Smyrna times., 1906-04-04
AT HE
- ~ "A & BY Martha
I'D a DIV McCulloch-
Il IN NJ II Z Williams
Copyright, 1905, bB Ruby Douglas

Mary Cindy swung down the line.
waving and weaving, her hands as
high as her head, all the while chant |
ing with the rest:
'Whirl about and wheel about, Rose
Wheel about and twirl about, Rosa Bet
sY Lima!
Twill about. whirl about. Rosa Betsy
Lima!
I want you for my d-a-r-l-i-n-gv'
Her chanting was thin and sweet, a
fine thread of melody through the
ramping, romping chorus, which the
rhythmic footballs, heavy or light, ac-
cented into something weird, almost
barbaric. The motion, too, had touch
of primitive savagery-it was so free,
so unrestrained, so vividly vital.
The row of players ran all the big
rooms length, men one side, women
the other, with the topmOst couple ever
changing as those who had stood head
swung down the 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
fiddling. But good Mrs. DOwdell, who
held dancing deadly sin, stood by
looking on happily and laughing heart
lily at the antics and shufliings of the
more vigorous players.
Mary-Cindy's foot was as light as
thistledown. 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
he" very first party.
| Mrs. Dowdell had been doubtful over
the party. Now she was very glad she
| had let ary-Cindy have her way. The
trouble had been nothing to speak of,
and as for the eXpense-well, she reck-
Oned she could call in the 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
brother, a bachelor, and as fond as he
could be of Mary -Cindy. Certainly he
wouldn't make her trouble. AS for
other folks, let them say what they
pleased.
Thus the good dame said to herself
openly in her upper mind. Down be-
meath she felt that the party was worth
while because it had brought young FL
lerton 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, accidental She had but said to
Jack Edwards that he might fetch
whatever young men he chose, and
Jack had chosen to bring Ellerton.
EllertOn had insisted upon being Ma.
ry-Cindys partner in all the plays. He
had said, too, he was going to make
her take him in to supper, so as to bC
sure of getting full share of the good
: things All night he had been laugh
ing and as full of pranks as a boy jus
out of school. lie had even been auda
ci0us enough to drag Mrs. DOwdell her
/ self into one play-for a single round
I of course-and be had fallen into TIN
way Of calling her Nanny Dowdell
4 as did all the other boys, whom sh
{. had about half brought up.
"Aih't he gay one? l wonder hov
his wife'd like it eff she knowed hi
carryin's Onv' Pamela Ricks said i
/ Mrs. Dowdell's ear, nodding as sh
e spoke toward Ellerton.
! Pamela, tall and twenty, had bee
very pretty. Now, at thirty. thinning
i fading, with her soul on edge, she wa
spiteful withal. gossip of the first W;
Is ter But Mrs. Dowdell was a mate
for her.
y "NObody's wife has got any call
mind her husbands bein' at my hous
tie party or no party" she said. with b
easiest smile. But ! believe in bel
keerfuI. That's why | told Frank I
lerton he'd have to put up mostly wi
Mary-Cindy tonight. | wouldn't ha
him beauin' around the other gals.
knowed Mary-Cindy ID keep him out
mischief"
Pamela's jaw dropped. La,
thought you didn't know-no more
the restv' she calculated.
Just then the rush to supper swe
her away-supper which meant b
10 roast turkey. barbecued pig, nine kin
ID of cake and five of custard, not
name hot coffee and brandy fruit. M
DowdeI had stinted nothing, but son
how as she glanced up and down
long table she had set with such hou
NE2 wifely pride it seemed to her suddeI
to hid naught but dust and ash
She mad lied bravely to Pamela.
ng was the only thing to do if she wo'
to save her child from Pamela's a
tongue. Her heart went down, do
as she looked to the farther end of
] room and saw Mary-Cindy with chez
j, like damask roses and starry e
laughing at something young Eller