Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-02-16
SO Fair, SO false
By Charles 0arvce


portant people, have not arrived
Rumors OF Miss Vavasour's attendance
have gone forth, and the elite are on
the tiptoe of curiosity and expectancy.
Is it possible that she will not grace
the ball?
Notwithstanding the expected ap'
pearance OF the fashionable beauty
Mays entrance creates sensation
There Is a garrison within a score OF
miles Of Newlands, and the officers,
a race always critical and appreciative
scent out the fresh young beauty.
Before five minutes have elapsed
May is surrounded, and her ball card
would be filled II Mrs. Godfrey Turner
with wisdom gained by experience,
did not whisper a word OF caution.
AS 1t is she Is engaged for three
dances and liz soon whirling In the
arms OF languid captain.
With every sign Of success the ball
goes on Its way.
1t is nearly midnight; the men are
hot and perspiring; the women are
flushed and mostly disheveled, and
still the Letchford party does not put
! In an appearance.
May has danced every dance since
she arrived, and her glazed and or
namented card Is nearly full.
A bright color blooms on her cheeks,
Joyous light CLOVIS In her bright eyes,
but still they turn to the door.
Suddenly, while she Is dancing with
a county magistrate who has address
ed her but twice during the intricate
figures of the dance, she Is sensible OF
a marked sensation In the room
Some one has arrived.
She looks around just in time to see
u stately old lady in black satin and
lace enter the room. Following her
Is tall man, with tawny mustache
and ark, piercing eyes. On his arm
leans beautiful woman, with golden
red hair and pale, fair face.
May does not need to look twice In
instant she recognizes Sir Heron
Ietchford and Miss Vavasour.
Behind them comes yellow.haired
man with one of those perfect Anglo
Saxon faces which one sees, say twice
In n lifetime: beautiful blue eyes
matching the crisk wayy hair, and a
clean.cut mouth--that feature which
IL 80 generally bad-completes the
picture. This is Vane Vavasour, the
beauty's brother.
But, though nearly every womans
gaze after scanning the group, flies
and flxes on the beauty, May scarcely
looks at her, passes even the fair per-
lection Of Vane Vavasour but fixes
her eyes on the calm, impassive face
swift flush mounts to her face and
one thought passed through her brain:
"Will he see and recognize herr"
AS n matter of fact, Sir Heron does
not seem to see any one; with that i'm.
passive composure for which he Is
famous, he conducts his stately
mother to her place amid the mighty
one. and then looks down at his card
with an expression which. II It means
anything, IL significant OF Intense
boredom and WEAKNESS.
To tell the truth, II has needed all
Lady Letchfords persuasive eloquence
to bring him, and now he Is here he
secs that the affair is even worse
than he pictured 1t, and he begins to
turn about for some excuse for flying
from the festive scene and smoking n
cigar and quietude and peace some
where out In the street.
Tall ana picturesque, In one of the
attitudes which the photographers
have rendered go familiar Rose Vava'
sour stands beside the back.satincd
old lady, her long. exquisitely gloved
hands--Piver's best sixteen buttons
folGed on her fan, her face wearing
that smile Of amusement. largely
tin,sed with contempt, with which q
skilled actress might view the Of.
forts OF company of amateurs. her
blue eyes wandering slowly, maiestt
cally languid, over the bWstling mass.
What barharic horde" she muir
murs sweetly to Vane, who, with his
oyeglass, is scanning the multitude
with critical gravity,
Slightly mixed, isn't IT." he says
Tops and bottoms and not little O
tho middle crumb; put EN- all in {
sack, wonder which would come GU
FIRST. But here we are. as the clowI
says, andy George" he breaks of
with sudden admiration--"that's I
beautiful girl. anyhow! This Is bette
luck than expected" and without an
other word he drops his eyeglass an,
J mlngles with the crowd.
! Three minutes afterward May sees
the fair.haired Antinous struggling
through network OF promenaders
; and Ia smitten with amazement whe'
+. steward comes up from somewher
, and says, in the usual studied tone
"Ms. Turner, permit me to intrr
+, duce Mr.. Vanc Vayasour."
! THAT was done some years ago,
: said Mrs. Godfrey Turner. "0f course
you forgot, Mr.. Vavasour; but 81
, women retain their memory longe
. | 49, x.nn~r y,An .lrp't fnrr.