boisterous couples, who tear wildly about the room, knocking every one
out of their way. There are nervous couples, whom these frighten, and
who cry, "Nusfok! Kas yra?" at them as they pass. Each couple is paired
for the evening--you will never see them change about. There is Alena
Jasaityte, for instance, who has danced unending hours with Juozas
Raczius, to whom she is engaged. Alena is the beauty of the evening,
and she would be really beautiful if she were not so proud. She wears
a white shirtwaist, which represents, perhaps, half a week's labor
painting cans. She holds her skirt with her hand as she dances, with
stately precision, after the manner of the grandes dames. Juozas is
driving one of Durham's wagons, and is making big wages. He affects a
"tough" aspect, wearing his hat on one side and keeping a cigarette in
his mouth all the evening. Then there is Jadvyga Marcinkus, who is also
beautiful, but humble. Jadvyga likewise paints cans, but then she has
an invalid mother and three little sisters to support by it, and so she
does not spend her wages for shirtwaists. Jadvyga is small and delicate,
with jet-black eyes and hair, the latter twisted into a little knot and
tied on the top of her head. She wears an old white dress which she
has made herself and worn to parties for the past five years; it is
high-waisted--almost under her arms, and not very becoming,--but that
does not trouble Jadvyga, who is dancing with her Mikolas. She is small,
while he is big and powerful; she nestles in his arms as if she would
hide herself from view, and leans her head upon his shoulder. He in turn
has clasped his arms tightly around her, as if he would carry her away;
and so she dances, and will dance the entire evening, and would dance
forever, in ecstasy of bliss. You would smile, perhaps, to see them--but
you would not smile if you knew all the story. This is the fifth year,
now, that Jadvyga has been engaged to Mikolas, and her heart is sick.
They would have been married in the beginning, only Mikolas has a father
who is drunk all day, and he is the only other man in a large family.