The herald., 1897-01-12
ass Observation-Disclosures *SS !, s,isy,'go.,s1l ss,isy,'goe ' 3
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/: DANCING MASTERS ROAAACE :
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The difficulty Of apprehending the fe-
male character is weil-nigh insurmount-
able Woman has been called chame-
leon weather-cock enigma; but an enig-
ma mas solution which may be reached
by patience or accident, weather-cock
Will confess the bent of the wind, for
however short a space, and the color of
the chameleon can be periodically prov
Ell ny It's dietary. But woman-she is
Teiterating question, an argument sans
crux, a volume with uncut leaves dot
ted about through the most exciting
chapters. For you like to know the sort
OF creature you are dealing With-a
painter especially, since his fame hangs
on his knoWledge-hence these rumina-
tions around Betty.
Betty? you say-Glo we not all know
her? Does not her dimpled face peer
ont of the weekly papers and do not
their columns expose and magnify ev-
cry detail of her life-her fads, her fam
cies and her follies? Cannot we see her
night after night whisking her may
skirts in the lime-light and opening the
car. alton folds of her lips to patter en-
chanting nonsense and pout promises
as brittle as pie crust? Dear little Bet
ty. How her tWinkiing feet make merry,
light as sea foam frothing on shells;
how our pulses throb and dance in pace
with hers; how our ears dote on the fra
gile, cooling tones of her dainty voice as
it coquets with banalities, flirts with the
very bars of melody that silly men have
tried to make witty and pretty.
In this way I thought knew her every
trick and vile and whim, till / came to
paint her picture, till one after another
my charcoal lines We're !licked from the
canvas and l succumbed to that par
| alyzing sense of total defeat which Is
almost always the punishment of sWol-
IA, nrp a : L
ed myself What had l missed? Tbs
pose. the expression. the throb of mo-
ton? Weeks passed; then l worked
again, made a new study and consulted
my cousin Laura. She knew SomethlnS
of dancing and was at that time prac
ticing ballet steps, necessary ac-
compartment. SO she had been told, to
her debut in comic opera.
THE face is perfection" she said.
| THE little droop in the left eye-she mus,
have been born winking-and the up
ward curve at the corner Of the lip,
they couldn't be improved
Perhaps | could get more action
more of the warmth which goes with
the action
1T would affect the flesh tint, certain
ly. You should see me pirouetting at
Dupres-a peony isn't in it.
Il should like to see you, L SAID
jumping at probable solution of my
difficulties, particularly in day light
Take me to your class.
"Oh, don't dance in the class; l have
a private lesson when the girls are gone.
You can come this afternoon at a."
We made a long journey on the top
of an omnibus to hole somewhere In
Lambeth.
Here we are at last" said my cousin
leaping down with agility and hardly
stopping the omnibus for her exit.
We alighted almost in front of quaint
building which looked like an excres-
cence-a wart on the visage of dilap-
idated chapel. Laura led the way up q
garden, in size somewhat larger than {
postage stamp where tow heartseaseG
sole invaders Of the desolate gravel, trieG
to blink golden eyes through a canopy
of dust. The door was opened by boy
who mingled the air of proprietorshtl
with that of waiter at a third-rate
cafe. He waved a hand to rooms, or
rather. cabins. on the right, through
which Laura led me.
Then Laura slipped off her walking
| shoes and announced her intention t6
| make change of toilet.
| forthwith escaped through the furth-
| er door and found myself in a large
| bare room, facing a middle-aged man
| who was evidently the dancing master
Mons. Dupres. l explained my presence
and my interest In the ballet.
II am accompanying my cousin, Miss
Lorimer"-this was the stage name by
which she was known-"in order to paint
the pose of one of my sitters. l want
more vibrating actuality, and hope tc
sketch it here"
"Mais certainement-of course. Ze
beauty of re human form is never so fine
as when it moves to my wish. You viii
see''
nv,tn t,, r1 20, Not \
fpock with black silk knickerbockers and
lace frills shrouding her knees. He,
silken hose and shiny pumps made hel
already graceful as she CHASED by way
of experiment across the bare boards
from the orange toothed piano at one ems
to the camp chairs at the other. The bal
let master made his way to a small con-
servatory-a hospital for effete bulbs ans
struggling, deformed gelaniums-and
| snatching up a watering can, laid thC
dust which already began to thicken tho
air.
Then operations began. To me they
were deeply interesting, because Betty's
| face and form We're continually before
my eyes, and the one thing wanting tC
| make my work a chef d'oeuvre was,
hoped, on the verge of discovery. Laura
| placed herself in an attitude, glanced al
! her instructor, who had armed himself
with a fiddle. and with it's first tones
| commenced series of evolutions. Sketch
| book in hand, l followed her movements
| now noting a SiX-Step shuttle straight
a-down the length of the boards; now
| sketching the action of her arms, which
| balancing that of her feet, swayed in.
versely with every bend of the knees
| Then came an etherealized milkmaic
| step that might have been termed al
arm akimbo gallop had not the two
wrists been pressed further forward
| against the waist, with her pink palms
| glowing outward. In this pose poo
Laura's limbs looked obdurate as saw
dust while Betty's had bent like wax t,
the will of the modeler. Meanwhile th
fiddle fiuttered and the master now ant
then eXemplified the grace of any par
ticular attitude he desired.
| On the wall of the little bed chambe
where M. Dupres courteously accom-
panied me were many photographs, fad
ed, but still recognizable, of himself
| dressed in tights or other theatrica
| frippery. He took evident pleasure il
watching my appreciation of the cur
ious attitudes in which. to show off il
their fullest perfection the 1.-THE muscle;
and magnificent symmetry of his agilt
frame, he had been portrayed.
You must have danced great deal,
/ questioned, seeing that some remarl
| was required of me.
Danced" he said, lifting his eyes t,
the smudgy ceiling. Yes, it is feefteei
year ago, but l remember it like yester
day. All overe vone moment, a coul
de fouet We call it,
l begged for an explanation.
II vas ze first-ze vary first. One leaI
into ze air ] could do--so high" he said
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