Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-08-19
The Melting Of Molly
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for she is as light as feather and
sails on the air like thistledoWn- ieit
sorry for Tom, for when he danced with
me he could see her, and when he dane
ed with her pouted at him. even over
Judge Wade's arm. verify believe IL
was from being really ratified that ne
asked little Pet Buford to dance Win
him-by mistake as It were After
that II Pet breathed single strain OF
music out of his arms didn't see IL.
I knew that gone expression on bis
face and It made me feel 30 lonesome
that was more gracious to the Judge
than was exactly safe. he dances just
as magniHcently as be exists In LIE,
and 1t Is q kind Of ceremonial 10 do 1t
with him. The boys all wore white
dannels and most Of the men. but the
fudge was as formally dressed as he
would have been In midwinter, and
wondered II Alfred could be half as
distinguished to look at / suppose my
ewes must have been telling on me
about how grand I thought he was
looking because newell, was rather
relieved when one Of the boys took me
out of his arms for a good. long. swing
ing twostep.
And how l did enjoy 1t all, every
single minute Of 1t! Ny heart beat
time to the music as II It would never
tire of doing so. Miss Chester and l
exchanged little laughs and scraps OF
conversation in between times, and l
fell deeper and deeper in love with
her. Every pound have melted and
frozen and starved of me has brought
me nearer to her. and just can't
think about how I am going to hurt
her in a few days now. put the
thought from me and 80 let myself
swing out into thoughtlessness with
one Of the boys. And after that l
really didn't know with whom ! was
dancing, / began to get 50 intoxicated
with It all.
never heard musicians play better
or ret more of the spirit Of dance In
their music than those did tonight.
they had Just given US the most lovely
ywinging things. one after another,
when suddenly they all stopped, and
the leader drew his bow across his
1ovn. Never in all my life have l
yer heard anything like the call OF
that waltz from that gypsy's strings.
It laughed you signal, and you 1elt
yourself follow the first strain.
Just then somebody happened to
take me from whomever l was with.
md caught step and glided of the
universe. The strongest arms that
had felt that evening-or ever-held
me, and l didn't have to look up to
see who it was. l don't know why l
knew, but I did wasn't clasped 30
very close to him or left to float by
myself an inch. was Just a part OF
him like the arms themselves or the
hand that mine nodded into. And
while that wonder music leased and
cajoled and Knocked and rocked and
sobbed and throbbed l laid my cheek
against his coat sleeve and gave my
self away, I didn't care to whom.
Again that strange sense Of some
wonderful eternal good came to me,
and found myself humming Billy's
little soul to keep prayer against
1.-The doctors sleeve to the tune Of that
magic waltz. had never danced with
him before. Of course, but felt as If
In had been doing 1t always, and !
melted in his arms as that baby had
wilted to his mother out In the cabin
la few hours earlier. and don't see
how such happiness as that could stop.
but with a soft, entreatng wall the
music came to an end. and there the
doctor was. smiling down into my
face with his whimsical. friendly
smile that woke me up all over.
Somebody has stolen a rose from
the Carter garden and brought 1t to
the dance" he said with laugh that
was for me alone.
mo" l flashed back, "a string bean. !"
And with that danced OF again with
the Judge. while the doctor disappear
ed through the door. and ! heard the
! chug Of his car as It whirled away.
He had Just stopped in for second to
see the fun, and God had given me that
gypsy waltz with him because he knew
II needed something like that In my
life to keep for always.
This has been a happy night, IN
which betrothed myself to Alfred,
though he doesn't know it yet. am
going to take 1t as a sign that life fol
US is going to be brilliant and gay and
full Of laughter and love.
1 haven't had Billy in my arms to
day, and I don't know how shall
ever get myself to sleep If I let myself
think about 1t. His sleep place on my
breast aches. It is comfort to think
that the great big God understands the
womenfolk that he makes even II they
don't understand themselves.
Most parties are just punches Of self.
ish people who 90 OF in the corners and
have good times all by themselves. but
In Hillsboro, Tenn. 1t Is not that way
Everybody that is not invited helps
the hostess get ready and have nice
things for the others, and sometimes
think they really have the best time OF
all.
This morning Aunt Bette came uI
my front steps before breakfast with q
large basketful of things for my din
ner, and l wondered what would
have collected to be served to those
people by the time all my neighborf
had made their prize contributions. II
took Aunt Bette and Judy half hour
to unpack their things and set them In
the refrigerator and on the pantry
shelves One was plump fruit cake
that had been keeping company in q
tight box with sponge soaked In
sherry for ever since New Years. II
was ripe. or smelled so. 1t made me
gnaw under my belt.
A little later Judy was exclaiming
over two-year-Old ham that had been
simmered in port and larded with egg
dressing. when Mrs. Johnson came In
and began to unpack her basket. which
was mostly bottles Of things she said
she used to stick" food. The ginger
colored barber got the run Of them be-
fore the dinner was over and got bad
ly stuck, 80 Judy says. That's what
made him make the mistake.
had planned to have q lot Of strange
food and had ordered some things up