The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-19
INTER MOUNTAINS DAILY
SHORT STORY
THE NOV EMBER BALL

| entered the house oil the plump and
rubicund Nine. Sapain--thc salcswoman
of funeral ornaments and wrcaths for the
dead-to settle my little bill for keeping
in order the tonibs, and while she was
signing the receipt OF my payment, we
began to chat, for we were, alas very
old acuuaintances.
is this all you need for this year, Mon
sieur? Have you no new ordcr!' she
asked me- her glance full OF melancholy,
mingled with half smile of coincidence,
accompanied with a sigh.
"Mcrciul heavens This is all, Nine.
Sapain" Then. struck with her good
looks. could not help adding:
But, what ilourishing health you enjoy
You get younger every year"
"Oh. yes. Monsieur" said she, her looks
Frightening, her voice gay, and with "A
smile that spread over her face, Il know
that | am not very i'll looking. When busi-
ness goes we'll you understand, | feel the
effects of it. A winter Of influenza and
summer of cholera have been very favor
able for us
could not rcpress a slight movement
and she thought it her duty to mmcdi-
atcly resume her expression OF grief and
compassion. while explaining to me.
should not tell you that, it is not proper,
nut it is stronger than myself. No mat
ter wha, trade one follows one has the
right to show ones sell pleased with sue
cess. In ours, the more money one gains
the more right to rejoice, and the more
necessity is it to appear sad. II is an
Improbable business, full OF difficulties.
We have only to deal with that which fills
mems eyes with tears, and faces made
pallid with mourning garments. II l
should offer them my articles while
springing a light joke for a laugh, or go
skipping around like goat, | would seem
to insult their grief, and to he making fun
OF them. They would at once be offended
and make for the door 1t is necessary 10
have a slow movement church whisper,
a sad look, an attitude entirely iunercal
Oh, Monsieur. it is often very hard. AS
for myself | had not such nature. ! am
naturally lively. chattering aud joyful as
the skylark. At the beginning the con-
straint was tortue. The procession of
whmpercrs in black cxaspcratcd me. Lit
tie by little | grew accustomed to it, but
there are yet moments when it again irri-
tatcs me. However when the shop is
closed. | take my revenge"
And your husband?"
oh as for him. it is his calling. He
was born to it, and then his liver COM
plant draws in his checks and cncirclcs
his eyes with shadows With such a face
he sells whatever he wishes. But my son
Ernest. for example, has entirely the tenn
permanent OF his mother. This irritates
his father, for he cannot get as good value
for the goods as he can himself. With his
excellent health and his sunny face my
H. a abb ha,, ,,t Ia,
days This has made us very anxious, but
all the same we could not torment, nor
put our son on diet--our only son--to
make him look suitable for this work"
Naturally"
"Morc especially as marriage may pos
| sibly arrange everything. There is al.
| ready reason to hope that our Ernest will
| not become cnamored with a jovial per-
| son like himself. lie will have to bring
| us a little pale-faced daughter law with
| an affecting look. Oh, we will find her
| and without looking very far, il there is
| any truth in signs. Ernest is fine look
| ing boy, and everyone knows that in our
| line of business his parents must have
| something. His only difficulty will be i'll
making choice.
Then tell you in confidence, mon
| sicur. and do not speak OF it to anyone in
the world for it might injurc Our business
but Just lately, as a result of some recent
deaths, | was really in need Of some diver
| sion, as q reaction, and we gave in the
store-emptied OF its counters and marble
sabs--a little party-a dancing party.
She hesitatcd, but ! made little gesture
OF approval that made her continue.
ooh, it was very pretty, and my son and
| had covered the walls and re e-covercd
our show windows with tapestries. and on
these hangings we had fastened little bou-
| Duets"
"Of everlasting"
"Preciscly. Well, one has to take what
one has got. Then above we had caught
some garlands-"
"Your wrcaths for the dcad?"
"Yes. but the least gloomy ones. Under
meath the window, at equal distances
Ernest had placed our urns OF marble, OF
pewter and OF porphyry. No one could
have arranged them better, especially when
all was lighted up
"The torches?"
"No, the wax candles and lamps. Al
the wreaths, all the garlands of beads
white, purple and black, sparkling in tn.
light-the effect was really beautiful,
assure you. Besides, we had piano
brought, with cornet and piston. W.
danced the polka, waltz and quadrille unit
daylight. And what a good time we had
How we laughed l can hardly tell you
monsieur"
II can understand that"
Toward midnight we made an immens,
punch in the largest Of our lachrymary
vases. But the funniest of all was tn,
cotillion. No one thought we would hay,
one for | had refused to buy the favors
but the expense was great, just the same
| About o'clock in the morning, wher
everyone thought the ball was over, Erncs
exclaimed: Wait, wait, we are going Il
have a cotillion.' Then he climbed up OF
the table and pulled down the garands III
put them around the nccks of the dancer
first like wreaths, then around their arm
like armlcts, then he cried Now for th
music, and each one looked for his part
| ncr.
Everyone had understood his intention
l 4 a.. -. l.. ~.