Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-06-03

''''"'''@s"~~ss sai0 Blanche anxi-
inns Fidelity aid she chafed spirii
[ q anu skzpper working In his face
Notwithstanding dts effort 10 dis
guiss II: whilst, al the same time,
she feared that bis peevish allusion
to the Secretary might have been
overheard: "call on me for the next
set, and | viii dance with you. !"
i II thought your goodness would
relentl 'Tis not In your nature 10
be unkind. Crucial am at your
feet, Senorar--I shall boon the watch.
Scotch JIG, reel. or country. dance,
they ell come pat 10 me. can
dan the bransle, clnquepace, or
minute 1.-THE corant. fandangc, or
galliard. You shall find me at home,
mistress, In every cline. Mean
while, ] will seek our host, The wor-
shiptul Collector: / have not seen
him yet.
This familiarity In the address Of
the skipper, and the importune and
even offensive freedom Of his man
ner, we're the result 81 an endeavor
TO conceal o discontinued temper
under the mask Of gaiety. He had
brooded over the incidents connect-
cd with his late visit TO the Rose
Croft. until bio had wrought himself
into q tone Of feeling that might en-
gender any extravaganca Of behav-
Tor. The coldness Of the maiden,
we have seen, be imputed to causes
Sltogsther independent Of her good
will or aversion; and he was, there
fore, determined to persevere In bis
aim to win her favor-an enterprise
which, In his harsh and rude esti-
mate Of the proprieties Of conduct,
he did not deem Ia any respect
hopeless. He made sure. In his
reckoning, of the friendship Of the
Collector, from whom he had OK
perienced those manifestations Of
good.ieeling which o hospitable aud
sind.hearted man filings around him
almost atrandom, but which Cookies
crafts self fiatterlng temper magni-
fed Into Indications Of special re-
gard.
The agitation OF these topics had
thrown him into 0 perpiexed thought-
|fulnebs which alone was the CAUSE
81 bis tardy appearaneesat the ball;
and now that he Ind arrived, the
same rumination kept him vibrating,
In q moody abstraction, between
total silence at one period, and On
unnatural exhibition Of mirth at the
next, giving 10 the latter that gar
ish fiippancy Of manner which was
so annoying to the maiden.
The cordial and frank civility
with which the Collector recognized
the skipper amongst the guests. I'M
fortunately contributed 10 confirm
him In the opinion Of Master War
den's favor.
why, Richard Cocklescraft, I"
said the host, upon looking UP from
the cards which had been absorb
| ing his attention, and discovering
| the skipper, ARE you here among
| the gray. beardgf Why should you
fiock TO the old fowl when the young
are gathered In the hall7 There Is
no oout Ia your toe. Get thee back,
man--we will have no deserters
hereI You promised TO bring q
blithe foot for o iiR, Master Cookies
craft; are you tired Of the sport a.
readv2"
| Warden" replied the skipper, II
have, but within this half hour, ar
rived at the house; Ills not long
since / left my brigantine, where
matters on board detained me.
''Ha, and you have not danced TO-
night. Then you owe Blanche o
turn Of duty. Go quickly back,
| Richard, and foot Ii with my girl.
| / have praised your log, man, and
said enough to put you on your met
tie. Back 10 the ball, Master Cock
| lescraft, and say to Blanche / sent
| YOU for straight backed comrade
| 10 hold her 10 the pledge OF q reel. "
II am already bound 10 that
pledge, and tho time Is OF hand 10
make II good. ! but stole away for
an instant 70 pay my duty hero,
replied the skipper; and taking
heart from the familiar greeting of
his host, returned 10 the dancing
experiments with lighter step and
more cheerful face.
Blanche took the earliest moment
| to perform her engagement, hoping
by this alaerity 70 acqnit her.
self of her obligation Ia o man
ner least calculated 10 occasion re-
mark. and soonest 70 disembarrass
herself Of her partners impor-
tunity. The dance, on her part.
was reluctant courtesy, and
was accordingly 30 manifested In
her demeauor, la spite other resOlu-
| tion 70 the contrary. COcklescFaft,
however. was too much olated TO
| perceive how III be stood In tho
| maiden's grace. Scant encourage
| ment will suffice To feed che hopes Of
lover; still more scant In lover
: - 4 T.