Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1902 — “The Match of the Season.” [ARTICLE]

“The Match of the Season.”

HE is no daughter of mine; a madcap, a changeling, an unbroken colt who threatens to kick over the traces at any moment. What have I done that such a misfortune should befall me.” Thus lamented Mrs. Gainsborough over her coffee one sunny winter’s morning, to her husbahd immersed in the dally news. ‘‘Eh! what’s the matter now, Mollie?” with easy good nature. "Laura was a model,” she sighed, "she never gave me a moment of uneasiness from first to last. The belle of her set, bhe married advantageously in her first season; and ns for Dorothy, she could be led by a silken thread. But Theodora ” and she threw up her hands In horror, as though the subject beggared description.

“Come, come, Mollie”—he pleaded; "let the child grow up in her own way; they can’t all be alike it stands to reason. There was a good boy spoiled In Teddy, frank, fearless and honest as the sunlight; it would be a sin and a shame to cut, prune and pare her down into a doll of fashion like the rest of them.” "Oh, you men ”In accents of pathos. "What can you know of the heart of a mother, the awful responsibility resting upon her shoulders; the sacred charge entrusted to her bauds. All depends upon her coming out; by that she stands or falls; the verdict Is final. And when I think how ill prepared she is for the occasion; how willful, untralued and careless of the consequences, l tremble for her future;” and, with an air of tragedy she returned to her breakfast with renewed appetite. At that moment the door burst open, and a young girl, in rough skating costume, with a mane of red-gold hair like a shaggy pouy, entered in whirlwind fashiou, rosy, panting, radiant with health, spirit ami abundant vitality, "a sight to make an old man young.” “Just In time for breakfast, and hungry ns a hunter, too, I promise you!” in clear, ringing tones, and without ceremony she seated herself at the table.

“Skating at such an hour, Theodora?” protested her mother, In reproving tones, “when you should be abed getting your beauty sleep, in preparation for the great event before you.” "My beauty must care for itself,” was the careless retort. “Must I coddle myself all day because I’m to come out to-uight? Come out!”—ln scornful tones. “What does It mean, anyway, daddy?” and she turned to her father with a look of hearty comradeship and affection. "Well, Teddy, with most of you it menus beaux aud clothes, so far as I understand it; vanity and vexation of spirit, and ultimately marriage, when the right fellow comes along.” “Then I’ll have none of it,” and with an air of decision she turned to her breakfast with the vigor of seventeen. No mother hen was ever more dismayed at the duckling in her brood than this punctilious leader of fashion at the daughter now- on her bauds to pilot through the shoals and quicksands of society, aud at last anchor safely in the harbor of matrimony. Yet she was but a frank, high-spirited girl, who despised forms and conventions with all her heart; rebelled at maternal counsel and discipline, turned sentiment to ridicule with tlu> careless mockery of extreme youth. But she proved a pretty handful to the proud, scheming mother, whose aspirations soared high in (lie matrimonial line; a knotty problem to solve, which would tax her wits, temper and endurance beyond their limit. Yet her debut promised well, and maternal criticism could find no Haw in the radiant vision presented to her view in all the costly simplicity of a Worth gown, imported to grace the occasion. She had never realized her loveliness before; the piquant elmrm of Titian eoloriug and laughing dark eyes, the sylph-like grace of her buoyant figure, the childlike ease of her bearing. which sustained her well throughout the trying ordeal.

Aud Teddy—though she might rebel lu advance at maternal authority, M-as she proof against the pleasure of the moment? tlie dangerous knowledge of her own beauty borne in upon her for the first time, tlie Incense of masculine homage, the gay inspiriting music, the novel charm of the occasion? Though Mrs. Gainsborough trembled •for her perilous frankness, originality au<l possible gaucherles. It might be that an odd bizarre character, such as this, Mould go doM’ii, iu social parlance, even create a sensation, for a time. Beyond this she darinl not look or scheme; one Hint of matrimonial Intentions. such as she cherished, Mould .rouse the Mildest antagonist]!, cause the doMul'all of her fairest hopes and droa ms.

So the season sped on, and the girl was caught in the current of events and whirled away; in tlie excitement of bnjl, reception, theater, opera, the awakening knowledge of her own power, she. was gradually changing duy by day . Into a striking, if unconventional figure in social circles. And Mrs. Gainsborough, thopgh shocked, startled and confounded In a thousand wa'Jri by the racy wit and audacious freedom of the daughter she so little comprehended, congratulated herself that •be was safely launched at last, with every prospect of a fair and prosperous voyage.

Where Teddy sat, talked, or walked, was the central point of gayety In any assemblage; her speech was punctuated with laughter, her dancing robes torn to tatters. The young enthusiasm with which she entered upon any occasion was an antidote to dullness and monotony, a rejuvenating draught to the most Jaded beholder. She seemed to have the gift of universal popularity; even her rivals liked and would have copied her if they could, and with the* men she was a prime favorite, they hovered about her like pioths about the flame. But here maternal criticism came in, aud feared for the future. To the men Teddy seemed more like a good comrade than a beautiful girl to be wooed and won; a divinity to be worshipped. Sentiment shrank from her frauk presence and pitiless laughter, and more than one foolish swain had cause to regret the expression of his admiration. The lover who passed the Rubicon with Teddy must needs be a valiant one.

