The San Francisco call., 1904-08-07

.IaCt. Why should II Why should
she? Dorothy Merton is a too accom-
rplished raconteuse to spoil a good
story with an impertinent fact. She
warned me. Thus she warned me. with
"a lift Of her superbly arched eyebrows
and q down dropping Of heavy lids over
amused eyes:
q. Dir. Conger, Mr.. Conger. Freddy"
Mr. Conger, Miss Morton's husband
and more. answered to the last and
came into the dining-room. where his
wife ard / were seated He stopped
at the sidebOard on his way, and then
came Hospitality 10 the tea table. am
Obliged TO confess that it took only
moment for Mr.. COnger TO size me
up." He looked me over. and then
asked his wife il she had told me the
.. story Of how her fox terrier had jump
ed overheard in the Atlantic last sum-
mer after porpoises. She hadn't, ana
innocentIy eyed as-as, say Oza
V-aldrop-I heard the tale.
With an indulgent glance at Fred
Cy' and one for me, equal parts amuse-
'ment and pity. Miss Morton ad-
Vised Don't believe everything you
hear. my dear"
Il am afraid 7 am 4 little credu-
.-leus." I politely confessed to Mr.
Conger.
=: Miss Morton put it: I've observed
.. as much-Ive been doing a little inter
viewing myself"
Therefore when the buxOm leading
lady of Fischer's invited me TO believe
that she had refused an engagement at
the Opera Comique for this season to
=: sing "Lakme." and at ca rre's own and
'ardent invitation. / do not know wheth
~ the story was launched in cOmpli-
frent 10 my credulity or whether il
happens to be gospel other Lakmes L
have heard. but none yet that could
sing "A Bit Of BIarney'' as this one.
"A Bit Of Blarney" does not come from
."Lakme"? How careless Of me, TO be
slrrei Well. perhaps Rose Relda could
sing the Bell song better. But I'll
hack Dorothy any day in "A Bit of
Barney" And if she wants 10 be
|Lakme. who be ] 10 stand in her way
=. in this or aught else?
i went 10 see Miss Morton at home.
] had heard that she was perehed upon
the nearest thing 10 the top OF Russian
Hill. where you hang over and see be-
low the great ships go sauntering
q through the Golden Gate And there 1
found her-found, too why this woman,
sensuousness fncarnate behind the foot
.lights. must always be found at home
with passionate. poet eyes bent upon
such a scene. Credulous. am 1, Miss
Morton?
] am right. though, in believing you
not vain?
Miss Morton received an unexpected
artist and myself in a deshabille charm
.fngly unaffected. II was a real deshab-
-iue. not the sS7 80 confection of a
Pinero third actin fact, the actress set
the thin lawn and lace Of it at a prob
able dollar and six bits. There was a
shawl over her shoulders. and she pout-
ed good-humoredly at the silk and wool
ordered by q cruel physician that
.peeped below her sleeves-the wool, not
:the physician. Little wisps Of her shin
ing. blue black name were loosened by
the winds that swept through the win
dOws but il was the contest, most
. hospitable smile Of the hostess that
Miss Morton wore. Through the recep-
ti0n-ro0m she led US, with, as 1 live,
good pictures, through the billiard
room then with its azure glimpse Of
sea. then to the dining-room, whence
--one may see the full cerulean sweep
with Joaquin Miller's:
Huge ships. black-bellied lay below.
Broad yellow flags from silken Chind,
Round, blood-red banners Of Nippon,
Like 10 their Orient sun al dawn
Brave batueships as white as snow
Warm kiss when love is kind
Miss Morton attempted an deliberately
rastter-of-fact tone as she said, leaning
over to the scene: "One must be COM
Portable, you know" Then, her little,
sensitive nostrils, thin as an egg she'll
all a-Quiver. she cried: "Ah, but it's
beautiful Don't you feel the thing
drawing you TO it? Do you wonder
looking at such scenes that one kills
oneself2 One wants to be part Of it in
the heart and essence Of il. I used to
sit for hours by Niagara; it is the same
there. fancied. perhaps because I am
musical, that the waters sang a great
song. changing all the time Butch, -
the voice changed and il was Dorothy
Morton Of Fischer's that turned round
from the window.
You don't want to photograph me, -
she coaxed the artist Il hate to be
= photographed. Fat women should
. never be photographed. And look at
me- I'm not going 20 change my dress
THERE All right, If you must Look
ike your llLnOs DOlg- DilllE- snow
your teeth-if I had only two more
inches OF neck I should be all right2'
Just as she was, dropped into the
window seat. Miss Morton was took"
''Win you look now through the win
dow, please2" from the photographer.
"Ah, yes Is he never going TO come?
.Alasi Alas" She suited the word to
the pose, then asked, Am 1 as fat this
way2"
She was, but there was no use in say
ing so. But note when you next see
her. as ] did then, her face Of strange
contrasts. Note the small, sensitive
rose, the tiny mouth, with the heavy
chin: note the exquisitely arched and
mobile eyebrows, the heavy-lidded,
sensuous, burnt-hazel eyes; note the
ebon hair, the white skin, the avoirdu-
pois, the vivacity.
T,-fF hn h-T 70 III Il,