Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-21

cOtt, arTayeu lot Her ILSl SlSat iS'NA
the governors ball.
Her Worth dress was Of white and
silver. Silver slippers incased her tiny
feet. Her gloves reached to her pearly
shoulders. In her corsage dropped a
knot Of Boule de Neige roses. Spotless
and glistening from head to heel with
no color about her save her yellow hair
and infantile bloom Mignon looked
more like some girl
standing with reluctant feet
Where the brook and river meet"
than a woman who had already passed
through strange experiences.
"Do?" echoed Mrs. Ellicott. why
seek to wiring compliments from an old
woman, my dear? Before the night Is
done your head will be quite turned
with them"
Fifine wrapped a long cloak Of sill
ver-gray cashmere around her young
mistress and a moment later Mignon
was in the carriage whirling away to
the governors ball.
A dream Of splendor, vast bHwild-
ering scene Of enchantment. 1t seemed
to Mignon that she had stepped sud-
denly into Fairyland or some other
equally wonderful place. She looked
around on the countless wax lights,
the profusion of magnificent flowers
that made the ballroom appear like one
great conservatory, the throng OF not
ables, the flashing jewels, the superb
dresses, and her guilty heart failed her.
What right had she in that marvellous
place-that grand company? For a
moment she faltered, trembled. Then
Paget Fassel came hurrying to meet
her. and drew her gloved hand through
his arm. His gray eyes were as bright
as sword blades.
81 have been waiting for you" he
said. What do you think Of it, Mig
non?"
1T Is glorious!" she answered, in IN
awed whisper. 1T is what I have
longed and prayed for all my life"
"A singular subject for devotion" he
said, teasingly. by and by, little en-
thusiast, you will penetrate below the
surface of things, and the glamour will
dissolve like mist in the SUM-"
Mono! To be here tonight-to
have part in this splendor, is worth all
peril all punishment! i mean"
checking herself in confusion, that l
seem never to have lived till this mo-
ment"
He smiled at her childish ardor, and
directly they were gliding away to the
measure of a waltz. In her gown OF
white and silver, with her downy
shoulders and yellow hair cleaning,
her heart beating madly, her head gid
DIV with the music, the lights and the
perfumes, she went on and on with
him, forgetting everything in the JOY
Of the moment.
Edith Fassel. in pearls and cream
brocade, glided past with the banker
Burchard, whom, as all the world knew.
she had more than once rejected.
Mignon turned to look after the pa
trician beauty.
"She is as grand as a goddess" she
muTTluTeu "Oulu IihS ~ SSS 4ANA go
a Cleopatra gown, with Roman lamp
in her hand"
Don't let Queenie overawe you"
said Fassel. lightly "Those high airs
of hers really signify nothing"
Il want her to love me-" answered
Mignon, wistfully.
she would be less than human If
she failed to do that. To refrain from
loving you, Mignon, is the supreme diff
ficulty."
Her foolish heart thrilled, but before
she could answer a Harvard law stu
dent whisked her from Fassel, with
the words, This is our dance, Miss
Hillyer," and she was brought quickly
back to her senses.
Her new partner, a callow youth
with a weak mustache and braZen
stare, made no attempt to conceal his
admiration for the beautiful debutante.
How the other buds glare at you!"
he said, cheerfully. You are far and
away handsomer than any Of them, you
know. There's one sitting by her chap
eron in the corner-looks as though she
would rend you limb from limb. Hear
that waltz-Waldteufel Floats you
along as naturally as a south wind
blows a rose. BY the way" with sud-
den suspicion in his tone, "Fassel is a
particular friend of yours, eh?"
Yes" replied Mignon.
IL hn c.
coveries. Did he ever tell you how he
went to Japan to hunt chrysanthemums
no. twas to India after orchids.
Somewhere up the Himalyas, or along
the Brahmapootra, he found an odd
specimen-it's here tonight" glancing
down the ballroom, where mirrors
doorways, chandeliers and mantels
were fringed and banked in costly
bloom. I'll show it to you. He also
caught a jungle fever, and barely es-
capped with his life. Why do girls al
ways admire men of that stamp?" in a
decidedly aggrieved tone.
Because they are as rare as the
Brahmopootra orchid" replied Mignon,
with a dreamy smile.
Dance succeeded dance. The music
throbbed and swelled. Mrs. Ellicotts
heiress soon found herself the sensa-
ton of the night. Soft batteries pur-
sued her at every turn; she was sur
rounded by a crowd of admirers and
loaded with favors. Even the less for
tunate buds-the girls left unsought in
ers-acknovledged her exquisite
loveliness and charm, and sighed to
themselves: "She is sure to be the
new beauty of the year"
The hour was growing late. Roses
began to droop. toilets were losing their
pristine freshness.
Weary with much dancing Mignon
had taken refuge in a recess. cut on
from the ballroom by a silken curtain
and was waiting there for her devoted
follower the law student, to fetch mel
an ice. On the other side of the por-
tiere the crowd moved to and fro
Presently she heard a woman's voice;