New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-12

/ WIITIng VUTSTIF,
locutor with | thought aftorward, suspicious
prOmptitudc. turned to go but pauSeu' S'uvN
by ..a new ig 10 ho ,nonocor2 asked imperiousy
! "Tpstairs." replied the courteous oillclali ne
have come himself but there's some dIsOrdeIy
chaps interruTtin' the performance, maxim I'M
pertinent remarks on the young ladies', sayIh ID
how they're dsimmodest."
This was the last straw. / swung round ana
looked back The stage was a blaze or lghl'
the dancing figures were jigging TO the music,
the music was jgging to them through 1t al
the people were Laughing sun ana GAZING AZ
I scanned the ngurantcs carefully, but could
detect no improperly in their costume uhtI
saw "A tight clad limb suddenly flash forth from
the line and disappear again when observed
that if the ladies' morals were not cut upon
Spartan model their robes undoubtedly We're.
Naturally | was scandaliZed, ana IL was WIN
this foolerv nv name had been aSSOclated' l
said the manager should hear OF IT, ana meant
what | said. Then the incoherent absurdlty oil
the whole thing made me laugh, ana was ytt
laughing when | stepped, quite suddenly INTO
the street 1t was raining. | could not remem-
Der where | had left my macintosh, ana at
tempted to button my evening coat over my
shirt front. but, seeing the fuuhty OF such d
Proceeding. | was vastly amused.
Somebody took my arm rudely-it was Jenl
Travers; he had apparently come from noWhere'
Jcm is a relative Of mine; he possesses no llter-
airy tastes, has views on anything in parucu-
lar and is, in short, a cad whom tolerate be
cause he has a happy knack of describing his
possibly apocryphal adventures in Australia ana
7 elsewhere, thus unconSciOuSly supplying me
with local color for my we'll known sketches Of
colonial life. | told him all this in 50 many
words; he laughed also
"An right old chap" he remarked Il was
born young Never mind about that now. In
with you"
Tho door of a cab yawned before me.
caught one of the handrests. and adjured him
socmnly to seek for Ravensworth, whom l
missed
IT'S Nat Ravensworth" | said earnestly adj
dressing Jcm and the cabby; IAN old pal knew
him ages ago: he and | were at the theatre to-
gcther. I'm afraid he's bit on; been following
him into every pub We came across since We
left the club-best fellow in the world, but too
fond Of his liquor
+ "A good mans case" remarked the jehu with
disgusting familiarity. Better get in sir; the
policeman says we're blocking up the way
\ few seconds later were in the cab-that
is. Jem and my hat having in some unac-
countable manner got under my feet. ! allowed
il to remain there. my head feeling cooler. |
was however still solictous about Ravens
worth and had quite forgiven him the ugly
trick he played me-. now that had checkmatcd
him cleverly; but to my surprise, he uneX-
pcctedly appeared close to the window on the of
side, he seemed quite unruflled. and appeared
to have no difficulty in keeping up with the
horse, but would on no account come in nor dld
| press him to do 50. knowing what an insult
able companion such unlocked cub as Jem
would be for a man Of his attainments. How
ever. lest poor old Nat should be inconven-
fenced, warned the driver would report him
if he did not 20 more slowly. This arrange
ment suited remarkably well, and ignoring
Jcm. began TO draw Ravenswottn out on
various subjects. talking myself with what |
felt TO be sustained brilliancy until the cab
stopped at my own door.
Next morning, while sitting at breakfast. and
striving | confess with some difficulty, to re-
construct the previous evening from very in
sufficient data, Jem Travers was shown into my
room.
THAT was pretty bad break Of yours last
night at the EMPIRE ne observed cheerfully.
as he shook out my morning paper.
! looked at him severely over my glasses.
II there, and never saw anything like it,
he went on. The TWO Macs are nowhere, Cad.
| couldn't believe my eyes when | saw you in
the box, with your hair muSsed over your head
and your tie under your ear, eXhorting the au-
dieucc and showing all that bosh about ideas on
'em. They took ii kindly, though-yOu were
so jolly polite At first thought ii a bit steep;
but they caught on, somehow. Heavens! you
did play it low down when you began dsclam-
ing the performance and apoogizing for the
ballet; but ta<in' it all round, they treated you
damn decently-gave YOU rope enough"
Il never at the Empire in my life said
| gravely.
Jem eyed me curously.
Come, that's cool" he remarked. What
next
Il dincd at the club and, afterward meeting
an old friend u~eXpectedly. we went to the
performance of my play at the New Departure"
| answered.
Jem whistled to express wonder.
What" he cried. You don't recollect any
thing? Don't remember standn up just after
that burlesquc a Dolls House, an maxim
"A fool Of yourself? Don't remember being
chuc<ed, an me gettin' a cab, an all that
did partially, but did not choose to say So
Jem began to laugh.
by Jove," he burst out twas the FUNNIEST
go! | never. saw anything like it; twas the
most original You. in your evening toys adj
dressing the house, by George, an cheekn me-
your best friend. when they chucked you''-this
the way he alluded to my conference with
the theatre OflicialS-"tcllin' me was a bally
cad. an askin' after the health of that other
Johnnie-man you stole the play from-an' bid
din the cabman go slow, an all that! I'd be-