Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-10-27
CHAPTER XXXVl.-Continued.

! Beautiful she surely was. Her ball
! gown was of light golden stuff, and
/ there was a coral wreath upon her
! hair, and her dancing slippers were
/ of coral hue. There was no more stri
| king figure upon the floor than she.
/ Jewels blazed at her throat and caught
/ here and there the filmy folds of her
/ gown. She was radiant, beautiful, ap,
parently happy. She came mysterious.
/ ty enough; but l knew that Mr.. Cal
houn's carriage had been sent for her.
! ( learned also that he had waited for
her arrival.
AS first saw Helena Won Ritz, there
/ stood by her side DR.. Samuel Ward,
! his square and stocky figure not I'M
! dignified in his dancing dress, the stiff
| gray name of his hair waggling after
! it's custom as he spoke emphatically
over something with her. A gruff
man. DR.. Ward, but under his gray
name there was a clear brain, and
/ In his broad breast there beat a large
and kindly heart,
Even as I began to edge my way to-
! ward these two, I saw Mr. Calhoun
himself approach, tall, gray and thin.
He was very pale that night; and |
knew we'll enough what effort it cost
him to attend any of these functions.
Yet he bowed with the grace of q
Younger man and offered the baroness
an arm. Then. methinks, all Washing
ton gasped bit. Not all Washington
knew what had gone forward between
these two. Not all Washington knew
what that couple meant as they
marched in the grand procession that
night-what they meant for America
Of all those who saw, | alone under.
stood.
So they danced; he with the dig.
nifty of his years, she with the grace
which was the perfection of dancing
the perfection of courtesy and of dig
nifty also, as though she knew and
valued to the full what was offered to
her now by John Calhoun. Grave,
sweet and sad Helena Won Ritz
seemed to me that night. She was
wholly unconscious Of those who
looked and whispered. Her face was
pale and rapt as that of some devotee
Mr.. Polk himself stood apart, and
plainly enough saw this little matter
go forward When Mr.. Calhoun ap-
preached with the Baroness Won Ritz
upon his arm, Mr.. Polk was too much
politician to hesitate or to inquire. He
knew that it was safe to follow where
, John Calhoun led! These two CON
yersed for a few moments. Thus,
fancy, Helena Won Ritz had her first
and last acquaintance with one Of our
politicians to whom fate gave fa1
more than his deserts. 1t was the
fortune of Mr.. Polk to gain for this
country Texas, California and Oregon
not one of them by desert Of his
own My heart has often been bit
ter when I have recalled that little
scene. Politics so INSCRIPTIONS car
| not always have a John Calhoun, 6
Helena Won Ritz, to correct, guard anG
guide.
After this the card of Helena vor
Ritz might we'll enough indeed beer
full had she cared further to dance
She excused herself gracefully, say
Ing that after the honor which haC
been done her she could not ask more
| Still, Washington buzzed; somewhat
Of Europe as we'll. That might have
been called the triumph of Helena vor
Ritz She felt it not. But I could see
that she gloried in some other thing
approached her as soon as pos
sible. Il am about to co." she said
| Say goodbye to me now, here. W.
| shall not meet again. Say goodby K
\ me now, quickly! My father and are
zcing to leave. The treaty for Ore