Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-13
,.urtobt, 1850, bp Public LEDGER 90.
THIS STARTS THE STORY

THIS STAHTS The SIVi.h
Mrs. +. Burton Francis. a toomdn
.,;ib hioh ideals and more than the
nrd;uayV measure of the milk OF
bunor kindness coursing through her
.s;rs. poficcs that her ,odshtcomdn,
M,,. Watson, is performing her idbors
I. sivooish manner, inquiries about
,,r health and about her namerous
sS;ldren, spbjects.her 10 some hpl0t-
:,o foik on motherhood, suggests
books for her husband 10 read, aud
interests herself in the ,oe'tdre OF tho
tamily.
THE second dance was waltz. Tom
l did not know that IL was the music
that stirred his soul with a sudden ten
Serness, a longing indefinite, that was
mil OF pain and yet was all sweetness.
Martha who sat near him looked at him
half expectantly. But her little gray
face and twitching hands repelled him.
On the other side Of the. room, Nellie
slater, flushed and smiling, was tapping
her foot to the music.
He found himself on his feet. WHO
,ares for mats?" he muttered. He
was beside Nellie in an instant.
",yellie, will you dance with meY' he
faltered, WOnuerihB Ut hiS oWh eemer-
"';;I will, Tom, with pleasure, she
said, smiling.
His arm was around her now, and
they were of, one, two, three one, two,
three yes. he had the step. "Over the
foam we glide" in and out through the
ohcr dancers, the violins weaving that
vfory Of love never ending. What
,bouRh the world be e"-Nellie's s
hoad was Just below his face----"Love's s
rolden star will guide" Nellie's hand
vas n his as they Hoated on the rain
Now sea. Drifting along, glad is our
,ope''---her hair blew against his check
As they swept past the open door. What
aid he care what his mother would say.
IIe was Egbert now. Edythe was in
his arms. "While we are side by side"
The riolins sang, glad, triumphant. that
old ptory that runs like thread of gold
through all life's patterns; that old
song, old yet ever new, deathless, un-
cbanreable, which maketh the poor man
rich, and without which the richest be-
comes poor!
When the music stopped, Tom awoke
from his idolatrous dream. He brought
side her. His old self -complacency had
left him. Nellie was talking to him.
but he did not hear what she said. He
was not looking at her, but at himself
Before he knew it she had left him and
was dancing with Jim Russell. Tom
looked after them, miserable. She was
looking into Jim's face, smiling and
talking. What the mischief were they
saying? He tried to tell himself that
he ,ould buy and sell Jim Russell: Jim
had not anything in the world but a
quarter of scrub land. They passed
him again, still, smiling and talking.
"Ncllic Slater is making herself mighty
cheap" he thought angrily. Then the
thought came home to him with sudden
bittmness--how handsome Jim was, so
straight and tall, so we'll dressed, so
clever, and, bitterest of all, how diff
fereut from him.
When Jim and Camilla were sitting
out the second dance he told her about
Arthur, the Englishman, who sat in a
corner, shy and uncomfortable. Camilla
became interested at once, and when
he brought Arthur over and introduced
him, Camilla's friendly smile set him
at his ease. Then Jim generously va
Gated his seat and went to find Nellie
Slater.
Select your partners for a square
dance!" big John, the caller off an
nounced when the floor was cleared.
This was the dance that Mr.. and Mrs.
Slater would have to dance. 1t was in
vain that Mrs. Slater whispered that
she had not danced for years, that she
was a Methodist bred and born. That
did not matter. Her son Peter declared
that his mother could dance beautifully,
jigs and hornpipes and things like that.
He had often seen her at it when she
was down in the milkhouse alone.
Mrs. Slater whispered dreadful
threats but her son Peter insisted, and
when big Johns voice rang out "Honors
ALL" Corners the same" Mrs. Slater
yielded to the tide Of public opinion.
Putting and blowing she got through
the First four right and left, Right
and left back and ladies' chain; but
when 1t came to Right hand to part
ner" and Grand right and left" 1t
was good by to mother! Peter dashed
into the set to put his mother right,
but mother was always pointing the
wrong way. 'Swing the feller that
stole the sheep" big John sang to the
music; Dance to the one that drawed
It home" "Whoop'er up there, you
Bud" Salute the one that ct the
beef and Swing the dog that gnawed
the bone" First couple lead to the
right" and mother and father went
forward again and Balance all !"
TOnald Mckenzie was opposite mother;
Tonald Mckenzie did steps-Highland
fling steps they were. Tonald was a
crofter from the hills, and had secret
still Of his own which made him a sort