The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-15
T H E B ALL

room, a large number of gentlemen had
already assembled. They all seemed
cheerful and happy. Some walked in
4 couples up and down the ballroom. and
talked with great volublity: but not one
of them understood a word that himself
or his companion said.
| "Ah, sir, how do you know that?"
! Because the speakers showed plainly
/ by their looks and actions that their
| thoughts were running upon their own
personal appearances and of the figure
they would cut before the ladies when
| they should arrive, and not upon the SUBJ.
ject of the discourse. And, furthermore,
their conversation was like that of one
talking in his sleep; without order, sense
or connection. The nearer always made
the speaker repeat in sentences and half
sentences often interrupting him with
| 'What?'' before he had proceeded three
words in remark and then laughed
affectedly, as though he saw in the sense
less, unfinished sentence a most excellent
joke. Then would come his reply. which
could not be forced into connection with
a word that. he had heard, and In the
course of which he was treated in pre-
cisely the cvility which he had received.
And yet they kept up the conversation
with lively interest as long as listened
| to them.
| Others employed themselves in COM
menting spontaneously upon each 9TH
ers dresses and figure, while some took
| steps-awkwardly.
| In the meantime. the three Junior man.
ayers met and agreed upon the parts
which they were to perform. Herein
| thought they were unfortunate. To Mr..
F'lirt, a bustling, 1dgety, restless little
man, about five feet two and a half inches
| high, was assigned the comparatively
easy task of making out and distributing
the numbers. Mr.. Crouch, good
| humored, sensible but rather unpublished
gentleman, undertook to attend the car
lriages, and to transport their precious
| treasures to the ballroom, where Mr.. Du-
pree was to receive them, and see to
their safe-keepine&I|htil the dancing COM
menced. The parts of the married men,
up to the opening of the ball. was settled
by common law. They were to keep a
sharp lookout lend helping hand in
case of emergency, drink plenty of wine,
see that other gentlemen, particularly
strangers, did the same, and. finally. to
give any gentleman who might have come
to the ball encountered with a little loose
change an opportunity of relieving him
self.
| Things were thus arranged Crouch
standing with a group>of gentlemen, of
which | was one, in the entry leading to
the ballroom, when Mr.. Flirt broke upon
| us, as II the whole town were on fire,
and all the $50 had risen, with Good
God. Crouch. there's Mrs. Musings car
riage at the door, full of ladies', and not
a manager there to receive them. Ill
swear it is too bad
''Horrible!" said Crouch, and away he
went.
| But Mrs Mushy, with Miss Feeble and
| q al f1a for of he
stairs unattended before Crouch, or even
Flirt, who was considerable in advance
of him, met them. Mrs. Mushy who
was lady of very full habit, looked
huffishly as Flirt took her hand, and Miss
Feeble and Miss Decide blushed sarcas-
| tically. Flirt made hundred apologies,
and Crouch looked first at Mrs. Mushy,
then at Flirt, and Uttered. What a
lovely figure Mrs. Mushy is!'' said he, as
he turned of from delivering his charge
to Dupree., s. 49, al ,sss :.
"Oh, Mr.. Crouch said Flirt, IF you
begin making your fun of the ladies'
Already, w'd better break up the ball at
once. BY Heaven, it's a shame!' r.
Upon my honor. Mr. Flirt," said
i Crouch ~ ,tEiink ssheA beautiful. al.
ways 1iKed d light arid airy figure, partlc-
ularly for a ballroom, y IN.
i BY this time sDupree had Joined u.s.
4 > n
hardly missed him before back he rushed
from the ballroom, exclaiming. why,
gracious heavens. Dupree! there are those
three ladies sitting nthe ballroom and
not q gentleman in the room to entertain
them! Do go and introduce some of the
gentlemen to them, II you please -
"Flugens!'. said Dupree, what an
oversight and OF he went for enter
tainers. fter several Intellectual attempts
lrA At lar 80 - ~
Mr.. Boozle to be made acquainted with
| the ladies.
| Mr.. N. seated himself at the right of
| Miss f., and Mr.. B. to the left of Miss
| D.; Mrs. NJ. occupying a seat between
the girls, and looking for all the world
as If she thought. ''well, this is the last
ball I'll ever attend, unless its a little
better managed But the young ladies
looked like q May morning as soon as
the gentlemen approached After pause
of two minutes: ~ p.
|; Its very pleasant evening"" said
Mr.. NOZZLE to Miss Feeble. 80 - 4a
Delightful said Miss Feeble to Mr..
Noodle.
ITS delightful evening"" said Miss
Decide to Mr.. Boozle.
Very pleasant said Mr.. Boosle to
Miss Decide.
II thought there were some married
managers Of the ball. said Mrs. Mushy
emphatically. Here ensued long pause
Are you fond of dancing?' said Mr.
Noodle.
| 'Ah. what's that you say. NOZZLE
said Booxle-'you are not fond of dane
ing? Come, come, that'l never do. You
tip the pigeon-wing too well for that"
You quite misapprehend me- SIR" re-
turned Mr.. Noodle. Mine was not a
declaration touching in the remotest de-
gree my personal predictions or an
tipathies, but a simple interrogatory to
Miss Feeble. No, sir; though cannot
lay claim to the proficiency of Noverre
in the saltant art, am, nevertheless. ex-
travagantly fond of dancing too much
so, fear, for one who has but just
commenced the viginti lucubrationes an
norun. as that inirnitable and fascinating
exposition Of the elements Of British ju-
risprudence. Sir William Blackstone OBJ
serves. To reach these high attachments
I in forensic" 3 ~. 4
Here the young gentlemen were forced
to resign their seats to a number of la
ledies who now entered the BALLROOM
What an Intelligent young gentleman
! said MISS Feediet II declare I must set
/ my cap FOR him.
think the other much the most in
4 terestinE Of the two" said Miss Decide.
He's too Affected. and too fond OF show
ing on hts learning. What did he call
that inimftable expositor' :? 1nny Crash
ionis.' @~
p The seats were soon filled with ladies'.
almost all Of whom Except Mrs. Mushy)
| entered the room in the same style.
/ which seemed to have been strictly copied
%~n 10 - =