Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-10

graceful. All were soft spoken and
easy In their manners and either wore
or carried flowers. The evening suits
of the young mon were well in evil
dence and more noticeable to the wear
crs themselves than they would have
been to spectator used to convention
al style of dress. They could be seen
In all stages Of inadapta bility to fig
ures too large or too small, and even
after the dance began there were sew
eral swaps and a due amount of con-
graduation on the improvement from
the apprcciativc fair sex. The young
lady accompanying each young man
had pinned small bouquet on his
lapel, so that it would have been i'm
possible to tell whether man had
natural taste for flowers or was the
. willing victim to taste higher than
his own.
Rayburn Miller and Alan sat smok-
ing and talking in the room of the
latter till half past 9 o'clock, and then
they went down. AS general rule
young men We're expected to escort
ladies to dances when the young men
went at all. but Alan was often cx-
cuScd from so doing on account of liv-
ing in the country, and Miller had
broken down every precedent in that
respect and never invited girl to go
with him. He atoncd for this short
coming by contributing most literally
to every entertainment given by the
young people, even when he was out
of town. He used to say he liked to
Craze and nibble at such things and
feel free to go to bed or business at
will.
AS the two friends entered the big
parlor Alan esped the girl about whom
he had been thinking all day. She was
seated in one of tile deep, lace cur
tanned windows behind the piano.
Frank Ililhouse was just presenting
TO her a faultiessly attired travelling
salesman. At this juncture one of the
floor managers with white rosette on
his lapel called Miller away to ask his
advice about some details and Alan
turned out of the paror into the wide
corridor which ran through the house.
lie did this in obedience to another
uuwrittcn law governing Darley's So
cial intercoulsc--thGt it would be i'm
polite for Il resident gentleman to in
trude himself upon a stranger who
had just been Introduced to Il lady. so
he went down to the ground floor and
strolled into TIE office. 1t was full OF
tobacco smoke and a throng of men,
some of whom were from the country
and others from the town drawn to
ho t.i IA
Office Il door opened into Il bar and
billiard room. whence came the click
ing Of ivory balls and the grounding
of cues Another door led into the
large dining room, which had been
cleared of its tables that it might be
used for dancing. There were Il saving
of iddcs, the twangng of guitars. the
jingle of tambourines and the groan-
ing of Il bass viol. The musicians
black and yellow. occupied chairs on
one OF the tables, which had been
placed against the wall. and one of
: the floor managers was engaged In
whiting paratiin candles over the
floor and rubbing it in with his feet
T Seeing what he was doing, some OF
, the young men. DESTROYS of trying their
, new patent leather pumps, came If
= and began to waltz singly and in cou
pies.
. When everything was in readiness
a the floor manager plloted the dancers
/ downstairs. From the Office Alan saw
them filing into the big room and tax
, ing seats in the chairs arranged aCains
q the walls on all sides. He saw Frank
= Hillhouse ard Dolly Barclay sit dOwr
a near the band: the salesman had dis
appeared Alan threw his cigar away
i and went straight to her
\. "Oh here You arcr' laughed Frank
!, Hillhouse as Alan shook hands Will
her Il told Miss Dolly coming OF
n that the west wind would blow yol
q this way, and when I saw Ray Mille
p just now knew you'd struck thu
a town"
Il at wasn't exactly the wind" replied
n Alan I'm afraid you will forget m'
II if stay on the farm all the time"
z I'VE certainly are glad to have you,
smiled Miss Barclay.
4 IL knew she'd say that-I knew 1t
ii l knew it," said Hllhouse. "A cir
can always think of niger things t'
n say to Teller than his rival can. Ole
- Squire Trabue was teasing me the 9th
,. er day about how hard you was II
q beat, Bishop. but told him the bigge
the war the more victory for some
II body. and, as the Teller said. | tote fai
# and am aboveboard."
II Alan greeted this with an all but Wis
d ible shuddcr. There was much in hi
" dignitied bearing and good appearance
" to commend him to the preference O
% any thinking woman, especially whei
# cOntrasted to Hillhouse who was oni
| little taller than Dolly and was show
IS ing himself even ut a greater diSat
n vantage in his unrefned illusions t
g his and Alan'S attentions to her. II
d deed Alan was sorry for the spoctacl
~ tho fellow was making of himself an
e tried To pass ii over.
d Il usually come in on Saturdays"
n explained.
That's true" said DAILY, with on
III of her rare smiles.
u Yes Hillhouse took another heat
er into forbidden WATERSHEDS abou
Joined your church. they tell me-"
II Alan treated this with an indulger
L smile. He did not dislike Hillhous,
* but he did not admire him, and he ha
III never quite liked his constant attcl
I tons to Miss Barclay But it was a