Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-11-13

V@ {H ed at his desk Respondent
I%yVeV1u in the red vest with plaids
EWVI so large that there were
but few in the whole gar
H ment-a dropping black
y mustache, f1ashy diamond
shirt stud, making up the type of man
that one almost expects to see in such
surroundings. Seated outside on the
benches were number of aspirants for
theatrical honors. They, too, were typ
zeal of the cheaper vaudeville houses
red ribbons, feather boas and soiled
finery galore. There was one woman,
though, who would have attracted your
attention, so contrasted was her manner
and appearance from the rest; she
seemed to stink away as if she felt her
superiority and regretted the necessity
of having to associate with the others.
A tall, digni1ed gentleman came up
the stairway and sent his card in to
DuckwOrth. No sooner had Duckworth
read the name than he fastened to greet
the owner, as he recognized him as one
of New York's smart set prodigals.
What want" the stranger was say
ing, lis dancer for tonight. You
know of my approaching marriage to
Old Banker Lawton's daughter and
am going to give the boys little time;
something spicy, you know; not quite
so bad as that affair of Seeley's that
you attended to, but on that STYLE"
All this conversation was carried on
in the inner Office, but loud enough for
the dignif1ed woman, so much in con-
trast to her surroundings, to hear the
whole of it. When Dick Turpen, the
leader of the cotillon, had first appeared
on the scene, she had dropped her veil
and stood aside as he left the office
When he had gone Duckworth motion
ed her to enter.
81 suppose you are still seeking po-
sition in heightened dramatic COM
pany," said the agent.
She blushed and seemed instinctively
to shrink from the man, but replied: 81
am anxious to get something to do but
all those other chances that you offered
NEWELL just could not do it, that's
all. l must maintain my responsibility.
l have little boy, you know, and it
would be too bad for Dick to know that
his mother was donning tights. No.
cannot do that
While she had been commenting in
this hesitating manner an impatient
look had come into Duckworth s face.
My dear madam, you must under
stand sooner or later that the vaudeville
profession, particularly the type for
which l am an agent, and this modesty
do not go together. The people want
novelties. Frenchy acts are the rage,
you know, and it is utterly impossible
for me to secure you anything whatever
as long as you maintain these hifalutin
ideas. For instance" he continued,
young Turpin. who was just in here
is going to give a farewell dinner to-
night to a lot of his sporty young
friends of the -four hundred. He wants
to get some one to do turn there to-
night, something sensational He is
willing to pay 500 and commissions.
OF course they do not want an elocu-
zionist to recite 'Gray's Elegy' or Cur
few Shall Not Ring Tonight" What
they want is something spicy"
A peculiar look passed over the face
of Eleanor Clay as she stood facing the
agent. 'You telephone Mr.. Turpen that
you will have performer who will
create the greatest sensation of his life;
that his guests will be astounded; that
the papers will TEEN whit it, if he likes,
or it will be kept perfectly quiet. l will
appear at II o'clock
That's right" said Turpen, "you are
beginning to talk like sensible per-
son. You are just the party for this
affair. You are not at all bashful 1
will have a carriage call for you at IL
o'clock. You will reach the place at
1870. They will provide for you a
z.
Good afternoon, Miss Clay"
Good afternoon"
AS Eleanor Clay went down the stairs
from the Office conflicting emotions
were crowding themselves upon her.
Her mind reverted to a day, four years
gone. when Dick Turpen was a college
student in the town of her birth in
Kentucky, and how he had been good to
her when her mother died, and how
gradually the little bud of romance had
bloomed into the full blossom of pas
sion, and how she loved him with more
force than discretion; and then that
her disgrace and he had graduated and
gone back to New York. And, oh, how
she remembered the pain of her father:
when she had told him; and how she
had watched little Dick) she had named
him Dick grow more and more like his
father. The scenes of her childhood
were too poignant Of her misery for her
to remain in the blue grass state, so she
had come to New York hoping to make
the talent she had for dancing, and her
excellent soprano voice, earn her a live
lihood. And now he was going to mar
~ Banker Lawton's daughter.
The clock lacked little Of midnight.
Seated around a table were a number
of society's most celebrated representa-
tives. All of New York's junior smart
set knew Dick Turpen, and Dick Tur-
pen seemed to have invited them all to
thus farewell dinner prior to his mar
riage on the morrow to Mabel Lawton.