Fame and Fortune; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  CHAPTER XXI.

  IDA GREYSON'S PARTY.

  When Dick and his friend reached Mr. Greyson's house, two carriagesstood before the door, from each of which descended young guests, who,like themselves, had been invited to the party. One of these brought twoyoung girls of twelve, the other two boys of twelve and fourteen, andtheir sister of ten. Entering with this party, the two boys felt lessembarrassed than if they had been alone. The door was opened by aservant, who said, "Young ladies' dressing-room, second floor, left-handroom. Young gentlemen's dressing-room opposite."

  Following directions, the boys went upstairs and entered a spaciouschamber, where they deposited their outer garments, and had anopportunity to arrange their hair and brush their clothes.

  "Is your sister here this evening?" asked one of the boys, addressingDick.

  "No," said Dick, soberly; "she couldn't come."

  "I'm sorry for that. She promised to dance with me the first Lancers."

  "Wouldn't I do as well?" asked Dick.

  "I don't think you would," said the other, laughing. "But I'll tell youwhat,--you shall dance with my sister."

  "I will, with pleasure," said Dick, "if you'll introduce me."

  "Why, I thought you knew her," said the other, in surprise.

  "Perhaps I did," said Dick; "but I exchanged myself off for another boyjust before I came, and that makes a difference, you know. I shouldn'thave known you, if you hadn't spoken to me."

  "Do you know me now?" asked the other boy, beginning to understand thathe had made a mistake.

  "You live on Twenty-First Street,--don't you?"

  "Yes," was the unexpected reply, for Dick had by a curious chanceguessed right. "You're Henry Cameron, after all."

  "No," said Dick; "my name is Richard Hunter."

  "And mine is Theodore Selden; but I suppose you knew that, as you knewwhere I live. If you're ready, we'll go downstairs."

  "Come, Fosdick," said Dick.

  "We're going to have the Lancers first," said Theodore. "Ida told mysister so. Have you a partner engaged?"

  "No."

  "Then I'll introduce you to my sister. Come along."

  I may explain here that Dick, and Fosdick also, had several times dancedthe Lancers in the parlor at the boarding-house in the evening, so thatthey felt reasonably confident of getting through respectably. Still hisnew friend's proposal made Dick feel a little nervous. He was notbashful with boys, but he had very little acquaintance with girls oryoung ladies, and expected to feel ill at ease with them. Still he couldnot think of a good reason for excusing himself from the promisedintroduction, and, after going up to Ida in company with his new friend,and congratulating her on her birthday (he would not have known how toact if Theodore had not set him an example), he walked across the roomto where one of the young ladies who had entered at the time he did wasseated.

  "Alice," said Theodore, "this is my friend Mr. Hunter, who would like todance with you in the first Lancers."

  Dick bowed, and Alice, producing a card, said, "I shall be most happy.Will Mr. Hunter write his name on my card?"

  Dick did so, and was thankful that he could now write a handsome hand.

  "Now," said Theodore, unceremoniously, "I'll leave you two to amuse eachother, while I go off in search of a partner."

  "I'm in for it," thought Dick, seating himself on the sofa beside Alice."I wish I knew what to say."

  "Do you like the Lancers?" inquired the young lady.

  "Yes, I like it," said Dick, "but I haven't danced it much. I'm afraid Ishall make some mistakes."

  "I've no doubt we shall get along well," said Alice. "Where did youlearn?"

  "I learned at home," said Dick.

  "I thought I had not met you at Dodworth's. I attended dancing schoolthere last winter."

  "No," said Dick; "I never took lessons."

  "Don't you like Ida Greyson?" inquired Alice.

  "Yes, I like her very much," said Dick, sincerely.

  "She's a sweet girl. She's a very intimate friend of mine. Who is thatboy that came into the room with you?"

  "His name is Henry Fosdick."

  "He's going to dance with Ida. Come, let us hurry and get in the sameset."

  Dick offered his arm, and, as the sets were already being formed, ledhis partner to the upper end of the room, where they were just in timeto get into the same set with Ida.

