The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-02
vi.
"N1rs. Grundy, Sir!"

MIS-. Grunuy, ST..
a pinewood 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. Hither, 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 %firtations inside
IL 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 acknowledgements evening, the
last before he left st. Jean de Luz,
invite her for a waltz. And Belinda,
In her shabby dress and capabilities,
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 a 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 un1edged gtrls), 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. MI. Jones, the only other
. young man she knows in the world.
does not dance round dances, and
s certainly would not choose a partner
in a black frock and frayed-out san
dals if he did. Her lot in life is to
look Ola all-flower 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
roo is thronged.
Swan-like throatS and delicate
compilations from NaGrid, oriental
eyes and Titian-like colcring from Sc
vile, marble whiteness and chiselled
Grecian features from Cadiz. Oh,
what pretty women these Spaniards
are, what a jest is life to them. A
song, a waltz, a Irritation in their
earlier years, and then tresillio and
prayers to the end. As responsible,
examination-passing, ~degree-takins
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. On
occasion when a Partisan woman OF
fashion will drape her meagre charms
to the chin, a Spanish one will in.
variably appear bravely bare-shoul.
dered. And this not in the ballroom
or on the balcony only. Of q moon.
: light night, here in St. Jean de Luz
you will meet them by dozens, full
8 dressed, yes, and in satin slippers
with flowers in their hair, calmly
& p~romenading along the streets or in
the public gardens of the town. AND
what a becoming full dress it is! The
national veil ard high comb, a Il
%canola, which a short time back were
things well-nigh Of the past through,
out the Peninsula, are the highest
mode among the Spanish ]aristocracl