Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-11
CRAZY MEpHIsTo's FRANKS,
Unbiddsn Guest Upset Thomas f.
Walah'n Ball.

walsh's Ball.
Mephistopheles came to the Thomas
r. Walsh masked ball in Washington
on New Years eve, and, as usual, I'M
invited except by himself, and also. MS
usual, he kicked up q row, says a
Washington correspondent Of the Phil
adelphia Public Ledger
Mr.. and Mrs Walsh had planned a
very jolly but quiet little affair, send
ing out only 21O cards and taking spe-
clal care in the list. With each inyi-
tation there was included card OF
admission, without which none of the
invited could gain entrance. 1t was
the natural supposition of the hosts
that these cards would be properly pro
tected, but after the exit Of Mephis-
topheles there was scrutiny Of the
cards deposited Mt the different dress
ing room doors. Several were found to
bear the names Of persons known not
to be in Washington that night.
Mephlstopheles came early. He was
properly built for his role and as gor-
geously attired as ever was Edouard
de Reszke on the Metropolitan stage
He had dined rather more sparingly
than his fellow guests, and as he greet.
ed his hosts he made that fact known.
Gould l by chance" he said pleas.
antly. have such thing as glass OF
milk?''
Mephistopheles was soon supplied
Then he asked II he might borrow q
razor. That rather startled Mr.. Walsh
but it did not arouse any suspicion nj
to the character of his guest. He
rather put 1t down to the natural play
fulness of the occasion.
II didn't have time to shave" con
tinued the guest. Then, to help along
he turned to Mrs. Walsh and said: q
hope you like the costume. should
have liked it to be little more &c
curate, but 1t was obtained In grea,
haste, as have just got out"
Not until later in the evening die
| that remark strike the Washes as
especially peculiar. Mephistopheles
| got the razor and shaved In his dress
/ ing room. Then he reappeared and join
| ed the dancers. He selected charm
ing young Egyptian dancer as his spe
| cial attraction He devoted himself t.
her with more than MephistopheliaI
courtesy and lnsistence. In fact, ht
| was SO insistent in his attentions tina
the comparatively new husband Of thu
! Egyptian dancer finally appealed t.
Mr.. Walsh, and he spoke to Mephis
topheles. 1t was a gentle request a
first. mild as the milk the red devil
had Imbibed on his arrival. But Me
phistopheles. having had something
stronger than milk since then, conclud
ed there was Jest in the request Of
his host and failed to see the urgency
Of the language In which It was couch
ed. Thereupon four stalwart retainerl
Of the house entered into muscular ne
gotiations with Mephistopheles and
carried him bodily down to his dress
Ing room. There he was unmasked, bu
not soul in the room had ever seer
him before. He gazed thoughtfully In
to space for moment and then turn
/ ed and hurried into the street. Will
true Mephistophelian agility he disap
peared from view.
Since New Years day the Walshe
have learned that on Christmas day ,
man formerly well known In Washing
ton society escaped from his attend
ants in an insane asylum and day o
two later came to Washington. Jus
how he came to be guest at the bal
| Is not clear.