The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1913-06-19
her tAYpARl4E EFFORT
By EFFiE SAUNDERS.

/
Of the bookkeeper. o.. ~3a' ~
well, that depends" he replied,
non-committally. There Is the weath.
er and the daylight and 80 many 9th.
er things ones supposed to notice .
change in"
"Oh, tell me all about that some 9TH
or time!" interrupted the little stenog.
rapher Il had the floor, and simply
asked you question to be answered
yes or no. I had reference to q
change for the better. However, know
1t would be hard for you to distin.
guish any added graces and beauties
in me. 80 l withdraw my question"
Thank you" murmured the book.
keeper, meekly.
You'll be pleased to know that I'm
a 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 we're not. once could see myself
spinning around on one toe, rushing
gracefully across the floor with out.
stretched arms as though to catch q
streak Of lightning. suddenly halting
and spinning like top; then vigorous
ly repeating the performance with vari-
| atoms.
you know. / really saw q flesh and
blood girl do such things. And she
/ said it was easy! -.,
Il talked with her about it and, oh,
she was 50 graceful, 1t seemed to af-
feet even her tongue! While she talked
she moved around me like fairy, and
I nearly fell over myself in awkward
attempts to get out Of her way every
time she came near mel But she
talked right on, and never noticed any.
thing. She was 30 well-possessed, as
a result Of her dancing.
$50 l grew more and more interest.
ed. She told me what she had studied,
and how long she'd been at it-just
two years and what It cost for q
course and, above all, how much fun
1t 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 single &C
complement! 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 breathless hush,
pirouetting into wonderful dance!
| II could see club women begging
me, as a favor, to help them entertain!
/ could see myself doing innumerable
dances with wonderful men escorting
me. throughout all the rest of my life!
+ We'll, Of course, l couldn't start
right In pirouetting in graceful mazes.
1 had to begin with the groundwork!
That girl had to, too, when she be-
gan. 1t sounded all right. thought
/ could hastily brush over the neces-
sary foundations, and hasten onward
to the heights.
I'm still Fastening, but the heights
nave gone up 30 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 boat.
Thus far / can manage to grasp
the club firmly and put it back of my
head every o:hsT count without muir
dering my neignbor-and 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, fear my
hands will never touch the floor!
Then you have to stand facing
front, and at q signal turn 30 that just
the half of you from your waist up is
facing backI ! know It sounds i'm
possible, but it's required and that's
all there is to it. 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 beautifying, 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 l 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 I
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. I shall continue to
hope!"
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