Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-03-13
CHATTER Nv.

the dance. She curled her hair frizzily.
burning it here and there, with slate
pencil heated over lamp chimney, and
she placed above one ear three or four
large artificial roses, taken from an old
hat of her mothers, which she had
found in trunk in the storeroom.
Possessing no slippers, she carefully
had been clumsily resoled, and fasten-
ed into the strings of each small
rosettes of red ribbon, after which she
practiced swinging the train of her
skirt until she was proud Of her ma
nipulation of it. She had no powder,
but found in her grandfather's room q
lump of magnesia that he was in the
habit Of taking for heartburn and pass
ed it over and over her brown face and
hands. Then lingering gaze into her
small mirror gave her joy at last. She
yearned so hard to see herself charm
ing that she did see herself so. Adj
miration came, and she told herself
that she. was more attractive to look at
than she had ever been in her life and
that perhaps at last she might begin to
be sought for like other girls.
1T was in the Pike dressing room that
the change began to come. There was
big cheval glass at one end of the
room, and she faced it when her turn
came-for the mirror was popular
with sinking spirit. There was the
contrast like picture painted and
framed. The other girls all wore their
hair after the fashion introduced to
Canaan by Mamie Pike the week be-
fore on her return from d visit to Chi
cago. None of them had "crimped'
and none had bedecked their tresses
with artificial flowers. Her alterations
of the wedding dress had not been sue
cessful; the skirt was too short in front
and higher on one side than on the 9th
Ell, showing too plainly the heavy soled
shoes, which had lost their polish in the
walk through the snow. The ribbon ro-
settles were fully revealed, and as she
glanced ut their reflection she heard
the. words, Look ut that train and
those rosettes!" whispered behind her
and saw in the mirror two pretty
young women turn away with their
handkerchiefs over their mouths and
retreat hurriedly to an alcove. All the
feet in the room except Ariels We're in
dainty kid or. satin slippers Of the color
of the dresses from which they glinl-
mered out, and only Ariel wore train.
She went away from the mirror and
pretended to be busy with a hanging
thread in her sleeve.
Ariel sat in one of the chairs against
the wall and watched the dancers with
a smile of eager and benevolent inter
est. In Canaan no parents, no guard
ians, no aunts We're hailed forth O.
nights to duenna the junketings Of
youth. Ariel sat conspicuously alone.
There was nothing else for her to do
It was not an easy matter.
Once or twice between the dances
she saw Miss Pike speak appealingly
to one Of the superfuous, glancing at
the same time in her own direction,
and Ariel could see, too, that the appeal
proved unsuccessful, until at last Ma
mie approached her leading Norbert
Flitcroft partly by the hand, partly by
will power. Norbert was an excessively
fat boy and at the present moment
looked as patient as the blind. But lie
asked Ariel if she was engaged fol
the next dance" and, Mamie having
fitted away, stood disconsolately be
side her waiting for the music to begin
Ariel was grateful for him.
The orchestra fourished into La
Paloma;" he put his arm mournfully
about her and, taking her right hand
with his left, carried her arm out to Il
rigid right angle, beginning to pump
and balance for time. They made
three false starts and then got away
Ariel danced badly; she hoped and
lost the step, but they persevered,
humping against other couples contin.
ually.
She caught her partner making a
burlesque face of suffering over hel
shoulder and, turning her head quick
ly, saw for whose benefit lie had con
structed 1t. Eugene Bantry, flying eX
pertly by with Mamie, was bestowin:
upon Mr.. Flitcroft condescendingly
commiserative wink. The next in
slant she tripped in her train and fel
to the floor at Eugene's feet, carrying
her partner with her.
There was q shout of laughter. III,
young hostess stopped Eugene, who
would have gone on, and lie had ne
choice but to stoop to Arel's assist
ance.
ut seems to be habit of mine,
she said, laughing loudly.
She did not appear to see the hant
he offered, but got to her feet with
out help and walked quickly ava,
with Norbert, who proceeded to liv,
up to the character lie had given him
self.
Perhaps we had better not try i
again." she laughed.
We'll, l should think not" he re
turned, with the frankest gloom
With the air of conducting her hom'
he took her to the chair against til
wall whence he had brought her
There his responsibility for her seem
he asked, and there was no doubt tina
he felt that he had been given NOR
than his share that evening, eve
though he was fat
Ariel sat through more dances, il
terminable dances and intermissions, i
that same chair, in which, ii began t
seem, she was to live out the rest c
her life. Now and then if she though
people We're looking at her as the
passed she broke into a laugh and NOT
ded Slightly, as if still amused over III
mishap.
After long time she rose and, laugl
ing cheerfully to Mr.. I'lltcroft. VIII
was standing in the doorway and II
piled with wan smile. stepped o,
quickly into the hall. where she almos
ran into her greatuncle, Jonas taboo
He was going toward the big from
doors with Judge Pike. having jus
come out of the latter's library. dow
the hall
Jonas was breathing sieavily ana wa
shockingly pale, though his eyes wer
very bright. He turned his back upol
his grandniece sharply and went GU
of the door Ariel turned from hin