Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-10-30
Copyright, 1907, by J. B. Lippincott Co.
All rights reserved.
CHAPTER TX.
IN THE ORCHARD.

IN THE ORCHARD.
"'This is vastly more entertaining
than any ball 1 ever attended, even
my first" said Miss Densmore, after
they had sat several moments in ST.
lence, Rossiter dreamily looking and
listening, and che in a somewhat sim
liar mood.
81 suppose" Rossiter replied, 'that
this is as much like contra-dance as
anything we have in this country.
It's pity that the men are so dread
fully unpicturesque."
"a contra-dance? Yes, I should
say SO. It is certainly quite as anus
ing. You have visited other coun-
tries, Mr.. Rossiter?"
Before his previous remark such
thing as his having been a traveller
would hardly have occurred to her.
Eyes, crossed the ocean once. 1
was thinking just now-this scene
brought it back to me. I expect-of a
fiesta I witnessed one April day at
Turn-Severin. Were you ever there?"
mo. 1 never was"
He then told her how he had, at one
time, been ascending the Danube, had
chanced upon a holiday gathering at
the Roumanian river town, and had
stopped off to witness it. He de-
scribed the scene graphically, the
peasants dancing on the sward, the
fantastic music, the bright costumes
of the women, and their curious head
dresses, some of the maidens wear
ing strings of tinkling coins-their
dowries-upon their plated hair.
Miss Densmore was deeply inter
ested.
"It must have been quite like some
thing I once saw in Suabia,' she said.
"Yes. very likely"
What a strange puzzle this man
was, Miss Densmore could but think.
Not only did he pique her curiosity,
but something more-she began to
feel attracted towards him. For the
first time in her life it had been
brought home to her that clothes do
not make the gentleman. Born and
reared in an old and conservative
society, she had had small oppor-
tunity to see, through personal con-
tact; aught but the silks and velvets
of existence. She had been often at
the Merton farm, it is true, but never
before to know anything of the real
farm life, and elsewhere she moved
only among those favored like her
self.
.is She had been more or less intimate
ily acquainted with many men; had
had many admirers, as girl of her
lattractiveness was likely to have.
Two or three men she had at different
times fancied. she loved, but the fancy
had somehow been dispe1led before
any irretrievable step was taken.
Though she had passed her twenty
fifth year and had seen much social
life, she still kept before her mental
vision some of those rainbow dreams
of youth that, with many, vanish ere
tbs age which she had attained is
reached.
Rossiter was with her decidedly
new experience. Before the Sunday
afternoon in the woods she had re-
garded him somewhat wonderingly
as plan out of place.. Once it had
occurred to her that he might be
masqueradiHg, but she put this
thought aside. Now, since she had
come to know him better, she began
to see that he had a history. that
he was not simply one who had
Glanced to pick up this and that
from books, and through his power
of adaptability make cunning use
of what he had read. No, he was
to the manner born, person OF
good breeding and of education; but
why. with his pleasing address and
his talents, was he occupying the po
sition of pole-puller in her uncle's
{ dop-yard?-honest enough work, blu,
not just what q, man of Rossiter's
tastes and requirements would seel
!. by choice.
Her few moments conversation
with him since coming into the oper
air revealed him in still another light
and only caused her to greater mar
vel. He. had shown her more of his
zeal self. minus the radical weakness
Ct his character. than he had be