Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-18

Ell pOSlt1On as the 1aVOflte Oh the Loli-
don public. She was not exceptional
ly handsome, nor was her dancing dis
tinguished by any special grace, but
about her there was something weird
and original which appealed to he,
audience. George Brendon had been
instrumental in introducing her to the
public, and she owed her position as
much to his kindness as. to her own
genius.
1t was snowy winters night when
Brendon found her He had just Ell
tered Pembroke square, where he had
lodgings, when he heard moan. Turn
ing aside into the shadow of Il wall, he
found woman lying there exhausted
with cold and hunger. Always anxious
to do good, he brought the poor crea-
ture to his rooms. Under the influence
Of food and wine and warmth she re-
Nived sufficiently to tell her story.
Her name, she stated, was Lola
Velez. She was Spanish by BIRTH but
had lived many years in Italy,
Trained as a dancer. she had appeared
Mt several of the best theaters with
more or less success, but owing to her
violent temper she had lost all chance
Of gaining a permanent position. She
had danced her way to Paris through
various small towns, but here as else
where, her temper proved her ruin.
Then she had crossed the channel
only to find that the market was over
stocked with dancers. Unable to OBJ
tain employment and having very lit
tile money, the unfortunate woman had
fallen lower and lower until she was
reduced to begging in the streets. FL
hally she was turned out Of her poor
lodgings and had expended her last
sixpence on food. 1t was shortly after
this that Brendon found her.
He acted the part of good Samari
tan. Giving her sovereign, lie sent
her away, restored in measure te
her right mind. The next day he saw
the proprietor of a music hall will
whom he was acquainted and pro
cured her an engagement.
Her success was immediate. She en-.
acted her part with reckless abandon
and wild frenzy which thrilled the
house. For the moment Lola was not
herself, but wild Theban queen rag
ing in the orgies of the wine god. All
London came to see the frantic revels
over which Lola presided, and night
after night the little music hall was
filled to overlooking. Lola made good
use Of her fame. She insisted thatfher
salary should be raised, took modest
lodgings in Bloomsbury and for a
time saved her money as a provision
against old age and poverty. On the
stage she was dancing demon, but
at home no one could have been more
modest. There was not breath OF
scandal against her, in spite of Mrs.
Wards hint to Brendon.
This change in the formerly reckless
woman was caused by love and graft.
tude to George He had saved hel
from starvation, from death; he had
procured her the engagement which
had led to her success and present
ease. She desired him to marry her
and, fguratively speaking, cast her.
self and all she had at his feet. Bren-
don found this excessive gratitude
rather trying. Even then he was in
love with Dorothy, whom he had met
twice or thrice, and he was not dis.
posed to accept the wild passion which
Lola so freely offered to him.
Lola could not understand his cold
ness. She was accustomed to see men
at her feet and to spurn them. Now
that she was willing to surrender her
liberty and to give her love, it ex-
asperated her to think that the one
man she had chosen would have none
Of her. AS yet she knew nothing OF
Brendon's love for Dorothy, but with
the instinct of Jealous woman guess
ed that some such passion engrossed
the mind Of the man she desired to
marry. Wearied of her persistency
Brendon stopped away, and for few
weeks Lola did not see him. Then
she saw his name in the papers con
nected with the Amelia square TRACE
dy and wrote to him. He accepted
her invitation and came to supper, less
because Of her desire than because
he wished to speak to her about Bawd-
sey. The name Of Lola velez on the
lips of the red man had startled Bren-
don almost as much as the fact that
Bawdsey appeared to be acquainted
with him. George could not recall
meeting thu man, and as he was not
yet suficien y famous for his name to
be on the lils OF the public he won
dered how it came about that Bawd-
sew knew of his existence. Anxious to
know who the man was, he sent q
note marked private to Miss Bull and
received q reply stating that Mr.
Bawdsey was new boarder, and, SO
far as she knew, gentleman who lly-
ed on MS income. There remained
Lola to question, and to Lola George
went a night or two after the rescue
of the red man. George made up his
mind, and strong mind it was, that
he would not leave Lola until he knew
positively how her name came to be
mentioned by Bawdsey.
Having just returned from the mu-
sic hall, Lola wore loose tea gown
of scarlet trimmed with glittering jet.
It was bizarre garment, but the vivid
color suited her dark face and south
ern looks. She was rather tall, very
slender, and She moved with the dan
gerous grace Of pantheress. Her face
was oval, sallow and thin, with ever