The Van Buren press., 1895-03-30

broad fight Of marble steps. It is
bright as monday, and crowds are
trooping in, and all over the wide ves-
abule you can see red and blue and
green court hats being dotted grace
fully as the ladies bow to one another.
The men stop and shake hands with
one another occasionally, and as they
come to the door they hang back till
the ladies produce the tickets.
aJohn, where are you?"
"Im here, dear" says John, meekly.
Don't get lost. There's dear"
She turns and gets into an animated
conversation with several other ladies.
"Yes, the directors met to-day and
declared dividend OF three per cent,
says one.
I'm glad of that. What do you
think of Nellie Jones for governor?"
WELL" says strong-voiced lady,
throwing away cigarette; II don't
think the democrats would dare TO put
up Nellie Jones. She couldn't carry
precinct south Of Market street."
II Think" says another, I'VE can
make deal with Bridget O'Flaherty
for the attorney general"
Maria" says a small voice, while a
timid hand pulls at her coat tails
Maria"
.. well, II we can get Susan Robinson
In Tor congress we might let Bridget
have something"
"Maria!"
"What is it?..
1.-THE curtain is going up, dear"
"Oh, all right. I suppose I've got
to take you in."
Then the ladies oil go In together,
jabbering, and half a dozen helpless
things of men lag behind.
(Which OF them did you say is with
you?" asks the doorkeeper, little,
shrive1ed ,up old woman. And finally
they all get. In and take their seats.
John is very uneasy. He sees all the
other men without their hats. The
ladies' do not take theirs off. The cur
tain goes up. The play is "Othello"
The duchess and senate are assem-
bled. Old Brabantio accuses Desde-
mona OF having married the Moor. In
effect Desdemona says she'll do as she
darn pleases about it, and the time has
gone by when old fools of fathers had
anything to say to their daughters
about such things. The old man is
beaten. Desdemona is appointed to
the command at Cyprus and elects to
take Othello with her. There is great
applause, the author is called for, and
the ladies cry "Bravo!"
where are you going, Maria?'
I'm going out to see woman"
"Don't be long. l don't like to sit
here all by myself"
"Oh, don't be foolish. I'll bring you
some candy" 1ruat
The foyer is brilliant with ladies in
gay dress. There are twinkling calves
and shining patent feathers and coats
In all the colors of the rainbow. The
men don't leave their seats, but sit
alone and cast occasional longing
glances at the entrance to the cafe.
The critics OF the morning papers are
there, learned and important.
"Fine isn't it3"
"Oh, don't know. She's great nc-
tress; but hardly womanly enough,
don't you know. One wants force and
dignity and something OF power in the
soldier, don't you know?"
II think Othello is perfectly lovely"
said another lady. ''He's SO gentle and
tractable, so respectful to Desdemona.
so humble and meek-so manly In every
way"
II didn't like the duchess and the
senate, )" says another. "They seemed to
me to be so common. They were an In
suit to the SEX"
The chatter goes on. Cigarettes are
smoking all over the place, and there is
little cafe where suspicious-looking
liquors are being served In dainty little
glasses
''I1l take q cigar" says q strong
minded woman, with good deal OF
embonpoint and very baggy below the
knees
Lets shake for refreshments, says
another.
"All right. Poker dicel"
"As you please"
'Oh, by the way, promised to take
my husband In some candy"
"Oh, take him in Glove; that'll dc"
'No, that will remind him Of the
privileges his sex has lost"
Then the bell rings and they troop In
and the play goes on. The plot is that
Emilia works up Desdemona to jealousy,
and she smothers Othello.
II think it's perfectly awful, Maria. :"
"What?" As
"It's positively indecent"
e'What?"
"Jones. He's got q Byron collar on,
all open at the neck, and you can sea
his shoulders. It's shocking!'
II wonder Mrs. Jones would take
him out like that" says Maria.
The curtain falls on another act.
You're not going out again, Maria?'
"Yes, I've got to talk over some busi-
ness with Mrs. Jones'"
"Maria, dear, I don't want you to
speak to Jones. I think man who
behaves as he does is not At company"
my dear, Mrs. Jones is the presi-
dent Of the new transcontinental rail-
road, and I've got to keep in with her"
At last the play is over. The crowd
troops out.
"Mar:al"
"What, dear?"
"Let us have some oysters"
II think you'd better not eat SO late,
John"
"But I'm hungry"
Every well, dear. You can have
some ice cream"