The Rose of Old St. Louis | Page 4

the merry group of girls on the other side of the fireplace
was not impressed by such a handsome and soldierly stranger, and a
bachelor to boot. I thought I could detect an occasional conscious
glance in his direction and a furtive preening of skirts and fluttering of
fans, that betokened they were not insensible to the presence of the
brave captain.
There were six of the young maidens, and all but two of them were in
ball costume; flowered silks, and arms and shoulders gleaming white
through fine lace, powdered hair, and patches and paint, they might
have stepped out of a Philadelphia ball-room, I thought, and was
astonished at the thought. I had not expected to find court beauties on
the frontier, yet the Chouteaus, the Gratiots, and the Papins were names
I had often heard in my own home as men of wealth and vast emprise.
The six girls were chatting gaily in French, and I was so absorbed in
my contemplation of them that I did not at first consider the strangeness
of their appearance in that costume so early in the morning. When it did
occur to me, I concluded the four must have come over from St. Louis
to attend the ball and had no other dress to return in, and the other two
were doubtless Mr. Gratiot's daughters, which I learned afterward was
the true explanation.
But now bethinking me it was high time to make my descent, and
running quickly over in my mind the way to make it most
effective,--for I wished to bear myself bravely before the young
maidens,--I determined to place my left hand on the hilt of my sword,
to hold my hat, which also bore a sweeping plume, in my right hand
pressed close to my heart, and with head held high and borne a little
backward, to descend with the stately minuet step. I flattered myself
that with such a manner as I felt sure I could assume those saucy
maidens would forget my rosy cheeks and my curls and think only of
my air of grand seigneur.
I glanced down to see that my costume was all right, and now I was
glad that my doeskins fitted so perfectly, even if they were hard to get
into in a hurry, that my high moccasins were so beautifully and

elaborately beaded in purple and yellow, with broad slashes of fringe
falling from the tops of them, and that my leathern doublet sat so well,
as my peep into the mirror had convinced me it did.
As I started down, feeling well satisfied with my costume, yet
trembling inwardly at the thought of the array of bright eyes I was to
encounter, my glance fell on an untied lacing at one knee. I stooped to
retie it, and at that moment heard what seemed to me the sweetest voice
I had ever listened to, call:
"À moi, Leon, à moi," followed by a clear, soft whistle.
I was still clumsily fumbling with my lacers (my fingers have ever been
all thumbs when there is any dainty task to be performed) when I heard
a rush of soft, padded feet, and down the corridor behind me, in
response to that clear whistle, bounded a great dog. Through the arch
that my bent limbs made in stooping he saw the glow of the firelight
from below and made straight for it. But alas! the arch was narrower
than he thought, and dog and man went rolling and tumbling down the
staircase, bumping and bounding from stair to stair, a wild mêlée of
doeskin legs and shaggy paws and clanging sword and wildly
brandished arms, making vain clutches at the air to stay the headlong
descent.
Deep-mouthed yelps voiced the terror of the dog at this unexpected
Sindbad who refused to be shaken off. No words could voice the
overwhelming shame of the man at this unmannerly presentation of
himself before a group of young maidens, when so dignified an
entrance had been planned.
As we struck the polished walnut of the hall floor, I disentangled
myself and sprang to my feet, where I stood, scarlet with shame, head
drooping, a pitiable object indeed. There had been an amazed, and
perhaps on the maidens' side a terrified, silence during our noisy
descent. Now from the maidens there arose first a suppressed giggle
and then an irresistible peal of laughter, joined to the hearty guffaws of
the men. My shame was fast giving place to rising wrath, in no degree
appeased by the consciousness of the spectacle I presented. The dog, a

magnificent mastiff, by that time recovering from his confusion, and
feeling as keenly as I, no doubt, the derogation of his dignity, and, with
a dog's unreason, regarding me as the