HARK FORRARD! 63 



and whose wife is Mr. Acton's sister. But 

 what brings you here ? ' 



' Well, you see we have a house in Wash- 

 ington, and I persuaded mother to come here 

 for a week, as in addition to the races there 

 is a very good ball which we call a German. 

 You ought to come to it ; it is to-morrow 

 night.' 



' I am quite sure that my wife will be de- 

 lighted to go to it,' said Danby. ' She is very 

 fond of dancing, and gets but little chance 

 where we live in Virginia, as there is hardly a 

 dance of any description in our neighbourhood 

 unless when they have one or two at the White 

 Sulphur Springs, near Warrington.' 



' As far as I am concerned,' said Reginald, 

 ' I am not a votary of Terpsichore, and always 

 feel inclined to agree with the Chinese Ambas- 

 sador who, when taken to a ball at the Mansion 

 House and asked what he thought of it, said, 

 " Yes, it is beautiful, but such hard work. I 

 wonder you don't get your servants to do it for 



you." ' 



