Grave and Gay
“No scandal about Queen Elizabeth I hope.”
“Stands Scotland where it did?”
“Who is that talking with Miss Stuyvesant?” asked Mr. Sylvester, approaching his wife during one of the lulls that will fall at times upon vast assemblies.
Mrs. Sylvester followed the direction of his glance and immediately responded, “O that is Mr. Ensign, one of the best partis of the season. He evidently knows where to pay his court.”
“I inquired because he has just requested me to honor him with a formal introduction to Paula.”
“Indeed! then oblige him by all means; it would be a great match for her. To say nothing of his wealth, he is haut ton , and his red whiskers will not look badly beside Paula’s dark hair.”
Mr. Sylvester frowned, then sighed, but in a few minutes Paula observed him approaching with Mr. Ensign. At once her hitherto pale cheek flushed, but the young gentleman did not seem to object to that, and after the formal introduction which he had sought was over, he exclaimed in his own bright ringing tones,
“The fates have surely forgotten their usual role of unpropitiousness. I did not dare hope to meet you here tonight, Miss Fairchild. Was the ride all that your fancy painted?”
“O,” said she, speaking very low and glancing around, “do not allude to it here. We had an adventure shortly after you parted from us.”