The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22
prrLuDE BY RACHMANINOFF.
u,sdan Afteruoo on OF Dweller in This City
OF CosmopOlltans.

cosmopolitan Clty IN tne "oiIu' d man WI
ioved a Russian afternoon. Two entirely
gis,i,ct entertainments were accidentally
Vnto1 together. separated only by an inter
,,ls in the shape OF a brisk walk down
Fifth avenue
Tho first was a meeting OF Russians and
,teir friends 10 discuss certain practical
r,,,ters The second was at q studio to
wbicbthe IA .or and the perfume Of the first
,oeced 10 have escaped And how the real
roo,ry II humanity filtered into the COM
t,,ation Of a Russian tea in an American
,r,tlo served by a japanese servant was
odd
Innromptu and unexpected the visit
os In the dark hallway, after "A turn or
,wo the caller found door in the blacklist
oorner He lifted the obscure knocker
When he entered. pushing aside Yama-
r,ta roriitre the broad. pale light from
Two great. dusty windows opposite threw
,ba interior objects into a dull silhouette.
conrlomeration Of persons, furniture,
r,,g. statuary. was for an instant indis-
ungrshdble -,
slurrshly moving, under velyets, silks,
or mot.onless in their embroideries he at
lenptb distinguished women from sofa
Cushions. Idbles' H''oi1' WV
where.
In moment his eye showed him that
,be rich golden embroideries, the fabrics
Of Oriental satins. the expanses of hanging
r,,gs. red or blue, were the background
Tor green and purple gowned women.
uhc reclned here and there or stirred
automatically about.
Whit contrast TO the gathering he had
left which fell back into dim ghost with
ns bare colorlessness, it's plain faces, its
dark. simple olothingl
A hint of division in the great oblong
room. heavy curtain fell Mt one side from
crossbar On this side was luxury
shining tea tables, thickly stuffed chairs,
balcony above from which depended
ricb yellow embroidery shields sculpture,
great branches Of palm leaves. sketches,
bronzes. Jars. couches furs-all somewhat
sombre in the late grayish light OF the
afternoon
On the other side of the heavy curtain
tbe light more perrneating and ptiless-
the floor was bare Boxes and soafolding
stood naked as the sculptures in progress.
figure in damp clay was covered with
moist rags, a ladder assembled to the ball
oony.
Here. by the fire OF the sculptor's quick
iron stove sat a rosy, black gowned chap
eron. and within call waited slight, sar-
castle Japanese servant
The samoyar more mysteriously TO
balance these bare Goals, held in the ante
room its inner warmth with slight crack
ling of charcoal, faint kissing of the boil
ing water A woman who looked astonish-
ingly like Benrdsley drawing low of fore
head. broad Of lip, narrow OF eye, poutng OF
mouth. was languidly pouring Russian tea,
yoluptuous. slow. indolent, unillumined
was tae picture,
The late visitor behed. came near, ac-
cepted and drank, after liberal allowance
OF Santa Cruz had with disregard to the
unites. been added.
For an instant this seemed like life
Another woman, large, lovely, suave,
was imperiousy pushing small plain girl
to the piano whose keyboard barred dark
corner into a triangle.
Play, play, something Russian! Any
thing
The girl played. with approximations,
little snatch of a sentimental song from
a Madame Chrysanthere. then bit OF rag
! time. No one Of course, listened. But it
"A helped them to talk.
b Russian Russian begged the late
Z visitor LET Us have Russian music.
j A mood insisted on taking possession OF
him in spite Of the irony Of things.
"Ahthe Russians-l cannot help sym
pathidng with them cried the suave
woman, with warmth. She had once been
cour,ed bv Grand Duke and by Russian
Court
An. ard mine. murmured the Beardsley
mouth And she had once known French
man who had told her stories of the court
Of ST. Petersburg.
The little japanese brought in n kettle OF
water from the top Of the redhot stove
10 repienish the elegant samovar which,
If 10 had not been imported, we should can
) OF Colonial shape.
The chaperon rocked back and forth in
the other room. Some one who mad once
been military man undertook TO furnish
her with very strong toddy.
In movements intense curve the Boards
ley woman allowed the odorous Santa
Cruz rum 90 drop from it, gold trimmed de
oanter into tiny gold trimmed glasses OF
tea
With hope from such cheerful golden
brown beauty the man drank from his
gas- He, too. felt a sympathy with the
Russian peOple--yet he never met a Grand
Duke Indeed he vaguely felt that the
names Of Grand Dukes might scarcely be
mentioned lightly in serious circles, for
the past meeting Of the gray afternoon
was still in his thoughts.
At last the plain girl began 70 play the
opening octaye- Of "a prelude Of Rdchman-
mon, They trod heavily as il burdened-
the opening octaves Of this dark, sober
voice OF the Russian pre- Ide
Crouched in the shadow at the rounded
end u the grand piano the Beardsley woman,
IN purpu,h velvet, rcposed from her labor,
per draperics scarcely moving her neck
hidden IN pink corals, her body swathed in
place, Very quietly the eX-ofiicer was
whispering TO the narrow downcast eyes
linpassve, the sculptor bot lit a cigarette.
Under her white plumes she suave beauty
grew stll-for a moment
MaUelIing at the deep call Of the voice
o. Russian soul, the man closed his eyes.
mad he not heard this voice a short time
belqre' Was II not brought here now.
WIN us uniertone of a sorrow too strong
ior sohs' out Of the afternoon memory.
tlad 1t not followed him down Fifth avenue
ron the bare plain room where the earnest
people hal sat listening TO learn how they
could help their Russian brothers?
words, images phrases. looks drifted
uugVn 10 him, crowded at last into his vision
,nhat was the feshly beauty Of any wonan's
.4ue compared TO that sweetness he had
wondered az Just before?
me lace 0f an old woman who had lived
tNpthird. of her life at hard labor in Siberia