Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-22

Yes, must see that; never was at one in
my life."
.'Iexpect it will be awfully low"
Then We can come out. But Fritz SAYS not
he says 1T is splendid affair; that there is
young lady singer quite an attraction"
.Oh, Fritz-yes Observation-Disclosures
For few moments there was silence in the
large room; then the husband Of the charming
girl. who had taken Liddell's not very easily
pleased fancy, broke 1t.
81 say, Baby" he said abruptly "suppose we
GO up as far as Gouda this afternoon by rail and
look at the windows."
Liddell threw down his paper and strobe ont
into the garden. his heart 10 his mouth and all
his misery back upon him In tenfOld force. The
fresh-faced girl and her Tom" had disappeared.
and Liddell flung himself down upon the near
est bench and wished hercely that he were dead
or that he had never been born. Was it three
years or three centuries ago that he had ad-
dressed just such girl by that very term?
''Oh. Baby. Baby, Babyl" he groaned. where
have you hidden yourself all this long, weary,
sickenng time? Shall neuer find you againf''
A long time he sat there ill., indeed. the bis
tering heat OF the sun sent him indoors for shell
ter. and when he reached the saal it was empty
Scott and Baby were gone.
In looking back upon that day, LiddeIl
always thought OF it as one of the longest and
most dreary lie had ever spent In his life. The
heat was intenser and when Rotterdam is hot
it is hOt-there is never any mistake about 1t;
the clean, white streets that morning were SIM
X.
white houses and the bright windows and beat
upon the spotless pavement until they posi-
lively scorohed the feet of passers-by. Liddell
found his way up to the dusty Zoo, where an
unfortunate Poler bear was painting his heart
out and tropical animals were laid about their
dens in evident enjoyment. He saw but was
not much gratifed by the sight-fOr he was
not at that time in the frame of mind
to be pleased by trfles-the most wonder
full thing in monkeys the civilized world
at oaf at no
Rotterdam Zoo. l know not whether 1t be
now living or dead, but a year or two back
there was an orang-Outang in those gardens
the oldest, quantest little creature possible
sweet-tempered and lively, with soft fur of light
stone color, and the wisest little dark face in the
world just like the face OF little old man. It
was there then. the wonder and the pet of all;
but Liddell, as have said was not much graft
fled by the sight Of it. He left the gardens and
sauntered back to the town, looked in at the
GrOOte Kerk in disgust at the whtewash and
the hat-pegs, dawdled along the Boompjes, and
watched the different sorts of craft plying up
and down or lying at anchor in the river, and
then, finding that he had reached his hotel, he
went In and called for brandy and soda In sheer
desperation. and for want Of anything else to do.
From friendly Fritz he obtained all the informa-
ton he wanted concerning the cafe chantant,
and then he asked the name Of the people who,
like himself, intended to go there that evening.
Era lady in white dress-tall-er-and
the gentleman upset the cat into the water"
Fritz grinned at the recollection oft. ooh,
yes sare: Captain and Mrs Laurie the gen.
tleman is Qticier-I don't know what regi-
ment."
Presently he saw them arrive in a cab. and
then they passed through the garden to the
little side stairway leading to the upper floors.
So they had come back Fritz told him that
they had bought a lot Of old plates at Couda,
and seemed to think they had been completely
done. Liddell felt as sorry as if he had been
done himself.
The dinner was not so good as the breakfast
had been, and before the long service had come
to an end the Lauries slipped away, and Liddell
Immediately followed their example He pre-
sently found himself in the cafe-a large low
room, with many little handicapped tables, and
more unsteady iron chairs-On one side stage,
ana on that stage young person rejoicing in
the name of Nellie darlington. who, dressed in
a short and scanty scarlet frock, held golden
skipplng-rope in her hands, and sang. in shrill
and utterly unmusical voice. music-hall song
of which the refrain ran
Ow, me ut-tal darling!
1t was true that she could dance and to perfec-
ton. yet Liddell looked to see what effect the
performance had upon Mrs. Laurie. She
laughed a little, but laughed yet more when
TAT c0ntraltO in green satin, emerald green, gar
nshed literally with red roses, came forward
and sang, winning vOci1erOus encore from the
regular audience which to man shouted her
name repeatedly the moment she ceased sing
tenor with thick bare throat.
Then, pretty Jane my dearest Jane
All. never look so Shy-hy-hy,
But meet me, meet Inc in the ee-ee-eev ming
When the boo-oo-oom Is oo-oo-on the rye.
But nobody seemed to mind and some people
looked very much astonishcd when In the flidtile
OF the second verse the I.auries went out. Lid
dell would have followed them, but remember
ing there was nothing but bed for him If he went
n n al G VnI insf for In n1tc
a ballad by a Miss NesOn-the attraction spoken
OF by Fritz the waiter
The roar Of applause which greeted the Eng
lish balad-singer caused Liddell to look back
at the rough audience; then the first notes OF
ballad stole through the room and tor the
second time that day Liddell felt a great knot
creeping up his throat a black mist gathered
before him. He turned his Gimmed eyes to-
ward the stage and saw vision! A vision? Oh
no. reality of flesh and blood: the reality of
great blue pleading eyes; the reality of mouth
that had been kissed hundred of times but with
the lips now dOWn-drawn with misery. and
oh. most painful reality of all to see-the face
he had loved all his life bearing the cruel stamp
OF poverty and pain
So much for the singer; and what Of the song?
AS the program had promised, q ballad; it was
the song Liddell had been used to call his in the
unforgOtten days which would never come back
TO singer or listener any more; a brave and spir-
tied Border ballad sung without bravery or
refrain which made her stOlid hearers move
their solemn heads to and fro and tap fat fingers
against fat knees In pleasure and sympathy;
which told LiddelFs tast-beating heart that
whatever had been the cause of their parting in
the bygOne days, she had not deserted him for
lack Of love.
Follow thee, follow thee, wha wadna follow thee?
Lang hast thou lO'ed and trusted us fairly
Charlie, Charlie, Wha Wadna follow thee?
King O. the IIieland hearts, Bonnie PrnceCharlie
When he had watched her Off the stage, Lid
dell got up and staggered out into the soft night
air. Behind him he heard the noisy applause
and loud calls for ''HOme Sweet Home" Would
she come? Yes, the sweet voice stole out again,
and the cafe was hushed to silence in moment;
he could have sworn that tears were standing in
the dark-set blue eyes, he could hear them in
every one OF the dear familiar notes. He
clenched his hands hard and tried to recall the
past with calmness.
Be 1t ever so humble,
There's no place like home.
Enthusiastically was it the cry of homeless
woman. He could not understand it, More
than three years before she had given him up,
he who loved her more than all else that the
wide world held. She had deliberately lost her.
self, so that until this very day he had never
been able to find even a trace of her. And now
that he had by a mere chance through the
power Of attraction of strange woman, who
had recalled her more wildly to his memory
than any one had ever done before-now that
he had found her. he had found her-how ? AS
q singer in a Dutch cafe chantant Oh r.