Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-11-15
Mary and Lord Culpeper
dancing the minuet

grace OIL utliltT anu LIS hai ShhSSS
of feature softened by her rose bloom
Of youth.
Catherine Cavendish was dancing as
the others, but seemingly with no heart
in It, whereas her sister was all
glowing with delight in the merriment
of it and her sense Of her own beauty
and the admiration Of all about her.
and smiling with the innocent radi-
snce of child.
AS / stood watching her felt a
touch on my arm and looked. and
there stood Mistress Cicely Hyde,
and her brown face was so puckered
with wrath and Jealousy that l
scarcely knew her.
Did not Mary's grandmother send
you to escort her home, Master Wing
field?" said she in sharp whisper,
and | stared at her in amazement.
when the ball is over, Mistress
Hyde" I said.
"'Tis time the ball was over now"
said shr. '''ris folly To keep it up
so late us this. and Mary hath not
had a word for me since we came"
But why do you not dance your
self. Mistress Hyde?
Il care not to Dance" she said pet
tishly and with glance Of mingled
wrath and admiration ut Mary Caven-
dish that might have matched mine
or her brothers. and ! marveled deep
ly ut the waywardness of Il maid s
heart. But then came Ralph Drake,
who had not drunken very deeply. be-
ing only flushed and somewhat lost
to discrimination and disposed to dance
with another since he could not have
his cousin Mary. and he and Cicely
went away together, and presently,
when the minuet was over and an
other dance OH. saw them dancing in
time, but always Cicely had that eye
of watchful injury upon Mary.
1t was late when the ball was done,
but Mary would have stayed 1t out
had it not been for Catherine. who
almost swooned in the middle OF a
dance and had to be revived with
aromatic vinegar and lie for awhile
in my Lady Culpeper's bedchamber,
with black woman tanning her, until
she was sufficiently recovered to go
home. Mary did not espy me until,
returning from her sisters side to or
der the sedan chairs, she jostled against
me. Then such blush Of delight and
relief came over her face as made my
heart stand still with rapture and
something like fear. "YOu here. you
here, Harry?' she cried and stammered
and blushed again. and Sir Humphrey
and Cicely, who were pressing up,
looked Mt me jealousy.
~ am here at your grandmothers
request, Mary" said.
Then my Lord Estes came elbow
ing me aside and made no more Of
me than If were a black slave, and
hoarsely shouting for the sedan chairs
and the bearers, and after him Ralph
Drake and half score Of others, and
all cursing at me for convict tutor
and thrusting at me.
All the road was white with moon
light, and when we came alongside
Margery Keys house, as I live, that
white cat shot through the door, and
Immediately after l, looking back,
saw the old dame herself standing
therein. though it was near morning,
and she quavered forth blessing after
me. God bless thee, Master Wing
field, In life and death. and may the
fish of the sea come to thy line. may
the birds Of the air minister to thee,
and all that hath breath of life, wheth-
er it be noxious or guileless, do thy
bidding. May even he who Is name
less stand from the path Of thy de-
sire and hold back from thy face the
boughs of prevention whittier thou
wouldst CO." This said old Margery
Key in a strange. chantlng-like tone
and withdrew, and light flashed out
In the next house. and the woman who
dwelt therein screamed, and Mistress
Mary. thrusting forth her head from
the chair. called me to come close.
AS for Catherine, she was borne
along as silently as though she slept,
being, doubt not, still exhausted
with her swoon. When l came close
to Mistress Mary's chair, forth came
her little hand. shining with that pre-
ciousness Of fairness beyond that OF