Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-02-11
AFTER THE BAL"
Ioriginai.I


payne flowed like water.
What did we do after supper7
have confused remembrance of some
thing going on In the bachelor quar-
tiers. Was it boxing or fencing?
Where is my handkerchief? I reach
for my dinner jacket on chair beside
my bed and take my handkerchief
from the pocket. With it comes a slip
of paper. On it is hasty scrawl in
pencil In feminine hand:
Consider our acquaintance ended. NJ
Heavens! have disgraced myself.
and Mollie has discarded me. How,
when, did it happen? After supper,
when we were romping in the drawing
room? I don't remember Mollie being
there. I must get up at once, go to
her and beg forgiveness. Where is my
watch? Only 6 o'clock! Not person
will be down before 0. Meanwhile 1
must toss about in bed, banging the
pillow with my head, which aches more
and more every minute. Oh, that
man should put an enemy into his
mouth to steal away his brains! l
have not tasted alcoholic drink for six
months before last night, and / SOL
EMMY resolve never to taste it again.
What could I have said or done to-
offend her? Doubtless talked thick
and showed in other ways that had
been drinking. No wonder she wrote.
that slip. She, in all her purity, to-
mate with one who could SO forget,
himself! But when did receive iii?
Who brought 1t to me? How can l.
expect to remember that since can
not remember other matters? 1t Is all
over between us. Mollie will never
overlook my conduct. Pm ruined.
turned over, buried my face under
the bedciothes and gruaned.
looked at my watch every ten min
utes. The intervals seemed half an
hour. When it was Sfoelock, got up,
dressed and went downstairs. Tho
house was as still az death. At O.
O'Clock l heard a servant in the dining
room. and, going In there, asked for
a cup of coffee. This made me feel
somewhat more comfortable. Return
ing to my room, lay down and dozed
till 10 o'clock, then went downstairs
again. Most Of the guests were at
breakfast. l joined them, drank an
other cup of coffee and swallowed a
piece Of toast with difficulty. Then
went into the smoking room. Mollie
had not yet come down, and wanted
to get out of the way. avoiding meet
ing with her in the presence Of others.
l lighted cigar, but it tasted bad, and
I threw it away. Bob Anderson came
in and sat down opposite me. He lit
cigar and sat smoking ruefully. l saw
that something was on his mind. and
as Bob is a communicative fellow /
felt sure it would come out. Presently
he came and sat down by me.
Il made an awful ass of myself last
night" he said.
Indeed you did," l replied. I re-
membered nothing about him the night
before but it soothed me to think that
he might have disgraced himself worse
than had done.
THAT was an awful break made at
the supper table"
Yes, it was" | replied.
"The COMPOUNDED bottle slipped out Of
my hand. Is there no way to get
wine stain out of silk?'
"None. But you can buy new
dress, suppose"
Buy Marion Hunt a new dress!
That's what made all the trouble.
offered to do SO, and she resented the
offer. taking it as an insult. Her ia
ther is rich, and she has fine income
in her own right"
"Well. Bob. don't worry. Pm in
worse fix than you. l offended my
fiancee, and it is all over between u.s."
How did you do that? You GER
tainly We're not booty. You drank
nothing but few glasses of cham
payne"
Don't know what did" handed
him the slip.
How the deuce did you get hold Of
that?"
Found it this morning in the pocket
of my dinner jacket"
why, it's the Identical paper Marion
Hunt sent me-"
what"
when | covered her dress with
whole bottle of wine. she went upstairs
very angry, | scrubbed few words to
her begging permission TO present her
with another dress, She tore of a
piece of my note and wrote that on it.
But. really, how did you get it!'
1t seemed as If thousand pounds
were taken off my shoulders.
What did we do after superb
asked.
why. you and played with the
foils."
And took off our coatsP
Certainly"
"And hung them upP
"No: threw them on chairs"
"We're about of a size"
every close indeed"