The Holly chieftain., 1903-05-08

prompted her to speak.
Her aunt felt ineXpressibly relieved
Misled by notions that are common
among persons of her class, Mrc.
Stagg had begun to fear that her
niece's scruples were born of that
dreadful democratic spirit which ar
CUES that a country school-ma'am
without social experience is the peer
in breeding and elegance of any lady
in the land. Horrible visions of the
consequences of such a standard had
hoated before her eyes, which now
beamed benevolence on the culprit. as
she said:
Il wrote last night to make arrange
ments about that, my dear. You will
dance beautifully. You have lust tho
figure for it, and you are light on YOUR
feet. Mile. Laurens will come three
times week until you are proficient,
and after that will practice with YOU.
and We will invite in two or three
young men informally some evening,
to give you confidence"
Emma spoke with glib cheerfulness:
a load was off her mind. The child
was merely shy and needed encour-
agement Ia little morbid as the nat.
ural result of her aitliction, but moth
ing worse.
The remaining weeks at the seaside
passed uneventfully. Emma had been
rather impatient to get back to town
in view of the preparations necessary
or the ball, and for launching her
young charge into the gay world. The
next eight weeks were spent largely
IN shopping. Eleanor was carried off
IN the coupe after breakfast every
morning, on tour of the stores, II
took fortnight before all the materi-
ais were chosen, for Mrs. Stasg would
have nothing but the choicest and
the best, scrutinizing. considering and
reconsidering, hesitating and coming
back to shops after leaving them
once, and then leaving them again
without purchasing And when the
Fabrics and colors We're fixed upon. an
other fortnight was spent in trying on
and altering and trying on again un.
til Emma herself, to say nothing OF
the fortunate young person In whose
behalf all this weariness of the flesh
was being undergone, felt fairly ready
to drop. But to break down at this
stage was out of the question.
In the fashionable circles of the city.
anticipation as to the grand ball to
be given by the Harold Stages in
honor of their niece was running ram.
pant. Rumor said that it was to be a
most magnificent affair, and Mrs.
Stagg was firmly resolved to prove
rumor ignorant of the real truth. She
lay awake at night planning the min
utest details of the occasion; with her
own eyes she superintended the pol
ishing OF the dancing floor until it was
like wax, and then she was in fit for
fear it might be too smooth; she
amazed the caterer by the detiniteness
OF her instructions as to hot ducks
and fresh relays of champagne in the
small hours OF the morning, and con-
founded the bandmaster by threats of
running his business in case the uual
ity OF the music was not unexception.
able. The entire house was in arms
for a month prior to the great event,
and little else was talked about in the
establishment.
Eleanor, too, to Judge by her ejacu-
lations and manner had caught the in
fection. She seemed all in a f1utter
tripping about the house with bright
eyes and becoming flush on her
cheeks, silently inspecting the ar
rangements, now and again gliding
over the parquet floor in feverish trial
OF her newly acquired steps, and un.
dergoing, in regard thereto, successive
transports of self-congratulation and
despair Her quiet reserve became
tip-toe ecstacy in presence of the
sumptuous simplicity of her own dress
and the exquisite richness of her
aunt's; and when on the evening it.
self the climax was capped for her by
her Uncle Harold's gift of a flashing
diamond star which he presented to
her as she made a shy but entranced
entrance. the last of the three, into the
brilliantly lighted ballroom, with the
cheering encomium, How charming
you lcok, my dear," there were tears
i. the little girls eyes, and her voice
was choked as she stammered out her
delighted thanks.
Her emotion brought answering
smiles to Mrs. Stages face, who felt
that at last the ugly duckling, thanks
to her fostering and persistent care,
was beginning to do her credit The
ordeal, before she had been able to