Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/81

Rh be traced signs of the deepest emotion—of hope and despair, of sorrow and joy.

I went to the bar-room, which, like the parlor of the club-room, was crowded. A man was playing on the harp and singing, some were listening to the music, while others were drinking brandy smashes, mint juleps, etc., and were ordering them so fast, that I could not, for the life of me, tell whether the barkeeper, when he received the money, put half into his pocket and half into the drawer, or all into one place or the other. I then went through a long hall that separated the restaurant from the staircase, that led to the ball-room. There were six large rooms on each side of this hall; the three front rooms were very large bed-rooms, the others were private dining-rooms. This restaurant was for those of the boarders who did not get up at the general breakfast hour, which was from eight to ten. Those who did not attend at these hours, had breakfast there, and paid extra for it, and those who are going on the half-past one o'clock train, their dinner.

In the private dining-rooms, on ball nights, the managers of the balls have a game supper given them, for their trouble in attending to, and getting up the ball. On passing through this hall, on that night, it was very gay and lively, some carrying refreshments to the ball-room, others busy in the preparation of the supper for the managers; all hurrying to and fro, talking, laughing, and whispering.

From here I went up the broad stairs to the ball-room. The stairway was lined with spectators, anxious to see the beauty and dress of the ball, but owing to the ill-nature of the bar-keeper, who