The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-03-21
AT THE
PLAY
PARTY
BY Mausshs
HeGgiaech-
Williams
Copyright. asas. bv Ruby Douglas

~
;s Copyright. aso5. bv RUBY Douglas
EsE.s=Ez.Ess== =E:s=....:..=..-::==-
Mary-Cindy swung down the line,
waving and weaving, her hands. as
high as her head, all the while chant.
:sng with the rest: :@. ~.
'''Whlri about and whee! about. Rose
Wheel about and twirl about. Rosa Bet
rwirl about. wairl about Rosa Betsy
Lima! -,
! want you for my d-a-r-l-i-n-g!"
Her chanting was thin and sweet,
tflne thread OF melody through the
-ramping, romping chorus. which the
Thythnaic footballs, heavy or light, &C.
.cented into something weird, almost
ibarbaric. The motion, too, had n touch
OF prinaitiye savagery-it was SO free,
$50 unrestrained, so vividly vital. -.
The row Of players rau all the big
rooms length, men one eide, women
the other, with the topmost couple ever
changing rs those who had stood head
swung down tho middle together, then
separated, meeting and parting and
swinging as they met up the sides
again. The play was no more than
reel, lacking only the piping Or. the
d1ddling. But good Mrs. Dowlell, who
held dancing a deadly sin, stood by
Rocking On happily and laughing heart
lily at the antics and shuflings of the
more vigorous players. .i.''.' ~,
Mary -Cindy's foot was as light as
ahistledown. Her mother thought proud
ly how clumsy she made the other girls
look, unintentionally, Of course. Mary
.Cindy would not think Of willfully out
shining them thus in her own house at
her very arst party. T.. - -. -. f..
]. Mrs. Dowdell had been doubtful over,
the party. Now she was very glad she
had let Mary Cindy have her way. The
trouble had been nothing to speak of,
<oned she could call In tho neighborhood
young folk to feast and frolic this one
night without asking anybody's leave.
What If she had not quite paid back all
the money she had to borrow when her
husband died2 She owed it to her
brother, a bachelor, and as fond as he
could be Of AIary-C -Cindy. Certainly he.
wouldn't make her trouble. AS for
other folks, let them say. what they
pleased. " - = =: -. .~-.>= ..~;-..>= III
Thus the good dame said to herself
openly In her upper mind. Down be-
heath she felt that the party was worth
while because it had brought young Ell
1erton again within range Of Mary Gin
.dy's eyes. He had seemed struck with
her at the. big meeting, now six weeks
back, but had somehow not come to
:call, as she had confidently expected he
would. But nobody could say she had
run after him. His coming was. after
"a sort, accide She had but said to
rjuck EddWaEds thatt ne might fetch
whatever young men he chose, and
Jack had chosen to bring Ellerton. Il i =:
# Ellerton hnd insisted upon being Ma.
ry-Cindy's partner In all the plays. He
had said, too, he was going to make
her takei him In to supper, SO as; to be:
:sure OF getting q. fill share OF the good
things. All night he lind been laugh
ing and as full OF rranks as q boy Just
Won't nf s.eheel @ re @ 1.e.l e.,e.. 1,ee..
-cious enough to drag Mrs, ,Dowdell her.
sself into one play a. single round,
or coursevand he had fallen into the
way gof calling her Mhmmy Dowdeii,
AS did oil the other boys, whom she
had about half bronght up. s 2;sS i s.
! :;'A Amt he aEgay one & + wonder how
his .wife'd like sitS eff she knoWed his
-carryin''s on! g, Pamela iRicks said. In:
DoWff iii D III aJiiainK ns siits
spoke toward ElIerton $;=i: s,I 5;s
$SS Pamela tell ;anls 8 enty, had been
very 5prett d Now. att SflIrty thinning,
fading, with her sotl on edge. she was:
!spitefnl withal, a gossip oe he ifirst wa
ter, But uE jMrs. lDowde Ell was q match
Cor her. y<
wife has; GOT any call "a
mind her husband, d,s bein.t at my house. use,
party or no part ys,,s s,,s she said. with her
seasiest smile. ssRat i: believe in 3bein,
5.keerfnl That IS Syshy tIs told Frank El-
$aerton he'd have to put up mostly with
Mary Gindy tor,ig III. &. i wonldn,t have
alirn beanins around the other Ea d. ss,i
sknowed . Mary S,lndy ID keep him out ~.
1nischief :5Fs,,
: :. > SlIaamela's droppe cd d,
thought iyon di in't know no. n1nra,.n
the rest t', she i siaculat ;ss3
;siss tsos auppers swept;
3taaer away per WIKI cl B neant shot
sroast turk barb rbeeued PIC, nine kinds
lfe and 49, Oh cnstar not TO
name hot cORae mid brand fruit. Mrs
DeHdell had thine nut sones
gW aa nI, nnIi 1es,n. ahs,s
$tabla abe had sst !wsiith ssncfa t5oIlse.
SNTifeIy pride IS gesI,ea itS her asis. denly
snaugh but dnnt and asiles.
) She nad Hes bravesys Sfto I' I'asnela It
ss:yyss the only thing I'd s1o BE; slhs SwouId:
her srfanieia,s acid
Her heart went own,s down
s:as che looked tiaa END az the the
sasv ith cheeks
assSTS atarry eyes
ushinsa ak N sxsnE Niiarfon1