The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-04-15
/ had better stop.

but / had better stop.
"Was there ever a goodlier coupler"
1 asked Jane, by whose side 1 sat.
Never" she responded as she played,
and. strange to say, 1 was Jealous be-
cause she agreed with me. I vas jeal-
Gus because / feared 1t was Brandon's
beauty to which she referred. That I
thought would naturally appeal to her.
Had he been less handsome I should
perhaps have thought nothing of 1t,
but I knew what my feelings were to-
ward Mary, and 1 judged, or rather
m%isjudged, Jane by myself. 1 sup
posed she would think Of Brandon as
1 could not help thinking Of Mary.
Was anything I'm heaven or earth aver
so beautiful as that royal creature
dancing there, daintily holding up her
skirts with thumb and first finger, Just
far enough to show a d~istracting little
foot and ankle and make N wish he
had been born n sheep rather than a
sentient RAN who had to live without
Mary Tudor? Yet, strange as 1t may
seem, I was really and wholly in love
with Jane. In fact, / loved no one but
Jane, and my feeling of intense admi-
ration for Mary was but a part of
mans composite Inconsistency.
A woman-God bless herl-if Ii real
ly loves a man, has no thought OF any
other-one Mt n time Is all sufficient
but n man may love one woma with
the warmth Of a simoom and at the
same time feel like n good, healthy
south wind toward a dozen others.
nrItaf to Tho liHfarnnnn lntuynn, a 4, N
and q woman-the difference between
the good and the bad. One average
woman has enough goodness in her to
supply an army Of men.
Mary and Brandon went ON dancing
long after Jane was tired Of playing.
1t was plain to see that the girl was
thoroughly enjoying 1t. They kept up
n running fire of small talk and laugh
ed and smiled and bowed and courte-
sled, all in perfect time and grace.
1t is more difficult than you may
think, IL you have never tried, to keep
up q conversation and dance La Gal
lard a the same tlme-one Is apt to
balk the other. But Brandon's dancing
was as easy to him as walking, and, al
though so small n matter, 1 could see It
raised him vastly in the estimation Of
both girls.
do you play triumph" 1 heard Ma
ry ask I'm the midst Of the dancing.
ooh, yes" replied Brandon, much to
my delight, rs the princess threw a
mischievous, knowing glance over her
shoulder to see if I had heard. She Mt
once saw l had, and this, Of course,
settled the wager.
And" continued BI~ndon, II also
play the new game, honor and ruff,
which is more interesting than tri-
umph."
ooh, do your" cried Mary. "That
will more than compensate for the loss
of my 10 w Let us sit down ut
but no one here seems to know 1t. In
France, they say, 1t is the only game.
1 suppose there Is where you learned
1t. Perhaps you know their new dances
too. l have heard they are delightful"
Eyes, I know them," replied Brandon.
"Why, you are a perfect treasure!
Teach me at once! How, now, master
Of the dance? Here Is your friend out.
doing you in your Owl line"
II am glad to hear It," I returned.
"If Lady Jane Will kindly play some
lively air written In the time of The
Sailor Lass 1 will teach the Lady Ma
ry the new dance" said Brandon.
Jane threw one plump little knee over
the other and struck up "Thc Sailor
Lass" After she had adjusted the
playing to Brandon's suggestion he
stepped deliberately in front OF Mary
and, taking her right hand in his left,
enclrcled her waist with his right arm.
The girl was startled at first and drew
away. This nettlcd Brandon a little,
and he showed 1t plainly.
II thought you wished me to teach
you the new Dance" he said.
IT do, but-but 1 did not know 1t was
danced that way" she replied, with a
fiuttering little laugh, looking up into
his face with a half shy, half apologet.
ic manner and then dropping her lashes
before his gaze.
ooh, Well" said Brandon, with q
Frenchman's shrugS of the shoulders,
and then moved off rs IL about to leave
the floor.
But is that really the way you
they dance it-with your-their arm
around my-a lady's waist?"
IL should not have dared venture up
on Such n familiarity otharwtao on.