The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-03-03
| -atrutted v~aliantly as a growing cock.

strutted ~valiantly as a Growing cock.
In his own barnyard.
Come, Placide. we are going to a
bali: we can do nothing In our quest
tonight
ITO a what"
"A ball. 1 thought it might be we'll
to have you look in upon Madame
Ms and recite your lessons. 1t Is
to be a famous gathering and we'll
worth your seeing"
/ was in a whirl, a stupor, by this
time, and obeyed implicitly; beside. it
required such an infinite skill to keep
my sword from swinging between my
legs and throwing ME down, / had no
time to consider of minor matters. He
led the way and I followed meekly as a
iap-dog.
AT the great entrance gate we be-
came e%ntangled in a medley of soldiers,
coachmen, torch-bearers and servants
coming and going-such a babel of
strange oaths-I wished I were safe
again in the quiet OF Biloxi. l pleaded
with Jerome to turn again. but he was
inexorable.
II expect to find out something
tonight" he explained.
OF this ball l remember nothing but
that the slippery floor, In which a man
could see his own face. kept me in
deadly fear lest my Swor trip me.
Jerome was gay and laxative. pointing
out many people OF whom l heard. but
they did not look so great after all. s
70 sake of heaven, man. wear not
so long a face; II Is not the funeral OF
thy mistress / have brought thee to-"
I marveied hat so many old ladies'
should carry such young faces. or per-
chance their hair had turned gray ear
lier than was Its wont in the colonies.
And. too. they seemed sadly disfigured
with boils. for Oil the chin or cheek
of nearly every one there showed a
| patch of black sticking plaster. Poor
| things! I sorrowed for them, 1t was
SO huTIliiiHtifis. Verify, piti-d them
all, n ~speculated on the wonderful
compensatfons of Providence. With all
their wealth and rank. their lordly
castles and their Jewels. these noble
danes could not purchase that which
the humblest serving-maid III Quebec
had, n to spare-a clear skin and
sunny locks.
I touched upon these matters to
Jerome. but he only laughed immoder-
ateiy. He was ever a light-headed
young spark who CAV no contempIa-
ton to deeper questions than present
enjoyment.
OF a sudden my wits almost left me
at g terrible outcry from one end of
the great hall, q cry not OF human be-
ings but OF wild beasts. muftied and
menacins. The dancing, the music, the
hum of voices ceased, and a thick ST.
lence as OF direst fear fell upon them
all. Then there came a loud cracking
and shattering of glass. a woman's
scream. the first of very many. This
for aught IHknow might have been a
usual happening at a ball, 1 had never
been to one before.
1 looked for Jerome. He was gone
speeding toward a young lady SUR
passing fair, with whom he had been
speaking but a few moments since. /
fafn would hav assisted him, for the
damsel appeared wofully beset, but the
whole thTong OF mincing lords and
screaming ladies, in the rankest riot.
overran me They swept me from my
feet and bore me back to the farthest
wall, where found myself pinned light
and fast against a window.
What the danger was l could not
see, but 1t must hav been d~olorous
from the headlong terror of their hisht.
Soon by the thinning of the crowd
through the doors I saw a cause. 1t
was a motley and a moving spectacle.
For by some m~ischance a flock of sheep
had broken int the ballroom, and
frightened out OF their shallow senses
by the lights ard music. they rushed
pellnell here and there. upsetting with
Out discrimination whatever stood In
their path.
Verify such an onset would do brave
work against ar enemies ranks, for
could Jul knights but make a gap like
that, an army of children might march
through .~unhindered. All went down
alike before their charge, my lord and
my lady, the prince of the blood, and
the hulnblest page who bore his
pouncet box. Such a slipping and a
sliding across a foo slfckened with
much wax and polishing. was never