The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-04

was the bathroom of warm cream COL
ored marble and silver fittings. White
s rugs lay on the floor; the light filtered
through rose silk blinds. Everything
spoke Of luxury and extravagance and
wealth lavished on personal gratifica-
ton. Mrs. Dickey Johnson was evil
IDENTIFY one of the women of hers epoch,
and believed in the dedication of the
senses.
But as she lay back, with closed
eyes, soothed by my magnetic touch,
could not help admiring her. And GER
talnly did not wonder that she was a.
Social success and had many enemies.
tongue and a -caustic wit. Also with
nerves of steel and indomitable ener-
gy. 1 looked at the bold sweep of
brow and the firm, beautifully nodded
chin and said to myself: Here, at
least, is one Of the rulers of men,"
There was nothing soft or pleading or
essentially feminine about her. She
looked a woman who meant to have
all possible good out of life and would
succeed in getting what she wanted
by fair means or-the other thing.
Stories had heard required to me.
| could believe them-now The love-
" face wore no mask of policy or
am1ty. 1t lay beneath my. hands,
cold, calm, unfeeling, almost cruel.
neither man nor woman who crossed
her will. That was how I summed her
up. M
Quite suddenly she broke the ST.
lence.
DO you happen to have seen seen
the papers, Nine. Beaudelet?" she
No. 1 said. II hadn't time to look
at mine. 1 always take the MALL
oh, l suppose so. Well, then, you
would not know. 1t could not have
got into that. The Post gave a hint,
but I expect the Court Circular will
give it in full" She began to laugh
softly.
1T really is a bit Of scandal but
there-life is SO much broader now
than it used to bel Well, last night
was the ball at Lady WIS. Of course
you heard about it long ago, for every
one has been talking about it for
months. First there was to be Sc
r1es of tableaux, from 10 to II, and
then dancing was to follow. Have
you ever seen Lady W.? Her photo
graphs are everywhere-of course you
have-by way of being great beauty
and a thorough bad lot. How she's
kept out Of the courts heaven knows!
But l hear Lord w. has stood just
about enough Of her escapades. How
ever, that's neither here nor there.
The tableaux were really wonderfully
good. OF course they had profession
ais to arrange them. Still, consider
ing they only rehearsed on Sunday
and the ball was on Wednesday,, 1t
speaks well for all concerned. Every
one had heard there was to be one
special tableau in which Lady w. her
self was to appear. The secret hadn't
leaked out, despite bribery and cor
ruptlon. Even a certain royal person.
who was present was completely in
the dark. So was the tableau-no, I
mean the room.
At last the curtain went up and re-
vealed the picture. 1t was a picture. a
most realistic one, set in a wide gold
frame and looking almost as if painted
on canvas. Venus was representa-
ton of Sandow, our modern Hercules,
all knobs and muscles, but Venus
well, she was just-Venus. She was
kneeling at the feet of our newly
elected god Of strength, either adoring
or supplicating. The audience was left
to draw their own conclusions And
they did"
Again she laughed. "Well. the cur
tain went up three times. Every one
screamed with delight. 1t was such a
clever idea-ancient and modern art
combined. But when the lights were
turned on for the last time it was
noticed that certain great parsonage
had left his seat. However, every one
was doing the same in order to get to
the ball room, and SO nothing was said
-at the time. But later on, when the
cotillon was in full swing and the ta-
bleaux people were coming in little
whisper got about. 1t spread rapidly
Tow soon catches fire, you know.
wonder il you are easily shocked, Mime.
BeaHdefet ?''
NO." I said, my nerves are fairly
strong. And I have considerable
number of smart clients
She gave me little quick look, then.
closed her eyes again.