A Lunatic Ball

Ia the recent annual ball at the Luuaic Asyluin, twenty couples took the floor, anged in two lines, facing eaeh other, nd stood in profound silence, waiting he music. In this party the strangeness f the performers was most apparent. )he men wore a look upon their faces cf such resolution as one would expect on that of a brave man, brought face to face with some terrible danger. The women were more wandering in their glances ; mt noarly .all were serious, too. The music burst forth, and a simultaneous movement followed ; all sorts of movements, some cultivated steps, but for the most part a mere violent shuffting exerise. Directly they all seemed to have brgotten that they had partners, and ettled down into dancing. Thero was ome peculiarity about every individual, ut in every ono was observablo a sort of cstacy. One girl, with wild, dark eyes, nd her black air hanging loosely round her neck, would occasionally auso, as though sho were trying to ecollect where she had aeted such part in her other senses, but glancng at tho company all engaged around ïer, she would resume her motions. Some f them kept their gaze fixed on tho ceilng, turning neither to the right nor to tie left ; others kept a watch upoa their eet, which perhaps to their bewildered minde, wcro perhaps going sadly astray. Very soon the organización lost shape ; ie original partners had wandnred hopeeesly away from each other. But, with nstiuctive gallantry on the one side, and rentle acquiescence on the other, tho ion swung and twirled whichevcr lady ïappened to be withia reach at the moment when thev thought the rcusic