The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-21

journed to the Winter room for the
cream of the entertainment, the COM
pany was ia its most jOyial and hap
piest humor.
Enter Mrs. Walker. But first let me
tell you OF a little incident that perhaps
may have been responsible for much
that followed. Mrs Walker is an artist
to her finger tips. She goes about her
work in businesslize manner and with
a dignity that even society effulgence
cannot dim. Therefore. when Mr. Har-
gOus offered considerably to send his
carriage for the dusky dancer who was
to entertain his guests. it was with
something Of a cold shock that he re-
ceived the dignihed but courteous an
sWer.
Thank Mr.. Hargous but say that [
viii drive to Delmonico's in my own
carriage
OF course it wasn't anything. but it
was a bit of spirited independence on
the part of the negro actress that was
whispered about at the dinner table and
made the guests sincerely curious to see
just what she was like.
She came. she saw and was seen, and
she conquered. Harry Lehr could not
have done it better And yet there is
nothing about Mrs. Walker different
nette, even among her own color. She
has a bright face and sparkling, slOe-
black eyes that snap and twinkle as she
sNavs i'm the dance She has straight
gcous pompadour over one of those
eyes She has the full lips and flashing
white teeth that tell of corn bread fare
and bacon appetite There may be
suggestion of powder on her nose, but
il is the typical nose of her race, and
the grace with which she goes through
the contortions of the cakewalk is typ
ical. TOO, even If it IS a bit more cult
waited TRAN that which is found on the
average southern plantation
But her gOwnsi There is nothing of
the plantation in those They smack
of Paris and are cut in the latest mode.
with pearl ornaments and chiffon ruff
fes. Her hat is a FlorOdora, and about
her dusky throat hang two long strings
of pearls that remind you of the famous
Lillian Russell or the Duchess OF MARI
borough.
That was what society saw when Mrs
Walker marched in to do her cakewallS-
But wine and lights and music are Won
derful ecualizers They stir the pulse
and make the blood go buzzing up to the
head in a manner that is distinctly
things ard so when those 20 exclusives
sat there watching the cOlored dancer so
through the cakeWalk. sway with the
swing of the music trip to the tinkle or
the ViOlins. their feet began to tap the
floor, their fingers twisted and writhed
they grew restless in their seats and
gradually secret longing to get up and
join in the dance captured them.
As the clock struck u Mrs Walker,
who had done her turn and wanted 10
go home made a final huttering bow
and was about TO leave the floor. Then
it was that well known society leader
and squire Of DANES jumped suddenly
from bis seat. sisnaled to the orchestra,
and IN trice had the negro dancer
about the waist and was waltzing about
the floor with her while the others
At first the company sat still and
gasped then somebody giggled; and in
a moment there was d wild burst Of
applause The musicians caught the
spirit anG-the deed was done Mrs.
Walker had been initiated into New
AoIks -Four Hundred and Fifty.
The festivities did not end until :
o. clock in the morning. Then Mrs
Walker stilI n her own carriage, was
allowed to go home, and society retired
feeling that it had had the sensation Of
the season. Perhaps nobody ever was
introduced into the smart set in quite
50 un cue and startling manner be
lore certainly nobody ever took the
-Four Hundred and Fifty so by storm.
But the fad did not stop there. What
began in lark has grown to craze
There are dozens of entertainments to
be given in the next two weeks. at
which the belle of ''DahOmev' viii be
the bright particular star. The very
next afternoon GTuesday) came the
cakewalk at the Waldorf This party
was composed exclusively Of women
indeed, Of the most exclusive of women.
1t was so small and quiet that it did
not even get into the newspapers. Here
the fair disciples of the CakeWalk craze
were initiated by their dark favorite in
to the dark mysteries of new figures and
new steps, which viii make their ap-
pearance at some more elaborate New
York affairs and viii be carried over to
Paris. A night later, almost the same
party was doing almost the same thing
with the same dusky leader at Mrs. Geo
Laws home Thus does New York
adopt 2 new fad. It springs no one
knews how or whence Some little un-
foreseen incident gives it birth and like
new disease germ, it spreads all over
Fifth avenue and the adjoining streets.