Muslin

things to think of-to remind each other of. Nobody knew what they had done last, or what they should do next. The principle on which the ball had been arranged was this: the forty-f

along the passages, and ascended through the banisters of the staircases in Beech Grove and Manly Park. Fifty chickens had been killed; presents of woodcock and sn

th yards of red cloth, branches of evergreen, oak and holly, flags and Chinese lanterns. You see them: Fred mounted on a high ladder, May and the maid striving to hand him a long garland which is to be hung between the windows. You see them leaning over the counter of a hardware shop, explaining how oblong and semicircular pieces of tin are to be provided with places for candles (the illumination of t

g about our heels the whole evening if

as the clocks were striking eight, dressed a

silk; the bodice (entirely of velvet) was pointed back and front, and a berthe of moresque lace softened the contrast between it and the cream tints of the skin. These and the flame-coloured hair were t

aimed May; 'I don't think I e

, interpreting th

ou don't think

very nice indeed, and just

est a new train of thought, and she immediately proc

wing-Room, I thought I'd appear in this. But isn't the whole thing delightful? I am engaged already for several dances, and I have been pract

ty spinsters b

opened the maid

inty dish to set

hitched up the treacherous article of dress. 'And tell me what you think of my leg

right; but, May dear, you h

th these tight dresses; one c

hink you'll feel

ger of cold when you hav

rried by this time next year? You know, I shouldn't care to be married all at once; I'd want to see the world a bit first. Even if I liked a man, I shouldn't care to marry him now; time enough in a

must not. I will not listen to

my word you are; but we must be off. It is a good half-hour's drive, and we shall

impatiently through the misted windows for the familiar signs; the shadow of a tree on the sky, or the obscure outline of a farm-building that would tell how near they were to their destination. Suddenly the carriage turned to the right, and entered a sort of crescent. There were hedges on both sides, through which vague forms were se

think of the decorations

May, that you hav

and the narrow passages intervening were hung with red cloth and green garlands

covered the end wall. 'And haven't my tin candelabra turned out a suc

window. Isn't it dreadful that they, in the dark and cold, should be wa

nt to ask the

seems very sinister; do

ster or not sinister, it couldn't be helped; for if we had

soon,' said Mrs. Gould. 'You must think of us poo

tin shoes, were seen passing and taking seats. Two Miss Duffys, the fattest of the four, were with their famous sister Bertha. Bertha was rarely seen in Galway; she lived with an aunt in Dublin, where her terrible tongue was dreaded by the débutantes at the Castle. In a yellow dress as loud and as hard as her voice, she stood explaining that she ha

broché, joining a skirt of white satin, with an overskirt of tulle, and the only touch of colour was a bunch of pink and white azaleas

et,' said Alice, with fra

ut you, you do look ever so nice in that white silk. It becomes you perfect

e? If his brother died he would

at dinner at D

him to me if yo

you will find

er; 'tis good form to

you know many m

orgetful of the family at home, was flirting with a young girl whose mother was probably formulating the details of a new emigration scheme. Dirty Mr. Ryan, his hands thrust deep into the pockets of his baggy trousers, whispered words of counsel to Mr. Lynch: a rumour had gone abroad

emed like flowers of blood scattered on virgin snow. Her beauty imposed admiration; and, murmuring assent, the dancers involuntarily drew into lines, and this pale, uncoloured loveliness, her high nose seen, and her silly laugh heard, by the side of her sharp, brown-eyed mother, passed down the room. Lord Dungory and Lord Rosshill advanced to meet them; a moment after Captain Hibbert and Mr. Bu

oy of exercise was in every head and limb. A couple would rush off for a cup of tea, or an ice, and then, pale and b

have a real romp-we are going to have Kitchen Lanc

e; but, notwithstanding all her efforts to make herself understood, Mrs. Manly was sadly ham

e going to romp; anyone can see that. Tell

s name was whispered in front of the messenger; but he who, until that evening, had been Mr. Burke, was now the Marquis of Kilearney. The smiling mouth drooped to an expression of fear as he tore open the envelope. One

e newly-made marquis had to fight his way through women who, in skin-tight dresses, danced with wantoning movements of the hip

ould regret the dastardly outrage that had been committed more than he. He had known Lord Kilcarney many years, and he had always found him a man whom no one could fail to esteem. The earldom was one of the oldest in Ireland, but the marquisate did not go back farther than the last few years. Beaconsfield had given him a step in the peerage; no one knew why. A very curious man-most retiring-h

tion of their secret thoughts. Mrs. Barton and Mrs. Scully suddenly withdrew their eyes, which till then had been gently following their daughters through the figures of the

' Then he added (but this time only for the private ear of Mrs. Barton), 'L

l trouve l'esprit partout;' and her light coaxin

t would be vain for her to hope to interest her partner in literature. The other girls seemed more at home with their partners, and while she walked with hers, wondering what she should say next, she noticed behind screens, under staircases, at the end of dark passages, girls whom she had known at St. Leonards incapable of learning, or even understanding the simplest lessons, suddenly transformed as if by magic into bright, clever, agr

termined to try dancing no more, and had refused them. At last, at the earnest request of Mrs. Gould, she had allowed Dr. Reed to take her in to supper. He was an earnest-eyed, stout, commonplace man, and looked some years over thirty. Alice, however, found she could talk to him better than with her other partners, and when they left the clattering

le-that's all. Why aren't you dancing? Greatest fun in the world-just

mad mass of light toilettes and flying coat-tails. Marks, too, of conflict were visible. Mr. Ryan had lost some portion of his garment in an obscure misunderstanding in the supper-room. All Mr. Lynch's studs had gone, and his shirt was in a precarious state; drunken Sir Richard had not been carried out of the room before strewing the floor with his necktie and fragments of his gloves. But these details were forgotten in the excitement. The harper twanged still more violently at his strings, the fiddler rasped out the agonizing tune more screechingly than ever; and as the delirium of the dance fevered this horde of well-bred people the desire to exercise, their animal force grew

Barton,' cried Mrs. Ba

ou, Lord Dungory,

s, the Miss Brennans drew around Mrs. Scully, who, wi

ball given by the spinsters of the county of Galway. But

day was well begun. Bit by bit and fragment by fragment the story was pieced together, and, in the secrecy of their bedrooms, with little smothered fits of laughter, the young ladies told each other how Sir Charles had danced with the big housemaid, how every time he did the cross-over he had slapped her on the belly; and then, with more laughter, they related h