To tills free-hearted maiden the stately Gerald Massey, the most eligible match of the season, the cynosure of all eyes, the target for all matrimonial darts, was but “Jerry,” a “Jolly good fellow,” and the best waltzer In society. That she liked him was manifest in word and act, though it must be confessed that his lack of sentiment and "nonsense.” as she termed it, seemed his chief attraction in her eyes. And the liking was reciprocal. It was many a day since this well-bred gentleman and invincible baohelordiad revealed such interest in the most beautiful ot debutantes; many a day- since lie bad encountered such a refreshing bit of femininity. But The best-laid plans o’ mice and men Gang aft agley; And leave us naught but grief and pain For promised joy.

Mrs. Gainsborough was a wise woman in her generation, and held her peace; the time for counsel, scolding or entreaty had passed; one scene of the kind with her rebellious offspring had taught her the wisdom of silence on forbidden subjects. Only the most winning dlplomnoy, such as bad ruled her household for years, could avail, but that this chit of a girl could elude her influence In the end seemed incomprehensible. Time brought its changes, and Teddy scarce realized the transformation she had undergone In these winter months that flew by as on wings. Still frank and freehearted In thought, word and act, she bad gained In social grace and tact until she seemed another creature from the careless hoyden of a fetv months ago. The season was to close with a bal masque, and then came the Lenten period of retirement, prior to further dissipation at mountain or seaside resorts. This was the event of the season, a grand finale to the lighter amusements that had gone before; and society was stirred to its depths in anticipation of the coming spectacle, in which beauty, wealth aud fashion would play prominent roles. As by a touch of the enchanter’s wand, the noble mansion was transformed into a scene from fairyland, In which the rarest exotics exhaled their fragrance, the most ravishing music eloquently discoursed, w'bile the gorgeous pageant streamed hour by hour through stately hall aud gallery, shifting and changing like the visions of a dream.

To Teddy it presented all the charm of novelty; and in a rich Venetian costume of tlie olden time, her lovely faee hidden ’ueath the mystery of the mask, she had a strange sense of losing her identity in that of another. No longer the daughter of prosaic modern Gotham, she Mas a creature of another race, age and clime, M'ith Iter pulses attuned to love aud romance, her heart throbbing to the passionate Hungarian music that swept through the corridors.

A stately gallant of the sixteenth century, bravely attired in velvet, silken hose and slouched hat, Mas her faithful cavalier throughout the evening; together they danced, strolled in the Mondrous gallerips of art, played at sentiment, yet, as If by tacit consent, preserved the mystery of tlie masquerade. But at last, in the still, dim-lighted conservatory 'neath the shelter of shadowy palm and trailing vine, with the low plash of a little fountain in their ears, the gallant lost command of himself, ami spoko to her In a language that startled her to a sudden realization of the truth the language of love. For one breathless moment she listened spellbound; then she tore the mask frontier face M’ith hasty band; her cheeks were aflame, Iter great dark eyes sparkled ns M’ith tears.

“Tills from you. Jerry?” she protested, In the sorrowful accents of “Et tu, Brute’ “No, no—l cannot listen.” But he would not be Silenced, and, unmarsklfig, revealed a face pale with a resolution that frightened her. “Teddy, child—is It so strange that I should love you? Have you not divined It In all these months, when I have followed as your shadow, lived upon your smile, your wit, the sunshine of your presence? Another had seen It long ago.” “But we were such good comrades, Jerry,”- and she caught her breath with a sob.

“True, Teddy, and can lie still; but, child though you are, 1 have fallen under the spell of your enchantment,

become entangled la the net you never threw. Dear,” caressingly, “hare you no word of kindness, of pity for me? I will not ask for love—now.” “"?f—‘ “I—do—not—know,” sbe faltered, while her beating heart belled her speech. “It Is all so strange, so dreamlike, so unreal; a part of the hour, the scene, the mask—in a moment I shall awaken.”

“To a reality more beautiful than the Illusion. Trust me, my child, and it shall be so.” And, shy in the presence of her newborn love, Teddy, the careless hoyden, the scoffer at sentiment, surrendered to the. enemy like the weakest of her sisters, while the stirring music of the Hungarian Czardas filled the silence with passionate meaning. When the engagement was announced in the spring, to the consternation of social circles, Mrs. Gainsborough bore herself proudly, as onq who took no smlall credit for the felicitous termination of the season. Yet to this day she has never understood how It came to pass; how this strange girl made the match of the season, alone and unaided. It remained to the end an unsolved mystery of the bal masque.—American Cultivator.