Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-03-14

and whirled away; in the excitement
Of ball, reception, theater, opera, the
awakening knowledge of her own pow
er, she was gradually changing day by
day into striking, If unconventional
figure in social circles. And Mrs.
Gainsborough, though shocked. startled
and eonfounded in Il thousand ways
by the racy wit and audacious free
dom of the daughter she SO little COM
prehended, congratulated herself that
she wal safely launched at last, with
every Prospect of a fair and prosperous
voyage
Whee Teddy sat, talked, or walked,
was tie central point of gayety in any
assenDlage; her speech was punctuat-
ed with laughter, her dancing robes
torn b tatters. The young enthusiasm
with which she entered upon any oc-
casioj was an antidote to dullness and
montony, rejuyenatlng draught to
the most jaded beholder.
Sic seemed to have the gift of uni
versal popularity; even her rivals liked
and would have copied her If they
could and with the men she was
prime fayorite, they lowered about
her like moths about the flame.
But here maternal criticism came
In. and feared for the future. To the
men Teddy seemed more like a good
comrade than beautiful girl to be
wooed and won; Il divinity to be wor-
shipped. Sentiment shrank from her
frank preselce and pitiless laughter,
and more than one foolish swain had
cause to regtet the expression or his
admiration The lover who passed the
Rubicon with Teddy must needs be
valiant one.
To this bree- hearted maiden the
stately Gerah Massey, the most eligi-
BILE match of the season, the cynosure
of all eyes, the target for all matrl-
monial darts, was but Jerry" Jolly
good fellow" and the best waltzer In
society.
That she honestly liked him was
manifest in word and act, though 1t
must be confessed that his lack of
sentiment and nonsense as she term
ed it, seemed his chief attraction IN
her eyes, And the liking was recip-
rocal. 1t was many day since this
well-bred gentleman and invlncible
bachelor had revealed such interest in
the most beautiful of debutantes; many
day since he had encountered such
a refreshing bit of femininity.
But
The best-laid plans o. mice and men
Gang aft agley;
And leave us naught but grief and pain
For promised joy.
Mrs. Gainsborough was a wise wOm-
an in her generation, and held her
peace; the time for counsel, scolding
or entreaty had passed. one scene of
the kind with her rebellious offspring
had taught her the wisdom of silence
on forbidden subjects. Only the most
winning diplomacy, such as had ruled
her household for years, could avail,
but that this chit of girl could elude
her influence in the end seemed in
comprehensive.
Time brought its changes, and Ted
dy scarce realized the transformation
she had undergone in these winter
months that flew by as on wings. Still
frank and freehearted in thought, word
and act, she had gained in social grace
and tact until she seemed another crea-
ture from the careless hoyden of a
few months ago.
The season was to close with a bal
masque. and then came the Lenten
period of retirement. prior to further
dissipation at mountain or seaside re-
sorts. This was the event of the sea-
son, grand finale to the lighter
amusements that had gone before; and
society was stirred to its depths in an
ticipation of the coming spectacle, In
which beauty, wealth and fashion
would play prominent roles.
AS by touch of the enchanter's S
wand, the noble mansion was trans
formed into a scene from falryland,
in which the rarest eXotics exhaled
their fragrance, the most rayishng
music eloquently discoursed, while the
gorgeous pageant streamed hour by
hour through stately hall and gallery,
shifting and changing like the visions
of Il dream.
To Teddy it presented all the charm
of novelty; and in rich Venetian cos
tune of the olden time, her lovely face
hidden meath the mystery of the
mask, she had Il strange sense of losing
her Identity in that of another. No
longer the daughter of prosaic modern
Gotham, she was creature of another
race, age and cline, with her pulses
attuned to love and romance, her
heart throbbing to the passionate Hun
garian music that swept through the
corridors.
A stately gallant of the sixteenth
century, bravely attlred in velvet. silk
en- hose and slouched hat, was hei
faithful cavalier throughout the even.
ing; together they danced, strolled In
the wondrous galleries of art, played