  Theodore, with a girl about his own age, had already taken his positionopposite Dick. Fosdick and Ida were the first couple, and opposite themIsaac and Isabella Selden, cousins of Theodore and Alice.

  They had scarcely taken their places when the music struck up. Dick felta little flustered, but determined to do his best. Being very quick inlearning figures, and naturally gracefully in his movements, he gotthrough very creditably, and without a mistake.

  "I thought you expected to make mistakes," said Alice Selden, as Dickled her back to her seat. "I think you dance very well."

  "It was because I had such a good partner," said Dick.

  "Thank you for the compliment," said Alice, courtesying profoundly.

  "Seems to me you're very polite, Alice," said Theodore, coming up.

  "Mr. Hunter was paying me a compliment," said Alice.

  "I wish you'd tell me how," said Theodore to Dick.

  "I wish he would," interrupted Alice. "All your compliments are of thewrong kind."

  "It isn't expected that brothers should compliment their sisters," saidTheodore.

  Mrs. Greyson came into the room during the dancing, and was pleased tosee that Dick and Henry Fosdick, instead of sitting awkwardly in thecorner, were taking their part in the evening's amusement. Dick made anengagement with Alice for another dance later in the evening, but dancedthe second with Ida Greyson, with whom, by this time, he felt very wellacquainted.

  "I didn't know you knew Alice Selden," said Ida. "Where did you meether?"

  "Her brother Theodore introduced me this evening. I did not know herbefore."

  "You haven't been here lately, Dick," said Ida, familiarly.

  "No," said he. "It's because I've been very busy."

  "You don't work in the evening,--do you?"

  "I study in the evening."

  "What do you study, Dick?"

  "French, for one thing."

  "Can you speak French?"

  "A little. Not much."

  "I'm going to try you '_Comment vous portez-vous, monsieur?_'"

  "'_Tres bien, mademoiselle. Et vous?_'"

  "That's right," said Ida, gravely. "I can't talk much yet myself. Whoteaches you?"

  "I have a private teacher."

  "So have I. She comes twice a week. When I don't know my lesson, sheboxes my ears. Is your teacher cross?"

  "No," said Dick, laughing. "He doesn't box my ears."

  "That's because you're so large. I wish I could have you for my teacher.I'd ask papa, if you could only speak it like a native."

  "So I can," said Dick.

  "You can, really?"

  "Yes, like a native of New York."

  Ida laughed, and was afraid that wouldn't do.

  When the dance was over, and Dick was leading Ida to her seat, asurprise awaited him. A boy came forward hastily, and said in a toneblending amazement with gratification, "Is it possible that this is DickHunter?"

  "Frank Whitney!" exclaimed Dick, clasping his hand cordially. "How cameyou here?"

  "Just the question I was going to ask you, Dick. But I'll answer first.I am spending a few days with some cousins in Thirty-Seventh Street.They are friends of the Greysons, and were invited here this evening,and I with them. I little dreamed of meeting you here. I must say, Dick,you seem quite at home."

  "Mr. Greyson has been a kind friend of mine," said Dick, "and I've metIda quite often. But I felt a little nervous about coming to this party.I was afraid I'd be like a cat in a strange garret."

  "You're a wonderful boy, Dick. You look as if you had been used to suchscenes all your life. I can hardly believe yo
u're the same boy I met infront of the Astor House a little more than a year ago."

  "If I'm changed, it's because of what you said to me then, you and yourfather. But for those words I might still have been Ragged Dick."

  "I'm glad to hear you say that, Dick; but, for all that, a great deal ofcredit is due to yourself."

  "I've worked hard," said Dick, "because I felt that I had something towork for. When are you going to enter college?"

  "I expect to apply for admission in about two months."

  "At Columbia College?"

  "Yes."

  "I am glad of that. I shall hope to see you sometimes."

  "You will see me often, Dick."

  Here the music struck up, and the boys parted. It is unnecessary tospeak farther of the events of the evening. Dick made several otheracquaintances, and felt much more at ease than he had anticipated. Hereturned home, feeling that his first party had been a very agreeableone, and that he had on the whole appeared to advantage.