The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-02-21
AT THE
Il II IA 4 by Martha
N H1INU NcCulloCh-
4 ~ m 4 Villa ms
Copyright. aoJ. ~ Euh4 Douglas

waving aud weaving, her hands as
hugh as her head. all the whtie chant
ing With the rest:
"whirl about and Miel ahao, Rose
Betsy Lima
wheel about and tvat .,l,..= Rosa net-
sy Lima
rwin about whin ahe1, Re-sa Get-sy
LENA!
want you for ny d=o,r-l=i-n-G,'
Her chanting WAS thin ana sweet. Il
ane thread OF melody through the
ramping, romping chorus which The
rhythmic FOOTBALLS. heavy or light. az
eented into something weird, almost
barbaric The motion, too, had n touch
of primitive savaSery UT MS SO free.
No unrestramcd. 50 wildly vital.
The row Of players ran all the biz
rooms length men one side, women
the other, with the topmost couple ever
changing rs those who had stood head
swung down the middle together, then
separated. meeting and parting and
swinging rs they met up the sides
reel, lacking only the piping OF the
fiddlinE But good Mrs. Dowdell. who
held dancing a deadly sin. stood by
looking ON happily and laughing heart
ily al the antics and slullllngs Of the
more vigorous players.
Mary Cindts foot was rs light as
thlstcdown Her mother thought proud
~ how clumsy she made the other girls
look, unintcntionally. of course. Mary
Cmdv would not think or willfully ont
shining them thns in her Own house at
her very first party.
Mrs. poWdell had been doubtful over
the party Now size was very glad she
had let Mary CindN have her way. The
trouble had been nothing 10 speak of,
and as for the expense we'll. she reek-
oned she could call in the nrighborhood
yaun. folk To feast and frolie this one
night without asking anybody's leave.
What if she had not quite paid back all
the money she had 10 borrow when her
husband died? She owed il to her
brother. Il bachelor. and n fond as he
could be Of Mary Cindy. Certainly he
wouldn't make her trouble As for
other folls. let them SAY what they
pleased
Thus the good dune 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 II Mary Gin
| w. IA 81
her at the big meeting. now six weeks
back, but had somehow hot come to
call. rs she had confidently expected he
would hut nobody could say she had
run after him. His coming was, after
IL sort. nee identnl She had but said 10
Juck Edwards that he might fetch
whatever young men he chose, and
| Jack had chosen 10 bring Ellcrton.
Eilcrton had insisted upon being Ma
ry-CindY'5 partner IN all the plays lie
had said, too. lac was going TO make
her take him in 10 supper as to be
sure of getting full share of the good
| things All night he had been laugh
ing and MS fun of pranks rs u boy just
out of school lie had even been nuda-
clouS enough 10 ufuS hrS #it'HutH hei-
self into one play#for sinSie round,
Of course and he had iatleh into the
way of chilling her Nanny bowdeil,
as did MI the other boy whom abe
had about hair brought uP
".Ain't he II gay one | wonder how
his wfcd Hike II ef she knowed his
carryin's on Pamela RI said In
Mrs. Dowdelfs eur noddin, as she
spoke toward Elierton
Pamela. tall aud twenty had been
very pretty. Now. at thirty. thinning,
finding, with her soul ON edge. she wus
spitctul wlthal, Il gossip of the first wa.
ter. But Mrs Dowdell WIS n match
Tor her.
"Nobody's wife has got any call TO
mind her husbands bein' al my house,
party or no party she sail with her
easiest smile. "I.ut I believe in bein'
kecrful. That's why | told Frank FL
lertOn he'd have 10 put up mostly with
Mary Cindy tonight | wou Int have
him beauin around the Other gals |
knowcd Mary Cindy Il keep him out o
mischief"
Pamela's jaw dropped ia, l
thought you didn't know-no more'n
the rest" she calculated
Just then the rush to supper sweep
her way-suppcr which meant hot
roast turkey, barbccued pig nine kinds
Of cake and five Of custard, not 10
name hot coffee and brandy fruit. Mrs
Dowdell had stinlcd nothing, but some
how as she glanced up aud down the
long table she had set with such house
wifely pride 1t seemed TO her suddenly
to held naught but dust and ashes
She had lied bragcly TO Pamela. 1t
was the only thing TO do If she would
save her child from Panela's acid
tongue. Her heart went down, down
rs she looked TO the farther end Of the
room and saw Mary Cindy with checks
like damask roses and starry eyes
laughing Mt something young Ellerton
had said, then suddenly dartlng away
from him TO greet q late arrival.