by Authors Syndicate,

Miss Parrish pressed the tip of a
pink finger more firmly into the soft
contour of her exquisitely formed chin,
as though the contact might put an end
TO her indecision. Five minutes she had
stood there, gazing down into the ro-
tunda of the great hotel; and still she
was as far from knowing what she
would do as when, pausing on her way
down. she had seen them, the one
faultlessly dressed, suave, expectant,
the other leaning carelessly against a
uillar, apparently absorbed in thought,
and as unconscious of himself as he
was of his surroundings.
The orchestra was playing the last
bars of one of Sousas airs, and the
spirited strains were carrying many
daintily clad foot to the floor in ex-
pectant tappings. A few moments and
the music would cease, and the must
clans would file into the ballroom, and
the guests would follow, and then the
faultlessly- dressed figure and the alb
sorbed one would both be alive to the
emergency, and would hasten In search
of her to claim the first dance She
knew it from their isolation from the
other guests, from their characteristic
attitudes, from all that had gone be-
fore. If they had dreamed of her be-
irg up in the gallery they would have
been at her side ere now.
There was slight ripple below.
The last strain had rung out exultant-
ly and now the musicians and guests
were united in one general movement
toward the ballroom. some to partici-
pate, but more to look on. Miss Par
IRISH leaned forward little, the indie
cision beginning to leave her face. She
could see women like herself. who
loved dancing, and men with whom to
cross the floor was the very ecstasy to
motion The influence of the moment
dominated her. and she began to run
over the men-the superb dancers-who
should be her partners. What had
she to do with one who was coping
with the stern realities of life, whose
very success entailed deprivations and
efforts? She was horn to society and
luxury, to have flowers strewn be-
meath her feet. What would she do
with man whose pleasure was to
struggle and overcome? In very sym
pathy she would have to struggle and
overcome, too-wherever she was her
nature would demand to be abreast,
and not behind. No. no-better than
to be abreast would 1t be to have men
at her feet. And that, the best, was
already hers by right; the other must
be struggled for and held by constant
effort.
Down below she could see them, the
one, disturbed by the sudden motion,
standing erect looking about inquir-
ingly, as though awakening from a
trance; the other already we'll on to
the foot of the stairs. Yes, most EN-
phatically, he was the one. he was the
one. His life would be her pleasure
and luxury and it would not be mar
red, by ambition and effort.
She leaned forward little more, and
then. by some curious chance, or intui-
ton, perhaps, the two men looked up
at the same instant and caught her
glance. The faultlessiy dressed one ac-
tolerated his movements, and pushed
by several groups in his effort to reach
the stairs. He would pass the first
landing, which led to the ballroom, and
would hasten up the second flight to
her side.
The man by the pillar had also joined
the movement toward the stairs. But
he was proceeding leisurely, standing
aside frequently to allow women to pass
in front Presently she saw him open
a passage through group of boys with
his arms. and through it guide little
old woman in a faded shawl and pre-
posterously gorgeous hat. She was alb
surdly out of place in the gay assem-
bly,, an outsider who had come in to
hear the music, and who was now
eager to see the ballroom and watch
the dancers. But he treated her like
duchess.
Miss Parrish bit her lips. This, then,
was a fair reflex of the future. One
man was already on the lower stair,
eager to serve her; for the other she
would have to wait.
And then followed one of the curious
inconsistencies which often go toward
the making of a harmonious whole. The
man she had already decided to be the
only one worth considering would be