The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-03-04

J struttcd ~valianrry as a Growing cock
In his " ~ts-%ys-a.
Come. Placlae. we arc sa!,g tn a
ball; we can do nothing in our quest
tonight !,
ITO a what?" Y
"A ball. l thought 1T might be well
to have you look in upon Madame
Ms and recite YOU lessons. 1t is
10 be a famous gathering and well
worth your seeing"
l was in a whirl. n stupor. by this
time. and obeyed implicitly; beside, 1t
required such an infinite skill to keep
my sword from swinging between my
legs and throwing me down. 1 had no
time to consider of minor matters. He
led the way and l followed meekly as a
lap-dog.
AT the great entrance gate we be-
came %entangled 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. I blended
with Jerome to turn again, but he was
inexorable. ~
II expect to find out something
tonight" he explained.
OF this ball 1 remember nothing but
that the slippery floor. in which a man
Soulu see ms own face. kept me in
deadly fear lest my sword trip me.
Jerome was gay and laxative, pointing
out many people of whom l heard, but
they did not look so great after all.
FOR sake OF heaven. man, wear not
SO long a face: 1T is not the furteral of
my mistress l have brought thee to-"
l marveled that so MANY old ladjes
should carry such young faces, or per-
chance their hair had turned gray ear
Her than was its wont in the colonies.
AND, too. they seemed sadly disfgured
with boils, for on the chin or cheek
ol nearly every n there showed a
patch OF black sticking plaster. Poor
things! 1 sorrowed for them. 1t wos
SO Illuminating. Verify, l pitied them
all. II specialized on the wonderful
compensations 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 In omehen
sunny locks. "to
1 touched upon these matters 10
Jerome, but he only laughed immoder-
ately. He was ever a light-heaaed
Young spark who gave no contempla-
oon 10 deeper questions than present
enjoyment.
or a sudden my wits almost left mo
at a terrible cutlery from one end of
the great hall. a cry not of human be-
lhss but of Wild beasts, muffled and
menacing. The dancing. the music tba
hum of voices ceased, and a thicl, 81
lence as of direst fear fell upon then,
All. lhen there came a loud cracking
and shattering of glass, a woman's
scream, the first of very many. This
Tor ausht know might have been a
usual happening at a ball., l had never
been to Il before.
l 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.
ram would have assisted him, for the
damsel appeared wofully beset. hut the
whole throng of minclng lords and
screaming ladies'. in the rankest riot,
oNefran me. They swept me from nv
feet n bore me back to the farthest
wall. Where found myself pinned tight
and fast against a window.
What the danger was | could NOT
see, but 1t must have been dolorous
from the headlong terror of their flight.
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 mischance a flock of sheep
had broker into the ballroom, and
frightened out of their shallow senses
by the lights and music, they rushed
pelimell here and there. upsetting with
out discrimination whatever stood in
their path.
- ooSiA LII OLSGl MOulu 90 brave
work against an enemies ranks, for
could u 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 humblest page who bore his
pouncet box. Such a slipping and a
sliding across a floor slickened with
much wax and polishing, was never
In a ballroom before. nor ever was
again. One old ram regarded each mir
ror as a certain venue of escape. and
the rad1ating fracture of each taught
him no greater wisdom concerning the
others.
Standing spellbound as a statue in
the midst of the ruins, caught sight
OF a ford, rotund lady. speechless in
her horror and her misery.
The duchess does not enjoy her
quaint surprise" laughed a light voice
behind me. and q slim finger directed
my gaze toward the lady whom I had
just noted.
1 observed then at my back, stand
ing upon a chair where she could see
the better. a young woman of distin-
guished appearance, rather more plain
ly attlred than the balance. She ap-
peared greatly to enjoy the confu-
sion.
Continued Next Weekly