Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-19
By MIRIAM MICHEL SON
R &
(Copyrigh., 1904, by The Bobbs-Merrill Company

know what I was saying. Think of Latimer there, Maggie, and think of our last meeting. It made me trem- he'd betray me. The man that helps you twice don't hurt you the third time. No, it wasn't that; it was only that I longed to do well-well before him, so that
 And then found myself in an alcove of the parlors, separated from them by heavy curtains. It was such a pretty little red bower. Right behind me was the red of the Turkish drapery of cozy corner, and just as l took my place under the great chandelier, the servants pulled the curtains apart and the lights went out in the parlors.
 In that minute I got it, Mag-yes, stage fright Got it bad. I suppose it was coming to me, but Lordy! hadn't ever known before what it was. could see the black of the mems clothes in the long parlors in front of me, and the white of the women's necks and arms. There were soft ends of talk trailing after the first silence, and everything was so strange that 1 seemed to hear two mems voices which sounded familiar-Latimer's silken voice, and another, heavy, coarse bass, that was the last to be quieted.
 I fancied that when that last voice should stop I could begin, but all at once my mind seemed to turn somer sault, and, instead of looking out upon them, I seemed to be looking in on myself-to see white-faced little girl in white dress, standing alone under a blaze of light in a glare of red, gag ing fearfully at this queer new au- dience.
 Fail? Me? Not Nancy. Maggie. I just took me by the shoulders.
 Nancy Olden, you little thief" I cried to me inside of me. How dare you! I'd rather you'd steal the silver on this woman's dressing table than cheat her out of what she expects and what's coming to her.
 Nancy really didn't dare So she began.
 The first one was bad. gave 'em Duse's Francesca. You've never heard the wailing music in that womans voice when she says:
 "There is no escape, Smaragdi. You
 have said it:
 The shadow is a glass to me, and God Lets me be lost"
 I gave them Duse just to show them how swell l was myself; which shows what a ninny I was. The thing the world loves is the opposite of what it is. The pat-pat-pat of their gloves came in to me when I got through. They were too polite to hiss. But it wasn't necessary. l was hissing myself Inside of me there was long, nasty hiss-ss-ss!
 I couldn't bear it. I couldn't bear to be failure with Latimer listening, though out there in that queer half light I couldn't see him at all, but could only make out the couch where l knew he must be lying.
 l just jumped into something else to retrieve myself. I can do Carter's Du Barry to the queens taste, Maggie. That rotten voice of hers. like Mother Douty's but stronger and surer; that rocky old face pretending lo lOoA young and beautiful inside II -:t- ed red hair of hers; thaJ ing Denny! Denny" she squawks out every other minute. Oh. can do Du Barry all right!
 They thought I could. too, those black and white shadows out there on the other side of the velvet curtains. But cared less for what they thought than for the fact that had drowned that sputtering hiss-ss-ss inside of me. and that Latimer was among them.
 I gave them Warfeld, then: I was always good at taking of the sheenies in the alley behind the Cruelty-re- member? I gave them that little pinch-nosed Maude Adams. and dry, corkiag little Mrs. Fiske. and Henry Miller when he smooths down his white brooches lovingly and sings "Sally in Our Alley" and strutting old Mansfield. and
 Say. isn't it funny Mag. that I've g1en em all and kEOw aI they can %: They've tesn my college educa- ton. that crcwd Not bad one. either when you eo.=e 10 think Of what wanted from it.
 They pulled the curtains down at the end and I went back 10 the bed room. had my hat and jacket on when Mrs. Gates and some of the younger ladies came to see me there. but I canshr no glimpse of Latimer. You'd -hiEk-wOuldn't yOu-that he'd have made an opportunity 10 say just one nice word 10 me ir that easy. soft voice of his2 I tried t0 hsiieTe that perhaps he hadn't really seen me. lying down. ss he must have been. or . that he hadn't recognized ne. but I knew that couldn't make myself be- lievs that. and the lack of just that word from him spoiled all my satis- faction with myself and walked ont ] with Mrs Gates through the hall and past tha dining-rOom feeling as hurt . ,s though I'd deserved that a man 1. like Latiuer should notice ne
 The si1i-z-rrru zss al lighted. but emFty-ths coIorsd. shaded can dlesticks giOwing down on the eat glass and silver. on delicate china and flowers. The ladies and gentlemen . hadn't come out to supper ret; al . least. only one vas there He was standing with his back to me. before l ths silsaEnzrH r.r-r-irz n.-r q rrass nf !.