Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-14

He has agreed to a conference
here?" the young lawyer asked, anx-
iously.
why, of course His butler has just
told me he would see me Immediately
after the ball begins"
Stuart breathed easier.
THAT it's all right was just going
to suggest that speak to Mr.. Bivens
for you"
Not at all, my boy, not necessary,
assure you. 1t will be all right. In
five minutes talk our little differences
will all be settled"
"If 1 can be of any service, you'll let
me know"
Certainly" the doctor replied with
frown, but the whole thing is set
tied already. Still, 1 appreciate your
Offer"
Stuart was worried. He could not
press the matter further. He was sure
from the sensitive tones in which his
old friend declined his help that
his dignity was hurt by the Of
fer He was positive there was a
misunderstanding somewhere. The
doctors optimism had led him into an
embarrassing situation and yet his as
sociation with Bivens as his first en-
ployer had surely given him some
knowledge of his character.
He hesitated, about to speak, chang
al i,,I On Hor
You look glorious tonight, little pal!
Funny that never saw you in evening
dress before. You look so tall and
queenly, so grown, so mature. You're
beginning to make me feel old, child.
I'll be thinking of you as a grown wo-
man next"
Il am twenty-four, you know" she
said, simply.
II have never believed it until tonight.
wouldn't have known you at first but
for your voice l had to rub my eyes
then"
A warm blush tinged the pink and
white of the sensitive face.
"Oh, Jim, can't tell you how sweet
your southern blarney is to my heart!
l dreamed of a triumph Of art. I saw
it was impossible before 1 sang, and
now the pretty things you've said have
taken all the sting out Of defeat and
I'm happy"
Then I'm glad, dear"
He paused, leaned close and whis-
pered:
Wont you let me know when your
father has seen Mr.. Bivens? If this
conference doesn't go we'll 1 may be
of some help"
"All right, I'll let you know"
The lights were suddenly turned low
er, approaching total darkness. The at
tendants noiselessly removed the tenn
porary stage and cleared the great
room for the dancers.
AS the chimes struck the hour Of
midnight, skeleton heads slowly began
to appear peeping from the shadows
of the arched ceiling and from every
nook and corner of the huge cornice
and pillars. Draperies Of filmy crepe
flowing gently in the breeze were light
ed by .sulphurous- -hued electric rays
from the balconies. Tiny electric
lights blinked in every skeletons sunk
en- eyes and behind each grinning row
of teeth.
Again the chatter of fools was sud-
denly hushed. The orchestra began
weird piece of music that sent the
cold chills ripping down Stuart's spine.
Harriet's hand gripped his.
Heavens" she whispered. did
you ever dream of such a nightmare"
Suddenly two white figures drew
aside the heavy curtains in the arch
way and the dancers marched into the
sombre room.
The men were dressed as shrouded
skeletons, and the women as worms.
The men wore light fiimsy gray robe
on which skilful artists had painted
on four sides in deep colors the pic
ture of human skeleton.
The women wore a curious light
robe of cotton fibre which was drawn
over the entire body and gave to each
figure the appearance of a huge cater
pillar.
From the high perch of a balcony
sepulchral voice cried:
"The Dance of Death and the
Worm!"
The strange figures began to move
slowly across the polished floor to the
strains of a ghost-like waltz.
From the corners of the high balco-
nies strange lights flashed, developing
in hideous outlines the phosphorescent
colors Of the skeletons and long, fuzzy,
exaggerated lines of the accompany
! ing worms. The effect was thrilling.
| Every sound save the soft swish Of the
CHASTITY robes and the delicate football
of ghostly feet ceased. Not a whis-
per from a sap-headed youth or yap
from an aged degenerate or a giggle
| from a silly woman broke the DEATH
like stiffness.
Suddenly the music stopped with a
crash. Each ghostly couple, skeleton
and worm stood motionless. The sill
very note of a trumpet called from
the sky. The blinking eyes of the
death heads in the ceiling and on the
walls faded slowly. The figures of
the dancers moved uneasily in the
darkness. The trumpet pealed a sec
ond signal-the darkness fed, and the
great room suddenly blazed with ten
thousand electric lights. The orches-
ira struck the first notes of thrilling
waltz, and presto!-in an instant the
women appeared in all the splendour
of the most gorgeous gowns, their bare
arms and necks flashing with priceless
Jewels and each man, but moment
ago a hdeous skeleton, bowed before
her i'm immaculate evening clothes.
| Just at the moment each caterpillar
| threw to her attendant her disguise,
from the four corners of the vast room
were released thousands of gorgeously
tinted butterflies, imported from the
tropics for the occasion. AS the dam