The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-03-22
CHAPTER vi.
''NIrs. Grundy. sir."

a pfnewood ballroom, wide open on
three sides to the sea- an orches-
ira, composed of harp and piano; a
second smaller room for ecarte and
tresillio; such is the st. Jean de Luz
Casino. Hitler, when the absence
of Miss Burke gives her freedom by
night as well as by day, comes Be-
linda.
Not within the precincts, sacred to
payers, of the ballroom. A terrace
of sand extends round the whole area
of the building; and from this ter
race Belinda, with other waits and
estrays, like herself, is accustomed to
watch the dancers, the dresses, the
pretty women, the flirtations inside
II am afraid not without some occa-
sional sharp pangs of envy at her
heart.
Once, and only once, has the poor
little girl been asked to dance. Maria
Jose de Seballos, the beringed and
bergamotted young Seville wine mer-
chant, who, as we have seen, still
holds a place in her dreams, did on
one ver-to-be-forgotten evening, the
last before he left st. Jean de Luz,
Invite her for waltz. And Belinda.
In her shabby dress and espadrilles,
was for about the space of about
eight minutes in paradise, whirling,
blissfully whirling, among ladies in
silks and flowers and jewels, the arm
of the real grown-up partner support
Ing her, the whispers, sweet to vanity
though redolent of garlic to the
senses, of a real grown-up partner in
her ear!
Such stroke of fortune, she
knows, is not likely to befall her
again. Maria Jose talked nonsense
to her in plenty (such nonsense as
men of all nations do talk when they
dance with unfiedged girls), babe her
remember him in her prayers till the
day came when he should return and
carry her away for good to Seville,
and so on. But Maria Jose, let Be-
linda dream as she may, is gone for
ever. Mr.. Jones. the only other
young man she knows in the world,
does not dance round dances, and
certainly would not choose a partner
in black frock and frayed-out san
dals if he did. Her lot in life is to
look on-a wall-fower not yet seven
teen-with pulses beating madly to
the music and nimble feet that will
not hold themselves still, and eyes
that say Dance with me, dance with
mel" to all the smart young gentle
men as they lounge up and down the
ballroom!
She haunts the terrace, as is her
wont, Costa at her heels, between
nine and ten o'clock of the first even
ing of Roses arrival. 1t is an I'M
usually gay little ball at the Casino;
some near connection of ex-Spanish
royalty present; and the dancing
room is thronged.
Swan-like throats and delicate
compilations from Madrid, oriental
eyes and Titian-like coloring from Sc
vile, marble wilderness and chiselled
Grecian features from Cadiz. Oh
what pretty women these Spaniards
are, what a Jest is life 10 them! A
song, waltz, a Irritation in their
earlier years, and then tresillio and
prayers to the end. rs responsible
examination-passing, degree-takine
human creatures, women of Anglo
Saxon race have everything to be
proud Of thankful for. But know.
Ing nothing, like children, and like
children enjoying everything, how
thoroughly, unconsciously charming
are these soft-faced women of the
South?
They were in full dress, almost
without exception, this evening. OF
occasion when a Partisan woman OF
fashion will drape her meagre charm.
to the chin. Spanish one will in
variably appear bravely bare-shoul
dered. And this not in the ballroom
or on the balcony only. or a moon
light night, here in st. Jean de Luz
you will meet them by dozens, full
dressed, yes, and in satin slippers
with flowers in their hair, calml,
| promenading along the streets or ii
the public gardens OF the town. An,
what a becoming full dress IL isl TIL
national veil and high comb, Il
| canola, which a short time back wer
things well-nigh of the past through
out the Peninsula, are the highes
mode among the Spanish aristocrac,