Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-05-19
For ARTS
NAKE....
BY IzOLA MERRIFIELD
csv,isss. 1904. ., Izels Msrrissix
c.,,,,sss. 1900. ., Izois M.,ris.rx

lt was nobody'S fault but her own.
Whenever trouble came a-knocking at
philippians door all kind friends raised
hands OF innocence TO the skies and de-
clared thankfully that it was nobody's
fault but her ovta.
"He had no earthly right to raise his
hat and smile when 1 met him I'm the
elevator"
HE had every right in the world"
contradicted Elizabeth calmly. IF I
had been In his place 1 should have
come right down and called ON you aft
er you had acted like levelorn lunatic,
Pippa."
"It was not lunacy. 1t was inspira-
tion," Philippa half turned from the
plano to argue. you weren't in the
studio at the time, Beth, and you don't
know blessed thing about ii. 1 wasn't
even practicing. was cleaning up"
Elizabeth smiled. She had seen Phi
ippa's cleaning up process. 1t meant
the hustling of everything disorderly
out of sight, under the divan, behind
the wardrobe, anywhere at all, so long
as 1t was unseen.
"And he sang my pet duet from III
Trovatore.' Beth, it was splendid.
You poor, old heather, you don't ap-
probate music bit. All you can I'M
cerstand are few oily, dauby daubs
or pen and ink sketch. but II you had
ONLY heard him
III had heard him 1 don't think
that should have flown to the WIN
dow and warbled back an answer ND q
New York air shaft"
81 don't care" Philippians tone was
lofty and her attitude belligerent. 81
didn't care a rap about him personally.
and hadn't the slightest idea what he
looked like, but the voice was divine.
1t was the voice Of Manrico calling.
and Leonora answered It for arts
sake"
"Well. Leonora had better attend to
BIER cleaning up and mind her own
business. Now, she hasn't any cause
for complaint at all, because Manrlco
raises his hat to her in the elevator and
says 'Howdyr in neighborly fashion.
Are you sure 1t was ManricoT'
"Oh, yes. BE looks it." Philippa
spoke, with vague enthusiasm. "And
Lafayette says that he is the new one
IN the studio over ours"
We'll, you had better send Lafayette
a little printed slip to post up In. his
elevator:
students may sing grand opera
duets through the air shaft, but any
promiscuous greetings In elevator will
be followed by eviction"
II suppose the poor fellow was so
amazed and delighted when he saw
how completely fulfilled his ideal of
Leonora that he lost his presence Of
mind" PhIHppa could be as sweetly.
simply and contentedly vain as Narcis-
sus among the water lilies.
Presence of mind lis never lost"
Elizabeth added n high light daintIly
to the left eye OF an Italian fruit yend-
er on the canvas before her. at Is
mislaid. As long as he didn't lose his
heart he needn't worry"
Philippa laughed and ran her fingers
teasingly over the piano keys.
II think he is worrying" she said.
But there were no more duets
through the air shaft. II. the occupant
OF studio o. on the third floor. happened
to be practicing her trills and quavers
the occupant of studio IL, on the fourth
floor. sat by his open window and lis
tened. and when full. rich tenor float
ed down from studio IL Philippa would
tptoe to the window apd listen also
and be glad and proud In n way, be-
cause somewhere In the golden tomor-
rows OF hope success lay snugly and
surely tucked away for the tall. brown
eyed boy who dared to greet Leonora
In the elevator.
He had dared" only once. Long
after even Elizabeth deigned co bow a
comradely good day to him Phlllppa
passed on her own way. a slim, AFRO
CANT. blond young person In gray vel
vet and squirrel furs. Elizabeth pre-
served q graceful posture on the neu-
tral fence. Warning factions were not
In her line, but when she was sending
out invitations for the monthly Dutch
picnic In studio she did not think It
amiss to send one up to studio IL.
Philippa was passing club sand
witches when Bobble Clarkson intro
duced her to the tall. brown eyed boy
She did not drop the tray. She merely
smiled most graeiously and asked IL
Mr.. Eliot liked club sandwiches made
or a celestial. combination OF chicken
salad, chopped almonds. olives, deviled
ham and tabasco sauce.
1t appeared that Mr.. Eliot did, In
fact. he paced after the dispenser of
celestial sandwiches all around the
studio ir n deliberate. determined, man
overheard. fashion. most disconcerting
| to the dispenser. until he finally cor
nered her IN the Japanese alcoye and
forciDly finished up the remaining
sandwiches himself.
.s"And he never even said a word
about the duet" Philippa answered
later when she Sat. like a Hindoo idol.
| In a pink kimono on the bed and
thoaghtfuily reviewed the evening.
Hes q gentleman and q scholar, and
Bobbie says he's all right; solid. old
Maryland family and all that sort of
thing; first names Marbury--Marbury
Eliot. He has only been IN New York
q couple OF months. and he doesn't
like 1t very well. He thinks it's lone
some. He says we're conservative and
clannish."
There's good remedy. Tell him
to be a clam unto himself" r
Philippa SHE'D pillow Mt the scofr-
er.
"Goose" she said. Cant You see!
He wants to belong to my clan. I'm
gOing to the Czarga concert with him
1 tomorrow"
See? or course see," quoth Eliza
beth. zone .PhiAppa Yates, founder
OF The Society For the Prevention of
Lonesomeness TO Strangers In New
York. providing said strangers are gem
temen and scholars, from solid old
families. and can sing duets and eat
club sandwiches for arts sake. 1 see
the end"
But Philippa only smiled and was ST.
lent. 1t had been a most entertaining
and Interesting twenty minutes spent
IN the japanese corner. Ones point of
view on life In general may alter con-
siderably even I'm twenty minutes.
1t was two weeks after the Czarga
concert. Philippa came out OF the
Metropolitan Opera House as Eliot
swung up Broadway. 1t had begun to