Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-10
CHAPTER XXI.
Jetta Speaks On.


feverish dream the whole affair seems
to me, as I recall 1.-THE gayly decor
ated yachts in the roadstead, the island
lin gala dress and full of festive COM
motion, the grand people thronging the
house, and last night-the ball!
AS soon as the sun set, headlands
and beaches began to blaze with bon
fires and the entire garden, down to
the old seawall, was hung with hun
dreds of colored lamps. Mrs. Otway
begged me to go downstairs with Bee,
and to please the child l consented.
Palms and ferns, and orange trees in
full bloom, lined the wainscCted hall and
the oaken stairways. India silks of
every hue, brought by Hawkstone from
abroad. stuffs from Persian looms,
brocades. massive with peacock's eyes,
draped the two long drawing rooms,
now thrown into one. From a tempor-
airy balcony, hidden in flowers. an or
chestra from Whithaven discoursed
sweet music. The waXed floors glitter
ed like mirrors; silver candelabra, as
old as George III. held aloft clusters
of lights.
l found a shelter for Bee and myself
in a recessed window Of the ballroom.
| Hawkstone, in the dress of Rocham-
beau. was dancing a minuet with Miss
Rokewood-the latter attired as a COL
onial belle. Violet Van Dorm flashed by
| in an Eastern dress of red velvet and
gold brocade, with rows Of golden
sequins in her black hair. Vatican
shepherdesses wandered about in pink
and blue gowns, with Marie Antoinette
fchus, and crooks ornamented with
| natural flowers. In the wake Of these
damsels followed a patre, in pale green
Jacket and lilac satin small clothes.
Ruffs and rapiers were there, ermine
and velvets and jeweled girdles; trains
Of gold brocade, bordered with yellow
feathers: diamonds and old Flemish
laces: costly odors radiant eyes, gay
voices.
It's like something out of my fairy
books" said Bee, as she sat beside me
in her white frock of quaint Kate
Greenaway pattern.
Yes. dear" I answered.
The orchestra struck up Ghys's Air
de Louis XIII" Eight couples, in
court costume. with Hawkstone and
Miss Rokewood at their mead, began
the gavotte-that charming French
dance which carries ones thoughts
back two centuries, at least. AS l sat
watching the powdered and bejeweled
ladies gliding under the uplifted ra-
piers of their gallants, Colonel Latimer,
in the dress of a Turkish bey, entered
my retreat He held out to me an
enormous bouquet of tuberoses.
Sweets to the sweetest Of all the
world" he murmured, in a voice too
limpassioned to be agreeable. by JoVe!
it's a pity the handsomest woman in
the room should be hiding behind a
curtain, while her palmer sisters have
their fling"
Pretending not to hear I smelled the
flowers and said to Bee, in prim, gov
erness fashion:
My dear, in the gardens Of Ver-
saillcs there was once an alley. where
King Louis courtiers-those fine peo-
pie who originally danced the gavotte
could not walk after nightfall, be-
cause of the overpowering odor OF
tuberoses."
Don't keep them" said Bee, turning
up her small nose. Il like better the
Parma violets that papa gave you at
dinner"
"Here-take them, Colonel Latimer!"
| exclaimed. 1T is not strange that
the French courtiers found such sick
ening sweetness unbearable."
With a disappointed air, he tossed
the whole waxy, hOneyed mass out OF
the open window.
Since you reject them"-he sighed
-"let them die"
l wished him thousand miles dis
tant at that moment. He leaned con-
fdingly on the high back of my chair
and looked out into the ballroom. HIS
Turkish fez hid the bald spot on his
crown. but brought into undue promi-
nence his high Roman nose.
"Deuced good display, eh?" he re-
marked. "Hawkstone looks we'll in
that court get-up. Pity men OF MS
mold couldn't wear gold lace and side
arms nowadays. So picturesque!'
Yes" assented, rather vaguely.
"YOnder comes a death s-head at the
feast" pursued our Turk, as Mr. SUIT
ton appeared under neighboring por-
there supported by his valet. "Wonder
what he can find to amuse him here
He's a dyspeptic of the Thomas Car
lyle stamp: dancing isn't in his line.
He seems very ill.," 1 remarked
"Of course He was recently robbed
and assaulted in his Newport home
YOU know. and being an invalid any
way. the affair nearly finished him.
Robbed! assaulted" l echoed, hor-
rified.
TO my surprise, the colonel grew red
as a lobster.
BY Jove! | oughtn't to have men
toned it," he stammered. "Hawkstone
begged us all never to speak Of the
matter here. My head is quite giddy
tonight. Miss Ravenel." And his eyes
beamed upon me all too kindly. won't
YOU send this ever-present child away
for q few moments, and let me speak
to you alone?"
Il could not think of such thing!
I answered. Say nothing to me, Col
onel Latimer. that Bee, or anybody II
the room may not hear"
"Ah." he grOaned; you. then. for
bid me to hope?"
Most certainly"
He heaved a prOdigious sigh, anc
went out Of the recess to come back n(
more.
By-and-by. Mr. Sutton, on the arm
of Parker, approached our window.
| drew back to avoid observation, bu
he stopped directly before me, and Il