The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-07-01


The Tournament Ball at Damory Court
That Night Was More Thar an
Event.
surprise. She had thought Of this
Southern essay as a quickly passing
incident. colorful chapter whose
page might any day be turned. But
it was impossible to mistake his mean
ing. Clearly. he was deeply infatuated
with this Arcadian experience and had
no thought at present but to continue
it indefinitely.
They were passing the entrance of a
cherry lane, and without TAX.
ing his hands from the gear, he
nodded toward the low broad-eaved
dwelling with its towering arbors that
showed in flashing glimpses of brown
and red between the intervening trees
"The palace Of the queen!" he said
Rosewood, by name"
She looked in some curiosity. Clear.
ly, If not refuge Of gentccl poverty,
neither was it the abode of wealth.
20, from her assured rampant OF tho
Fargo billions, Katharine reelected
complacently. The girl was a ,oca,
. -SS'.-
favorite, Of course--he had been tact
full as to that. 1t was fortunate, in n
way, that he had not seen her, Katha.
rine, In the grand stand until after
ward. Feeling toward her as she be-
lieved he did, with his absurd direct
ness, he would have been likely to
drop the rose In her lap, never re-
fecting that, the tourney being local
function, the choice should not fall up.
on an outlander.
Ihe slowing Of the car brought her
back to the present. and she looked
up to see before them the great gate of
GLADDEN. Hall. She did not speak till
they had quite stopped
Then. as her hand lay in his for
farewell, "You are right in your de-
cision," she said softly "This is your
place. You are Valiant OF Virginia.
didn't realize 1t before, but am be-
ginning to see all 1t means to YOU"
Her voice held a lingering indefn-
able quality that was almost sadness,
and for that one slender instant, she
opened on MIN the unmasked batteries
or her glorious gray eyes.
D
Ihe tournament ball at Damory
Court that night was more than an
event. The old mansion was an ire.
sistible magnet. The floor of it's vel.
10" parior was known to be of delecta-
Die hugeness. It's gardens were a le.
gend. The whole place. moreover, was
steeped In the very odor OF old mys.
terry and new romance. Small wonder
that to this particular affair the elect
inc major was the high custodian
or the rolls, his decisions being as the
laws or the Medes and Persians-came
gally from the farthest county line.
ana the big houses Of the neighbor-
mood were crammed with overnight
guests.
BY half past nine o'clock the pha.
rank or chaperons decreed by old Gus.
TOM mad begun to arrive, and the great
iron gate at the front Of the drive
erect and rustless now-saw an impos.
ing professional Of carriages These
passed up a slope as radiant with the
fairy light Of paper lanterns as a Japa.
nese thoroughfare in festival season.
Ihe colored bulbs swung moon-like
from tree and shrub, painting their
rainbow lustors on grass and drive
way. Under the high gray columns of
the porch and into the wide door,
framed In Its small loaded panes that
glowed with the merry light within,
poured q stream OF loveliness: In car.
rlage-Wraps OF light tints, collared and
edged with fur or elder, or wide.
sleeved mandarin coats falling back
from dazzling throats and arms, hair
sWathed with chiffon against tho night
dews. and gallantly cavallered by mas.
culine black and white.
These from their tirlng-rooms over.
hoWed presently, garbed like dreams.
20 make obeisance to. the dowagers