The Argosy, January 1906 — page 105: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A SMALL PROFESSIONAL DINNER-PARTY. and imattentive attitude. He straight- ened up and clapped madly at her en- trance, he bent an unbroken and inter- ested gaze upon her, and Helen could see that he was watching narrowly every movement that she made, listening as though entranced to every inflection of her rather unmusical voice. What could be the secret of it? The girl, earefully studying both him and the actress, shook her head in a sort of uncomprehending perplexity; for as Miss ‘l'remont proceeded with her part, the listener found herself forced more and more to agree with Gertie Allen, and to acknowledge that the latter had rather understated than exaggerated this star’s defects. The woman was old; all the grease- paint and powder in the world could not cover up those lines which Time had etched along her throat and about the corners of her mouth. She had irregular features, a big mouth, and an awkward, ungainly figure. Her carriage was slovenly, and her elocution faulty and unrefined. There was a certain power to her act- ing, of course; but unprejudiced as Helen strove to be, she could not con- vince herself that this was from any spark of the “divine fire.” Indeed, it seemed to her not as work in any degree sincere or voluntary, but rather, as her friend had claimed, the mere showing of a puppet going unwittingly through its paces. As for any quality of personal magnet- ism which might have atoned for all these other shortcomings, the girl could not diseover a trace; Miss ‘T’remont was to her as dull, flat, and uninspiring as ditchwater. What then could be the imfiuence whieh had drawn Fred Saxby into the train of her admirers? Miss Brown, with an expressive lifting of her brows, gave up the eonundrum. Her respect and esteem for him in- stantly fell many degrees, and unable to remain and endure the spectacle of seeing him applauding such a_perfor- manee, she arose at the close of the act and hurriedly left the house. Almost in a daze at the conflict of emotions which had been aroused within her, she started off impetuously, heed- 287 ing little what direction she was taking ; but when she had proceeded about half way down a block she suddenly realized that she was headed for the East Side, and paused to consider her movements. While she stood there uncertainly de- bating whether a brisk stroll up Madison Avenue or a drive through the Park would best serve to soothe her perturbed spirit, her attention was eaught by the quaint comments of a group of children gathered about the gaudy posters which portrayed the “ death-defying” feats of the circus at that very moment going on within the walls at her side. Memory insensibly took Miss Brown back to the time when she herself had gloated over circus bills, and she in- clined her ear to the childish observa- tions with a sort of sympathetic imterest. “Aw, dey don’t reely have nuttin’ like dat, does dey? ” incredulously ques- tioned one little girl, pointing a enubby forefinger at the representation of a black-mustached Apollo smilingly eyo- luting a bicycle down a swift incline and leaping a chasm which if drawn to scale must have measured a thousand feet. “Sure dey does,” another rebuked her ‘Shocking want of faith. “ Wasn’t me brudder Jimmy dere de odder night, an’ didn’t he say dey done it jest like it was in de pitshurs? ” “ Are you a goin’ to git to go, Annie? ” asked a third yearningly, turning to still another of the party. “ Maw says as how I was to de cirkis last year, an’ dat ought to do me. She guesses dey ain’t much new in it, nohow.” Miss Brown hesitated a moment; then impulsively snapped open her watch and glanced at the time. It was still early. With a quick decision, characteristic of her, she stepped up to the little group. “How would you tots like to go to the circus with me this afternoon?” she asked with a winning smile. “I think I can manage it, if none of you have to go home, and if you would really care to Care to go? Ask a famished man if he would eare for manna direct from heaven ! They made’ no answer in words; they were stricken dumb with an incredulous joy. But she read her answer in their glistening eyes. com chook (Efe)