The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-06-18


masquerade 10 De gwen oe ene palac
DO you oesire our . atteIioance *
Only Tor or1ef space
The prince sat IN deep tnouSne
Gilderseane: ne sa1d at LAST Sou
have given Us many PROOFS OF your WIS
dom as well as OF your noeiity. II snall
be as you desire
a royal command was ISSUED 1o1 a
masquerade that was to exceed IN
splendor any fete that bad been pre-
viously given Society at once cropped
pleasure IN the present to take trmer
bold on pleasure In the future. Auwere
busy hunting original costumes The
principally was secured for. the oldest
the richest costumes while artists were
called upon to produce the most 1antas-
tic designs
The evening arrived. The palace was
4 blaze of lights and, though 1t was
winter. its interior reseInbled garden
of the tropics. The arriving guests
sprans from their carriages with eager
steps and hurried into the palace.
Pleasure had been pent during the In
terrai CT preparation and was now
ready to burst forth with new riSor.
Brilliant lights fell on resplendent COS
tunes. Jewels received the rays, broke
them and sent them back in dazzling
hues The music had in 1t 4 quickentnS
thrill to set the blood courSinS. the feet
flying. There were girls with supple
figures. women with Queenly ones,
slender youths and men OF stately mien,
all Swayin-. rocking in the dance. AS
the hours flew by. the music grew mad
der. the dancing more abandoned.
From supper room came popping OF
corks. bursts of laughter. shouts OF
merrlment- The dancers. breaking
from prescribed forms, danced alone.
Ivory arms waved aloft- Beneath a
fringe of silk and lace lshnpely feet IN
kid tiuttered like the wings OF a SWARM
OF white butterflies.
The clock struck L. )
The music stopped.
The dancers. wondering. paused and
stood still
Two lackeys threw open portal, and
the prince ATTENDED by his suit. en-
tered. moving silently and amid silence
to the throne When he was seated
four masked men came through side
door bearing bier covered with a
canopy Of satin and velvet and, max
ing their way through the guests, who
opened before them.-set it down in the
center OF the ballroom. Then, while
the revelers looked on with repressed
expectation. one OF the bearers remov--
ed a pail and uncovered figure mask
ed and in costume.
.-What singular feature!''
"EIs hfghness has outdone himself
IN originality"
WHO could have consented to play
so Srewsome a part-the part Of the
dead:"
us he dead?''
dead! he will arise presently ana
give us novel dance. something never
seen before. Come. let US form ring
and spin about him to give him inspfra-
ton"
The speaker seized the hand OF q
girl locking on. and. willy nilly- she was
carried along. Others joining till a cir
Gle was formed extending to the very
limits OF the BALLROOM, all dancing.
shouting. singing round and round
Presently one Of the dancers broke
from the ring and advanced to the bier-
Come" he said, arise and give Us
the dance Of death And he tore
away the mask
A thrill Of horror shot through the
crowd There rigid, a form Of clay, a
face Of marble. cheeks hollow. eyes
sunken. chin dropped upon the breast,
lay the earthly part OF one who Few
days before had been the merriest man
in the principally.
: The assembly stood as II perife6-
Il there were sounds, they were gasps
OF horror; II there were movement, It
was by some who had tainted. The
1,-frno r SyoYonvoh1o the foot