The Ball was opened with a triple set of quadrilles. The top set,
nearest to the dais or place of honour, was composed as follows: Sir
Jasper as the fine old English gentleman in doublet and trunk hose, with
Edith, looking very lovely, as the Lady Rowena; their _vis a vis_ being
Julia Barton, in the character of Mary Stuart, attended by Arthur,
dressed as a Light Dragoon of the period. The side couples were, Kate
Cotterell, bewitchingly pretty, in the costume of Rebecca the Jewess,
assisted by Tom Barton as the famous Robin Hood. Emily Barton
represented, with very good effect, Maid Marion, under the escort of
young Snaffle of the Lancers, who rode over from the nearest Garrison
Town to captivate some stray heart by personating Young Lochinvar. The
other two sets, figuring in costumes as handsome as they were varied,
were made up of the youth and beauty of the neighbourhood, with the
exception of the bottom couple of the last set; here, Mrs. Fraudhurst
appeared, gorgeously attired, as Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, with no
other for her partner than Ralph Coleman in the garb of Mephistopheles.
At the conclusion of the first Quadrille, the Baronet seated himself in
the state chair, with his old friends on either side, for their dancing
days like his own was now as a thing of the past, but looking on with
inward satisfaction at the gay assembly, until the memories of their own
youthful days rose pleasantly before them, the rare old wines of the
choicest vintage, from the well-stored cellars of Vellenaux aiding to
keep up these associations, as Waltzes, Polkas, Mazourkas, followed in
rapid succession. Nor was the supper the least agreeable feature of the
entertainment, for country life, and country exercise, equestrian and
pedestrian, over the frozen earth, were wonderful auxiliaries to the
appetite, and both old and young did ample justice to the good things
that were provided for them.

The Duchess and Mephistopheles kept watchful eye on Edith and Arthur,