Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-19

riase-wraps Of light tints. collared and
edged with fur or elder, or wide
SLOWED mandarin coats falling back
from dassling throats and arms. hair
swathed with chiffon against the night
dews. and CALAMITY cavaliered BY mss
culine black ana white.
These from their tiring.rooms over.
flowed presently. CARRIED like dreams.
to make obeisance to the dowagers
and then to drift through hower-lined
corridors, the foam on recurrent waves
Of discovery. Behind the rose-bower
in the hall, which shielded . dosen
colored musicians-violins, cello, gut
tars and mandolins--came premonitory
chirps and shivers. which presently
wove into the low and dreamy melody
OF Garry Me Back to Old Virginia"
Promptly as the clock in the hall
chimed ten, the music merged into .
march. Doors on opposite sides Of the
upper hall swung wide and down the
broad staircase came. with slow step,
a stately procession: two heralds in
fawn.colored doublets with scroll and
trumpets wound with flowers. behind
them the Queen Of Beauty. her finger.
tips resting lightly in the hand Of the
knight Of the Crimson Rose, and these
followed by as brave concourse OF
lords and ladies as ever graced castle
hall in the gallant days when knight.
hood was in fow@."
Shirley's gown was Of pure white:
her arms were swathed In tulle.
crossed with straps Of seed-pearl. over
which hung long semi-lowing sleeves
Of satin, and from her shoulders rose
a stiff pointed medieval collar Of Vene-
tian lace, against whose pale traceries
her bronze hair ,glowed with rosy
lights. The elge Of the square-cut cor
sage was powdered with the pearls
and against their sheen her breast and
neck had the soft creamy ivory OF
magnolia buds. Her straight plain
train of satin. knotted with fresh white
rose.buds Nancy Chalmers had Ia
bored for q frantic half-hour In the
dressing-room for this effect was
held by the seven-year-old Byloe
twins, beribboned knickerbockers, duly
impressed with the grandeur OF theil
privilege and grimly intent on acquit
ting themselves with glory.
Shirley's face was still touched with
tho surprise that had swept it %
Valiant had stepped to her side. She
had looked to see him In the conven
tional panoply sober-sided masculine
mode DEGREES. What she had beheld
was a figure that might have stepped
cMt Of an Elizabethan picture-frame
He was in deep purple slashed with
gold. A cloak of thin crimson velvet
narrowly edged with ermine huns
from his shoulders, lined with tissue
like cloth-of-gold. From the rolling
bri,n of his hat swept curling purple
plume. He wore slender crossword
and an order set with brilliants spa
killed. on his breast.
The costume had been ono he he
worn at fancy ball of the winter be
fore. 1t had been made from a paint
ing at Windsor of one Of the dukes o
buckingham, and it made perfect fl
for Shirley's white.
The eleven knights Of the tourne,
each with his chosen lady. II lc
splendid, were tricked out in sufiicic
" gorgeous attire. Many an anciei
brocade had been awakened for Il
nonce from its lavender bed. and ruf
and gold-braid we're at no premium.
/ To the twanging Of the deft blao
fingers. tney passed in gorgeous arraJ
between files Of. low-cut gowns ant
Aower-hke faces and imas1Deine swal
low-tails. to the yellow parlor. Once
there the music ceased with splendit
crash. the eleven knights each dropped
upon one knee. the eleven ladies.in
waiting curts1ed low, and Shirley, scat
cd upon the dsis, leaned her Furnished
head to receive the crown. What
though the bauble was but bristol
board. its 3eweled chasing but tinse
and pastel On her head II glowed and
trembled. . true GLADDEN.. A. Valiant
ct the gllttering thing Cd those rict
and wonderful coils, the music Of heI
presence was singing . swift melody
in his blood.
OW~e
howsry periods % would have rolled
from the majors soul. He bed choser
. single paragraph he had lighted on II
IN old book in the library history-o
the last Crusade in French black-let
ter. He had translated and memorizet
tho archaic phrasins. keeping The
quaint feeling Of the original:
These noble knights bow In you,
presence. fair lady, ~ their leise
whom they know % even in Judgment
az dainty in fulfilling these our act
Of arms. and do recommend their al
unto your Good Grace in as lowly wis,
40 they can. o queen. in whom thu
e M