The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-11-15

daughter In America, singed with
powder, and with blOodstains on her
dainty feet, danced to the music Of
| her own imprOvlsed gayety. Drace saw
the carpetbag governor driving through
the street, surrounded by an escort Of
black and mulatto cavalry. From a
balcony came u gunshot, and an enor-
nous negro In white gloves, sitting
beside his political master, tumbled
out upon the ground but the carriage
did not halt In its speed, and the hoOfs
| of the cavalry beat upon the murdered
wretch. In doorway an old man sat
Adding for his grandchildren to dance
on the flagstones.
"Oh, you'll find drama enough here
that hasn't been rehearsed," sahf:
Shottle as they turned toward the old
st. Charles.
'"They appear to have set the stage
for u.s." BRACE answered him, wonder
ing II ever again he should find the
girl with the torch of roses.
In connecting rooms and amidst the
luxury Of old French furnishings they
| were quartered.
Leaving BRACE writing a letter, Shot
tie went out, but he soon returned with
more of light than usually beamed
from the sud stretch Of his ccunte-
nance.
"Well SIR" he cried with astonish-
ing enthusiasm, II wsD' 20 tell you
that life is not composed entirely Of
ingratitude. Last year when l was
| down here l saw an old fellow about
to get into trouble with a Mexican
roustabout on the levee. I wasn't in
any particular hurry, so l stopped,
took up a piece Of scantling and
knocked the Mexican Gown. 1t was no
particular trouble on my part, but the
old man took it as a favor and urged
me to eat dinner with him. which
did, being broke at the time. Now
what does he do? met him out there,
and he gives me two tickets for the
French ball at the st. Louis tonight"
All right; We'll take it in"
81 should say we Will! Why. there's
likely to be a half dozen duels ar
ranged for. We can see them burst
ing into bloom. But you'll have to
liven up. you know. You are just
tritle stern. it strikes me. There is
too much of-of your mission showing
in your face. I don't know of any
thing better calculated to correct 1t
than an hour at the roulette wheel.
Suppose we go over and give it a
whirl."
"Hope springs Internal in the human
breast" BRACE pnraphrased the poet.
"Just as well curb yourself, old fell
low. Tn not going to feed your pas
sion"
A tap at the door and Colonel Josh
announced himself from the outside
Invited to enter. he came In with n
sweeping bow, his beard and mustache
waxed his hair darkened with dye,
giving to It tinge Of blue He bore,
and with ceremonious hesitancy. an
invitation from Miss Lucy. She was
Mt the delightful old home of rela
tive where choice guests would as
semble that evening to hear Prof J..
Bannock Pettigrew read a paper on
the origin and character of the an.
Gent Scythians.
I'm very sorry. Colonel" Drace
cheerfully lied. "hut we have another
engagement"
The Colonel gleefully replied that
he was put into n position of deep re-
greet. He knew that Captain Drace
would so much enjoy the professor !:
his paper would not take mp more than
three hours OF the evening. He would
impart to Miss Lucy that Captain
brace found it impossible to come. The
Captain assured him that such was
the true situation and Frightening, the
Colonel gladdened himself out of the
room
The ballroom Which brace entered
that night was as fantastic as gyp-
sy'S vision. II seemed that all civiliza-
ton had lifted the lids of its worm
eaten chests to array in whimsic re-
ninder of its former self. There was
evident poverty making itself neat In
old linen. and war victims proud In
threadhare coats. In rags there is his
tory, but no ancestry attached To cloth
fresh from the mill No unfriendly
eye was supposed to look upon this
|
mitted to view II. The walls were
draped in the co,ors of France, and
enshrined in corner was Confed-
crate banner. its staff splIntered. Its
folds 1arkened with sacred blood.
AS Shottle no longer held the hope
Of raising speculative tahle-stake, he
bent himself to the less interesting life
of the dance. But not without mis-
hap! The floor was smooth With wax
from the ends Of marriage-altar can.
dies; and Liberty's feet. more accus-
toned to the rough mating. and
ragged carpets 81 the gamhling-room,
flew from under him. Catching right
and left In his fall he came down with
a bit of lace In one hand and comb
in the other while women Shrieked
at the devaStations he had wrought.
grouping about the severest sufferer
to screen her into a retiring-room.