“You will return with them?” said Mrs. Forest. “You may as well bring them and your husband here at once. They can just as well dine here, if they have not dined.”
“Of course,” said Charlotte. “I will order dinner for them in our rooms while you are gone. Louise wants to go home and dress, I know, for she means to dance at the workman’s ball.”
“My child, is that so?” asked Mrs. Kendrick, gravely. “Why, you have no escort!”
“Oh, Felix will take care of her. He dances, and I do not,” replied Mrs. Müller.
The three suites of apartments of the doctor, Paul, and Felix, extended through the wing from front to back, where they opened on the court of the quadrangle. In this court was the magnificent winter conservatory of the Social Palace. All these three suites of apartments were very elegantly furnished, especially those of the count, who could find nothing too rich or magnificent for the home of his precious Clara. On this second floor, around the three sides of this court, were the apartments renting the highest, being more spacious in their character. Every tenant had the right to finish or decorate his interior as he chose. He could fresco, or paper, or wainscot it at his pleasure. The count and Felix had had theirs frescoed by a skillful foreign artist; but most of the occupants were quite satisfied with the elegant “hard-finished,” tinted walls of their homes.
In about an hour the visitors returned, bringing Dr. Delano and his wife and the two “solid” bankers. Louise was in a state of great excitement. There were to be many Oakdalers at the ball, but none, so far as she knew, of her own particular set, except the count, and he would probably only dance once, and then retire to his “idol.” But Louise was seized with a democratic mania. She was anxious to see how young men who actually worked all day would deport themselves in white kid gloves, and she told Ella she expected rare amusement. Ella decided that it would be exceedingly “nice,” and only regretted that she was in her traveling dress.
As the party drove over the bridge, Ella was amazed at the sight of the magnificent structure before her, and asked what it was.
“Why that is it,” replied Louise.
“It?” fairly screamed Ella. “Do you mean to tell me that is your workingman’s home? You can’t make me believe it.”
“You should have been with us to-day,” said Mrs. Kendrick. “The outside is nothing to the spacious elegance and comfort inside; and it is so deliciously cool there!”