Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-04-27
THE REHEARSAL
BY RICHARD O'MOyROY.

yell, what lucky' / asked Nine.
Bou-rimcl. my concierge as l came
I'm the other evening. Her daughter
Lcona, you must know, had presented
herself for examination Mt the Conserv-
atolre that day, aud | always make a
polat Of appearing Interested in my
"concierge's' family affairs. find 1t
pays to DO so.
"Ah. NJ. Richard. you come at just
the right moment | was longing for
somebody to talk TO about IT. Sit down
there In my armchair by the latch
string. prd 1 will tell you the whole
story.
We'll, as you know, Leona had
learned the role Of Blanche IN lie Roi
s'Amuse.'
my husband-you know bis political
opinlons-chose the place.. lie thought
II would be a good thing to show the
people the goings On CT the kings in the
old days before I'VE bad this blessed re-
public. Besides, it is by Victor Hugo,
you know, end Il seems TO be fairly
well written. Leona's teacher-that
fat little III. Guillemot with the red
checks. you know, and n very nice man
he IL, too. / must say. and always very
polite &c Newell. the teacher made no
objection. and so LcoGa studied up the
part OF Blanche.
"'She seems to have been created
expressly for the role NJ. Guillemot
often eaid to me. She Is Blanche her
self
"Sbe selected for the examination the
scene In the second act In which
Blanche confesses to Dame Berarde
her love for the king. We went through
It several times at home after supper.
"The prince. ever kind and attentive,
held the book. ard ! took the part of
Dame Berarde, which was quite suited
TO my years. There's n ring at the bell,
NJ. Richard. Please pull the cord.
Thanks. Where a |? oh, yes; | re-
member.
"L.eona knew her lines 50 well that
she could have spoken them backward.
'The prince had ordered her costume
aud had even been good enough to go
with her VIXEN she went to try 1t on.
You need not leave you post,
nine. Bourrimel.' be said. 4 will at
tend to everything
"Ah. but that costume was superb
Imagine a foulard with hOneysuckleE
and hummlpg birds on a white ground,
the skirt trimmed with three bands OF
purple velvet. square cut bodice. point
lace sleeves-but | forget. You are O
man. and you can't imagine 1t.
But when | saw that dress my ma
ternal heart leapod fer joy, and threw
my arms around the princes neck and
exclaimed. With such n dress as that
Leona cannot help making a success.
and it will be all owing to your gener-
Osity.'
Indeed, VI. Richard, ! was deeply
moved. | assure you. and the prince
himself was much affected. | even
thought | saw tears behind his eye
glasses. Wei, the great day came at
last, and we all set out for the Conserv-
atolre. accompanied by our neighbor,
Mime. Frimard. and her daughter. who
has tried the examination in comedy
for the last six years and failed every
time.
But, NJ. Richard. the bell has rung
three times. Please open"
IL beg pardon Nine. Bourrimel, | nm
n green concierge remember"
"Where was |? Oh. TO be sure, at the
Conservatoire. Leona went TO the stage
door with Mile. Frlmard, who was to
take the part Of Dame Berarde, and
Nine. Frimard and | got seats together
IN the little rcd theater. They call II
'Etruscan.' ! believe, hut 1t Is quite
pretty for { ! that.
"Of courst the prince, being connect
ed with Il RUSSIAN embassy, coult
not be with us. He sat In a p%roscenlun
box. right behind the presidents wife
All. there's a lady who knows how tC
dress! ! couldn't keep my eyes or thu
bright yellow capote perched on top Of
her shiny black hair.
"Of course Nine. Frimard, WHOSE
daughter had been going through thu
mill so loug. knew all the critics ant
the members OF the jury. and she point
ed them out to me while we were wait
ing for Lcona 10 appear.
THAT fat man. sound asleep. wa
Maurice Tourney. lie always slept n
these exhibitions.
'"The dark. shabby man was Nicto
Fessard. who had left politics for lii
erature at the age Of 80 and low slash
cd right and left to make people thin
he knew all about II, just as peopl
hiss ~bullhghts to pretend they ar
spaniards.
THE gentleman with the long hal
md the big mustache was Ia Puisel
aye. who was kindness Itself. and n
man who looked like a general wa
Auguste Destu, nu honest man aud
scholar.
"Thcn. In the jury hox. there wa
dumas. the smiling Jules clarctle. IN
amlable TIA IVY. The shrlveled lookln
person was Camille Doucot.
"The old pan IL the UliadAe. with