Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-02-15

May is surrounded. and her ball card
would be filled if Mrs. Godfrey Turner
with wisdom gained by experience,
did not whisper word of caution.
AS it is she is engaged for three
dances and is soon whirling in the
arms of languid captair.
With every sign of success tie ball
goes on its way.
1t IS nearly midnight; the cen 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.
a joyous light glows in her bright eyes,
but still they turn to the door.
Suddenly, while she is dancing with
d 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
a stately old lady IN black satin and
lace enter the room. Following her
is tall man, with a tawny mustache
and ark, piercing eyes. On his arm
leans a beautiful woman, with golden
Ered na.r and pale, fair face.
May does not need to look twice. In
a instant she recognizes Sir Heron
Letchford and Miss Vavasour.
Behind them comes a yellow-haired
man with one of those perfect Anglo
Saxon faces which one sees, say twice
in a lifeline: beautiful blue eyes
matching the crisk, wavy hair, and a
clean-cut mouth-that feature which
is so generally bad-completes the
picture. This is Vane Vavasour, the
beautys brother.
But though nearly every woman's
gaze, after scanning the group, flies
and fixes on the beauty, May scarcely
looks at her. passes even the fair per
lection of Vane Vayasour but fixes
her eyes on the calm, impressive face
Of Sir Heron Letchford, while a
swift flush mounts to her face and
one thought passed through her brain:
"Wili he see and recognize herr"
AS a matter of fact, Sir Heron does
not seem to sec 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, if it means
anything is significant of intense
boredom and WEAKNESS.
To tell the truth, it has needed all
Lady Letchford's persuasive eloquence
to bring him, and now he is here he
sees that the affair is even worse
than he pictured it, and he begins to
turn about for some excuse for flying
from the festive scene and smoking a
cigar and quietude and peace some
where out ir he street
Tall ana picturesque, in one of the
attitudes which the photographers
have rendered so familiar Rose Vava
sour stands beside the black-satined
old lady. her long. exquisitely gloved
hands-Piver's best sixteen buttons
folded on her fan, her face wearing
that smile of amusement, largely
tinsed with contempt, with which a
skilled actress might view the eff
forts of q company of amateurs. her
blue eyes wandering slowly. majesti-
cally languid, over the bustling mass.
what a barbaric 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 OF
the middle crumb; put 'em all in a
sack, wonder which would come out
first But here we are. as the clown
avs. andy George" he breaks off
with sudden admiratiOn-"tha a
beautiful girl, anyhow! This is better
luck than | expected" and without an
other word he drops his eyeglass and
mingIes with the crowd.
Three minutes afterward May sees
the fair-haired Antinous struggling
through a network of promenaders,
and is smitten with amazement wher
steward comes up from somewhere
and says. in the usual studied tone
"Mrs. Turner. permit me to intro
luce Mr.. Vane Vavasour."
That was done some years ago. -
said Mrs. Godfrey Turner. ''Of course,
you forget, Mr.. Vavasour; but old
women retain their memory longer
than young men. don't forget
you
Net a bit nOnplused, though memory
utterly refuses to help him, Vane Va
vasour assumes an expression of de
lighted satisfaction.
Don't believe it, Mrs. Turner; |
couldn't forget you if tried How
well you are looking-and this is your
daughter?"
How distinctly you remember l
] never had a daughter. This is Miss
Dalton. You want to be Introduced. I
suppose. This isn't my first county
ball Mr.. Vayasour"
81 shan't be my last, my dear
madam, says the immoyable Vane,
IF his be a fair specimen"
My dear" says Mrs Godfrey Tur-
ner, ignoring this too paIpable fattery,
"h,.ve YOU 3 dance left? # not, do
not let us keep Mr.. Vavasour."
May flashes a would-5e indifference
at the handsome stranger. then con
suits the card for some minutes. but
there is something in the quiet, m