Of course, the boys came early, and stood about in corners,
looking as if they had more arms and legs than they knew what to
do with. Tom did his best to be a good host; but ceremony
oppressed his spirits, and he was forced to struggle manfully with
the wild desire to propose a game of leap-frog, for the long
drawing-rooms, cleared for dancing, tempted him sorely.
Polly sat where she was told, and suffered bashful agonies as Fan
introduced very fine young ladies and very stiff young gentlemen,
who all said about the same civil things, and then appeared to
forget all about her. When the first dance was called, Fanny
cornered Tom, who had been dodging her, for he knew what she
wanted, and said, in an earnest whisper: "Now, Tom, you must
dance this with Polly. You are the young gentleman of the house,
and it 's only proper that you should ask your company first."
"Polly don't care for manners. I hate dancing; don't know how. Let
go my jacket, and don't bother, or I 'll cut away altogether,"
growled Tom, daunted by the awful prospect of opening the ball
with Polly.
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