The herald., 1913-04-24
HER LAUDABLE EFFORT
BY EFFIE SAUNDERS,

u.
non-committally. There Is the wealth.
er and the daylight and 80 many 9TH
er things ones supposed to notice a
change in"
oh, tell me all about that some 9TH
er time!" interrupted the little stenog-
rapher Il had the floor, and | simply
asked you a question to be answered
yes or no. l had reference to a
change for the better. However. know
1t would be hard for you to distin.
guish any added graces and beauties
In me, so withdraw my question"
Thank YOU" murmured the book.
keeper, meekly.
You'll be pleased to know that I'm
follower of one OF the muses.. | af.
feet gymnastics-and they, incidental.
ly, affect me! OF course, gymnastics
In themselves are not my aim-rather,
they were not. once could see myself
spinning around on one toe. rushing
gracefully across the floor with out.
stretched arms as though to catch a
streak OF lightning, suddenly halting
and spinning like top; then vigorous
ly repeating the performance with vari.
atoms.
You know. l really saw a flesh and
blood girl do such things. And she
said 1t was easy!
Il talked with her about It and. oh.
she was so graceful, 1t seemed to az.
feet even her tongue! While she talked
she moved around me like a fairy. and
nearly fell over myself in awkward
attempts to get out Of her way every
time she came near me! But she
talked right on. and never noticed any.
thing. She was so well-possessed. as
a result of her dancing.
SO l grew more and more interest.
ed. She told me what she had studied,
and how long she'd been at it-iust
two years and what 1t cost for q
course and, above all, how much fun
It was!
Il felt the need of something of the
sort. When I'm out in company | sit
Still and envy every one, most of the
time! 1t seems that I'm the only,per.
son on earth who hasn't a single ac-
complishment! And after talking with
the girl who knew gymnastic dancing
l could see myself calmly smiling at
all my new hosts of friends while they
begged me to dance for them. / could
see myself, after much coaxing, rising
languidly and. amid a breathless hush.
pirouetting into wonderful dance!
Il could see club women begging
me, as favor, to help them entertainl
l could see myself doing innumerable
dances with wonderful men escortine
me, throughout all the rest of my life !
Well, OF course. couldn't start
right In pirouetting in graceful mazes.
/ had to begin with the groundwork!
That girl had to, too, when she be-
gan. 1t sounded all right. I thought
l could hastily brush over the neces.
sary foundations, and hasten onward
to the heights.
I'm still Fastening, but the heights
have gone up so high In the meantime
that I've given up even wanting to get
there! Do you know. in order to
dance, you have to be able to swing
Indian clubs to music, Just as fast as
you can go-whether your head gets in
the way or not makes no difference
until it's just as simple to you as
swinging your arm over a boat.
Thus far l can manage to grasp
the club firmly and put it back of my
head every other count without muir.
dering my neighbor-and l consider
that this degree Of dexterity is quite
an achievement.
Then you have to be able to bend
forward, with your knees straight, and
touch your hands to the floor. Now,
the tips Of my fingers come almost
within a foot of the floor when I'm
bent double that way, and I'm most ap.
preciative Of the early martyrs who
had their muscles drawn out as far as
possible. Unless / crack, l fear my
hands will never touch the floor!
Then you have to stand facing
front, and at a signal turn so that just
the half Of you from your waist up is
facing back! I know it sounds i'm.
possible, but it's required and that's
all there is to 1t. You Just have to-!
1t isn't the only absolutely impossible
thing that I'm forced to do!
But, anyway. I've paid my tuition,
and they say it's identifying, so I'm
making 1t my ambition now to grow
beautiful!
"Oh, yes-I didn't tell you that. The
reason I've relinquished the dream of
dancing Is that / discovered that my
graceful adviser studied every day
Of her two years, all day long! / have
been trying to learn in one hour a
week, at night! / suppose now, If
fail to grow graceful. I'll find that it's
because should have begun trying as
an infant, before my bones hardened.
But as long as they keep the bitter
truth from me, shall continue to
hope!"
You asked me a little while ago"
said the bookkeeper, IF noticed diff.
ference In you. had noticed 1t before
you spoke. I thought 1t was rheuma-
tism!"-Chicago Daily News.
Mos< R.arexfshls