The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-07-07

She is not like some prime dome have
danced with. People talk about ballet
girls"-with q shrug; 81 could tell them
something about prime donne if would,
but I'm not gossip. have enough to
do to look after my own affairs, without
troubling myself about other peoples.
If you come to know us you will find
that we are not as black as we are paint
ed. Some of the hardest working and
best women have ever known have
been ballet dancers. Because some one
has given us a bad name we are the tar
get for all the simple headed tops and
bald headed rakes in the country; but
these wicked men find themselves mis-
taken sometimes, and learn that ballet
dancer can take care of herself and that
she has others to take care of her. You
should have heard my father tell how he
thrashed Lord BellAower on the stage
at Covent Garden one night for chuck
ing my mother under the chin. Ny
mother was a dancer-one of the most
famous fairies in the pantomime, though
you wouldn't think so to see her now
and very beautiful Old Bellhower adj
mired her across the footlghts, and
thought the only thing he need do to
make her acquaintance was to speak to
her He was well known behind the
scenes of the theatre; my mother was
not-she had just come from Italy; and
he sauntered across the stage to the
wings where she was standing, and,
with an insolent leer, put out his big
be-ringed hand and caught her by the
chin. Oh, dear mel l have to laugh
whenever I think of it. My mother drew
back in alright as my father stepped
up. My father was a famous athlete
the champion cannon ball tosser of Eu-
rope. He took his lordship by the seat
of his trousers and the collar of his coat
and ran him the length of the stage, the
entire company looking on and trying
not to laugh; and when he got him to
the drop curtain he kicked it aside and
fired my Lord Bellfower clear over the
orchestra into the pit. You can imagine
what a sensation this made. My mother
had to leave the theatre, as his lordship
was large stakeholder and one of the
directors; but both she and my father
got a splendid engagement at another
house. If my father had intended doing
something to make himself popular, he
could not have hit upon a better device:
and can tell you that ballet dancers
were better treated by the swells for
some time after that"
And Leoni raised herself on her toes
and laughed
"a capital story, capitally told," said
Rush; land shall have a care in future
not to chuck ballet girls under the chin
until find out if there are any athletes
in the family"
81 don't believe you are that sort of a
man." said Leoni. ''If 1 did, I would
not have stood here talking to you; but
there is something about you that tells
me that you are an honest young fellow
and have not been in the city long
enough to be spoiled by its wicked ways.
Ali there is my cue"
Rush was young enough not to feel al
together fattered by Leoni's estimate of
him, but he took it as it was meant. He
was very much pleased with the girl;
she was very handsome, her manner was
as attractive as it was frank, and she
danced like sylph. He made up his
mind that he would ask permission to
call upon her, and when she pirouetted
around his way again, he said, "Mlle.
Leoni, since you have been kind enough
to express such good opinion of my
character, perhaps you would not mind
proving what you say by allowing me to
call upon you at your home" And he
smiled most winning smile
Leoni looked him straight in the eyes;
then she said: "If you would really care
to call at my humble apartment you are
quite welcome; but first give me your
name, that l may introduce you to my
mother; she is here waiting for me. She
comes for me every night and we go
home together"
MY name is Rush Hurlstone, and I
am a journalist-fresh from the country,
too, as you srlrmised. l shall be most
happy to meet the mother of so charm
ing daughter, if you will take me to
her" said Rush, in his most convincing
manner.
This way, then, please"
Rush followed her across the back of
the stage, and there in a remote corner
sat tall, thin Italian woman, with q
wrinkled, sallow skin, large nose, sharp
pointed chin (the very chin Lord Bell
flower had touched to his cost, and coal
black eyes with heavy lids. They must
have been handsome eyes when she was
young-not so many years ago, either;
but Italian women fade rapidly.
Mother, l want to introduce Mr.. Rush
HurIstone, from the country, who would
like to call on us some day." said Leoni
The way she pronounced his name
amused Rush very much, but he was too
well bred to smile. He bowed politely
to the mother and shook her hand so
heartily that he knocked her knitting
out of her lap as she attempted to rise
Il am very glad to meet you, Signora
Leoni," said he, land 1 hope for a
better acquaintance with both you and
your daughter"
THANK you," said she, in English
more broken than that of her daughter.
"But my name is Celia"
'Leoni is my stage name, you know"
added the daughter. "You have to
have fancy name in the ballet. At
home am Lisa Celia; here am Leoni
the only Leoni,' as they say on the