The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-03-08
1t Made Freddie Mad.

reporter, and being challenged by him.
was rs follows:
AT seven O'Clock a reporter of the
J1lobe Democrat raped on Freddie
door. and having heard of Ereddle's 40.
normal fear of reporters, was much sur
prised to hear voice respond, Come
in" Entering he found himself in a
neatly furnished parlor. On side.
table there we're two new plug hats, on
the sofa two overcoats, and on the center
table two fresh bouquets. Passing
through this parlor, the reporter reached
the room from whence the voice pro-
ceeded. 1t was the voice OF locksmith,
who was putting on new lock or ad-
justing the old lock OF the door between
the bedroom and parlor. This was
Freddie's sleeping apartment and with
instructive quickness the reporter OBJ
served that there were four pairs of
shoes and two pairs of slippers on the
floor. There was white coverlet on the
bed and beautiful picture of the Lily
suspended over the head of the bed.
On the dresser there were four ivory
backed brushes, four ivory combs, two
wisps, pot of roughe, box of lily
white, two coat brushes, small mirror,
box of cosmetic and three pictures of
the Lily-one large extra cabinet size
mounted on q stand, and the other two
ordinary cabinets. 1t was a lovely
boudoir for the devotee of beauty, and a
fit shrine for the worship of q youth
whose signs have swept two hemis-
y pheres. Being questioned as to whether
Freddy was in, the locksmith replied:
"Well, he was here, but he's just left.
She sent her servant after him."
"Whom do you mean by she?" asked
thegfeporter.
"Why, the lady at the other end of
the hall" replied the workman, grinning
all over her face, and then added: 81
guess you know all about it. Anyhow,
when he got the message to come he
knocked over two chairs getting out O.
here, and the way he ran down the hall
] should suppose he was out OF breath
when he reached her ROOM
As the reporter was retiring, the philo-
sophical locksmith remarked: Il was
once kind O. soft in this love business,
but was never soft enough to tramp
round the country after any woman. "
1t was poet who wrote, Love laughs
at lockAmiths," but here was locksmith
who snickered at love.
A few minutes later the reporter sent
his card to Freddie, and was promptly
invited to call at Mrs. Langtry's room.
He was received by Freddie's servant.
who made a low and reverential "salaam'
such as plebians are accustomed to make
to reporters and other good men. The
scribe was astonished to find himself
{ ushered into the presence OF Lily her
self, who, with her sister-in law, Miss
Langtry, and Freddie, were seated at a
table vigorously discus ing dish of
roast qdails. With that characteristic
politeness for which he is indebted to an
early and genteel culture, Freddie
deigned u look Mt the reporter, but did
not speak. He merely swallowed the
left wing of quail and wiped off his
chin. The reporter pulled down his
vest. The awful silence was finally
broken by Freddie, who, with the air OF
one had been rudely interrupted a. a
banquet, asked:
"Well, sir, what do you want?'
The reporter replied that he was on
the trail of an interview, but intimated
that il might be agreeable to Freddie if
he would submit to being Intercepted
alone. The gallant lover responded that
he'd as lief express himself in the pres
ence of a whole circus company as not.
'Then," queried the reporter, will
You state what your object is in follow
ing Mrs. Langtry around the country"
This was bombshell thrown into the
warlike camp. Mrs. Langtry was the
first to respond to this leading question,
and woman-like, she did pot stop until
che gave the reporter "a piece OF her
mind.
II think you reporters are very saucy,"
,ysaia she, ito ask about things that dont
! concern you, Mr. Gebhardt is my
friend, and that does not concern the
public. He's not a congressman nor q
theatrical man-he's simply young
man travelling for pleasure. It's an i'm.
pudent piece of business, this interview
ing is it wouldn't be allowed in Eng
land-no, it wouldn't and the fair Lily S
blue eyes glistened with an Unsurpassed
anger as she shot q direful glance at the
reporter.
Freddie, who had picked up his coat
tail and vas lingering it nervously, re.
Piled with some agitation: Yes, that's
It. I'm traveli ng for pleasure. I've
got the money to pay for it, and I'm en-
joying myself"
"Do you intend to make the entire
grand circuit with Mrs. Langtry?" in
quired the reporter.
This was the signal for another painful
outburst, and the Lily dropped whole
quail on her lap and her knife and fork
went rafting on the floor. Poor Fred
die, who was between the fire Of the re.