Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-02-16
CHAPTER VI.

tremest courtesy, be termed fly, Is In
requisition; every household which,
by similar courtesy can be called
respectable, is in a ferment.
No other event, not even the cleo
lion. can vie In interest with the an
nual county ball, for Is It not the hap
by hunting ground upon which all the
county can meet on an equality
coutry 'squires, farmers, magistrates,
and lords Of the manor2
It ia the one event which stirs the
county to It's core, and has an Inter
est for gentle and simple alike.
In correct evening dress, with dia-
monds glttering in his shirt-front and
at his wrists, Mr.. Dalton PAGES up
and down the hall, over and over
again glancing at his heavy repeater
and CHANGING up the broad stairs.
It is FIVE minutes past the time at
which they had arranged to start, and
as yet there Is no sign OF Miss Dalton.
A Hy-Mrs. Goeffrey does not
possess carrlage-pulls up at the
door, and that lady, In all the bravery
of black satin and ancient diamonds,
enters the hall.
mot ready YETI" she exciaims.
"Punctuality 10 feature of the coun-
ty ball. my dear Mr.. Dalton"
I'm ready; Pm waiting for May;
no says, pathetically: land May never
was and never will be punctual."
"Lct me go up to her." says Mrs.
Turner, and ascending tho broad
stairs, she knocks Mt Mays door.
Come I'M" cries that pert young
lady's voice, and Mrs. Godfrey Turner
entering, sees her protege standing be-
fore the glass, while the French maid
Is lacing the white satin dress. and
Carrie 10 stretching tho white gloves,
mot ready, my dear!" exclaims the
old lady,
No" says May curtly. II should
have been ready half IN hour ago II
they would have allowed me TO dress
myself, but they wouldn't. Are we
later"
my dear | left your father literally
fuming In the hall"
Don't let that alarm you, papa al
ways does fume--he likes It,"
Then the last hole having been at.
tanned, she turns and confronts them
Carrie. on her knees, leans back In
speechless admiration, and even Mrs.
Godfrey Turner can find no words
for the moment.
Pretty and piquant at all times May
is looking her best tonight.
II IL wonderful how white satin, with
n simple flower in the hair, will
heighten a young girls beauty.
With her sweet, oval face. and soft
brown eyes, set OF by tho exquisite
dress. May burst like n vision upon
them,
Even Mrs Godfrey Turner Is salts.
fed.
Come, my dear" she says, in awed
accents, your father IL waiting. How
we'll you hook"
why satin liz better that sackcloth
and ashes, after all" says May: What
a nuisance eightbutton gloves are!
There, that Is the last OF them Good.
by, Carrie! I'll tell you everything
that happens. What are you staring
at, child?"
AT youI" says Carrie, open eyed.
"oh, you look beautiful, positively
beautiful, Doesn't She Mrs. Turner"
"Humph! well enough Come, we
sha, be late"
Then they SO down 20 Mr.. Dalton,
fuming and fussing In the hall, and
the two footmen usher them into the
carriage and shut the door with n
bang, and they start.
Thanks to May they are late, and
by the time they reach the Town Hall
they find that the staircase Ia crowd
I'D by n noble army OF young men,
who. bashful until they warm TO It,
prefer to cling about the entrance to
entering the Macy dance.
Mrs Geoftrey Turner pilots them
through this, and they enter the ball.
room.
II is Mays hrst ball. For oil her
sefassurance this Is q new expert
ence for her.
The dazzling lights and rich dresses
break upon her vision for the first
time-for the hrst time she enters q
veritahle ballroom.
The ball Is divided into two parts
At the bottom and by far the coolies
and most comfortable part of th'
room. congregate the nobodies. tn,
farmers and small people, the here
that does not belong to the Crawford
society Through this Mrs. Geofrre.
Turner has TO fight her way, and, AZ
ter long and arduous struggle, sh,
reaches the upper end of the room.
There. enthroned on velvet fauteuils
cit the elite OF Crawford, and to thi
privilege part Mrs, Godfrey Turne
fights her way.
There la no cord drawn, as at eom
similar assemblies, but the distinctio,
was quite as marked. At the uppe
and worst ventilated part of the room
Ii stationed the aristocracy-at tn
lower and nv far tho hnnlthiar nar