Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-05-02
A Fortune For
a Dance
Spirited Bidding For a Partner
at a Chanty Ball
By HENRIETTA DEERINC

or plantation system existed in the
southern states. there were three dis
tinct elasses-the planters, the poor
whites and the negro slaves. Ii l.
questionable IL the negroes condition
was not preferable to hat OF the poor
white.
Colonel Richard Runlet OF Virginia
was kind to his slaves. and both be aud
all his family were greatly Interested
In charity.
A neighboring planter. Oliver Des'
borough. having had bad luck for
several years In succession with his
tobacco crop. found himself in pecuni.
ary difficulties Colonel Runlet assist.
ed hlm. ana when D~esborough was
sold out under foreclosure of mort.
gage the colonel bought his plantation
and his negroes. paying for them q
higher price than he was compelled
TO pay. But when he discovered that
there was q love affair between Des-
borough's only son. Lawrence, and his
OWN uduSlltI. NOlSldutNs Nv SUI 'N
young girl 10 understand that no union
could take place between the W
families on account of the Desbor
oughs' impoverished condition.
Constance was but seventeen n
Lawrence twenty. She was too young
to defy her father. and her lover had
little on which 10 live. to say moth
ing Of taking care Of a wife. Besides.
he was an ambitious young man and
scorned the idea Of remaining In a re-
gion where the wealth was inherited.
not made. and where he must inevi'
tably be always considered a poor
white" II nearly broke his and the
girls hearts TO part, but part they did.
he going north to carve out a career.
Lawrence Desborough disappeared
century. Out Of the wreck Of the fam
fly fortune his father gave him $1,000,
saying: MY boy. you are young and
strong and smart. Use this money to
advantage. and some day when you
have succeeded come back here and
buy back the plantation and those ne
groes who may not have left It," Law
renee babe his parents goodby. and 1t
was a long while before he saw his
home again.
Colonel Runlet was one of the few
planters who emerged from the war
with their plantations intact. though
number of his slaves had drifted else
where. The majority. however. re-
manned to work for him for what he
could afford to give them. The old
life had passed away. and
even the colonel, though better of than
most Of his n~eighbors. found 1t difficult
to maintain himself. His former gifts
charity could not be continued, but
the women Of his family worked for
the benefit Of the poor In those ways
to which their sex is peculiarly adapt
ed, getting up fairs and amusements
for the purpose Of raising money. Con-
nov twenty-seven years old
and very attractive, was foremost In
all such efforts and was worshiped
not only by those whom she assisted.
but by those who worked with her.
During the winter after the close of
the war there was so much misery not
only among the lower classes. but
among many who lived in affiues2e
that Constance asked her fathers per-
mission to give a masked ball for char
ity. He consented at once, and every
preparation was made to give eclat to
the occasion. Since the work to be
done was far beyond C~onstance's sim
gle powers she invited a number of
her friends to become her assistants.
The staff was divided into committees.
one of which was to search for unique
customs which might be introduced
at the ball.
Among the recommendations made
by this committee was one that one OF
the members. had read Of In q Spanish
book. In Granada there was or had
been a custom at balls given for the
purpose Of raising money wherein the
privilege Of the frst dance with any
lady was sold to the man who would
pay the highest price for 1t. The com
mittee arranged that those ladies who
would permit the privilege Of this
dance with them to be sold should be
auctioned Oh before the dancing be-
gan. About a dozen prominent young
ladies' consented, among them the host
ess. Constance Runlet.
The costumes were Of home manu-
facture, for there was no money with
which to buy them. But such labor
tends to make the object for which It
IL undertaken the more enjoyable.
AntebelIum wardrobes were ransacked.
and every available bit Of fnery that
had been slowed away In tys south's
haicyon period was brought out to be
turned into dresses for e prin-
cesses and other historical Characters
for the women. and kings and noble
men for the men When the Influx OF
guests had ceased there was q nourish.
By the orchestra ~Qmprovised negro mu-
sicians). and the throng made its way
to the dancing hall. where the auction
for partners was to take place. Colo
mel Runlet's house was one Of those
colonial Virginia mansions IN which a
ballroom vas Indispensable. IN this
case the whole Of the top story was
devoted to Il. At one end was I dais.