that dress is ‘a sweet thing just out,’ but upon my word she reminds
me of nothing but a Harlequin ice,” and Mac turned his back on
her with a shudder, for he was sensitive to discords of all kinds.
“She certainly does, and that mixture of chocolate, pea green, and
pink is simply detestable, though many people would consider it
decidedly ‘chic,’ to use her favorite word. I suppose you will dress
your wife like a Spartan matron of the time of Lycurgus,” added
Rose, much tickled by his new conceit.
“I’ll wait till I get her before I decide. But one thing I’m sure of she
shall not dress like a Greek dancer of the time of Pericles,”
answered Mac, regarding with great disfavor a young lady who,
having a statuesque figure, affected drapery of the scanty and
clinging description.
“Then it is of no use to suggest that classic creature, so as you
reject my first attempts, I won’t go on but look about me quietly,
and you had better do the same. Seriously, Mac, more gaiety and
less study would do you good, for you will grow old before your
time if you shut yourself up and pore over books so much.?
“I don’t believe there is a younger or a jollier-feeling fellow in the
room than I am, though I may not conduct myself like a dancing
dervish. But I own you may be right about the books, for there are
many sorts of intemperance, and a library is as irresistible to me as
a barroom to a toper. I shall have to sign a pledge and cork up the
only bottle that tempts me my ink-stand.?
“I’ll tell you how to make it easier to abstain. Stop studying and
write a novel into which you can put all your wise things, and so
clear your brains for a new start by and by. Do I should so like to
read it,” cried Rose, delighted with the project, for she was sure
Mac could do anything he liked in that line.
“First live, then write. How can I go to romancing till I know what
romance means?” he asked soberly, feeling that so far he had had
very little in his life.
“Then you must find out, and nothing will help you more than to
love someone very much. Do as I’ve advised and be a modern
Diogenes going about with spectacles instead of a lantern in
search, not of an honest man, but a perfect woman. I do hope you
will be successful.” And Rose made her curtsey as the dance
ended.
“I don’t expect perfection, but I should like one as good as they
ever make them nowadays. If you are looking for the honest man, I
wish you success in return,” said Mac, relinquishing her fan with a
glance of such sympathetic significance that a quick flush of
feeling rose to the girl’s face as she answered very low, “If honesty
was all I wanted, I certainly have found it in you.?
Then she went away with Charlie, who was waiting for his turn,
and Mac roamed about, wondering if anywhere in all that crowd
his future wife was hidden, saying to himself, as he glanced from
face to face, quite unresponsive to the various allurements
displayed,
“What care I how fair she be,
If she be not fair for me??
Just before supper several young ladies met in the dressing room to
repair damages and, being friends, they fell into discourse as they
smoothed their locks and had their tattered furbelows sewed or
pinned up by the neat-handed Phillis-in-waiting.
When each had asked the other, “How do I look tonight, dear?”
and been answered with reciprocal enthusiasm, “Perfectly lovely,
darling!” Kitty said to Rose, who was helping her to restore order
out of the chaos to which much exercise had reduced her curls:
“By the way, young Randal is dying to be presented to you. May I
after supper??
“No, thank you,” answered Rose very decidedly.
“Well, I’m sure I don’t see why not,” began Kitty, looking
displeased but not surprised.
“I think you do, else why didn’t you present him when he asked?