Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-17

to one OF the Salome tninSS coaP'S
of nights ago" said the second man
and | knew all about Miss Salome be-
fore | started with him to the show,
too. for I'd seen all OF the Salom"s In
town.
He Was a Sanctimonious Cuss
This man was SanctimOniOus sort
of cusS from little Missouri town
whose SNUG sayings and conventional
tsaws had been irritating me for some
years. He's a tall. lank, lean. sepui-
lchral-voiced sort OF middle-ased
duck. and WHEN take him ont to eat
| when he's here on his buying trip ne
| ALWAYS says silent grace behore
meat.
THAT in itself is all right, under
stand and Id be the last to eNude a
word OF criticism for 1t. but this man
was always carping about the nnspeaK-
able awfulness OF New York, and the
New York population. and that sort o.
thing finally gets on the nerves OF
people born and raised in this town
who behaves with pretty average CIR
cumSpectiOn.
so when | was slated to take the
MisSourian out TO dinner and to amuse
him generally couple OF days ago,
made up my mind to heate shock IN
to him. no matter what the conse-
auences might be.
".l'll put that old skeesicks rlgh'
smack-dab up against one of these Sa-
lone wrigglers,' said to myself. ana
the devil take whatever accru by way
of trouble If he don't like II. he can
lump it. dogcone him, for an old chant
or and knocker.'
Il picked out the most reckless Sa'
lone Of the crew Of SalOmeS and got
seats plumb down in the front row. l
noticed him gazing at the Salome 40
outside the theat'r as we went in. b"'
| figured that he didn't know anything
about what it meant. for he didn't say
anything about it to me. and |. o!
course doped that if he'd understood
what was going to come Off. he'd nave
hucked then and there.
We'll. the salome girl Just more
thai writhed and wriegled and serpen-
tined around that night. fairly outdoing
herself. I watched my Missourian
steadily out of the tail OF my eye. wait
ing for him to shrivel and turn into
caterpillar right lnfore my gaze. But
nix!
Viewed as a Biblical Revival.
"Ha watched the whole thing from
beginning to end with reflective,
|studiOus sort of expression, resting MS
cheek on his palm an dnaver uttering
"a word. when really. the mildest form
of resentment Id expected him to ex-
hibit the minute SalOme appeared was
to nick ND his feet and walk right out
of the place. after stalking me to
bunch of stern-glarSs Of reproach.
This Salome. after the dance was
over. got about nineteen recalls. and
once she flickered all the way across
the stage, whirling purposely like
top. in the full glare of the turned-up
lights. with the manifest purpose or
showing the audience that there
wasn't any doubt about things. and
that they were getting the worth OF
their money.
Then ! waited. I figured that per-
haps after all my Missouri man was
vorteXing around in such an utter state
of mental shock and indignation that
he was unable to speak or to get 10
his legs to GO out. But when 1t was
all over and the boys appeared at the
sides of the stage to clap up the plac-
ards indicating the next number ne
cleared his throat in solemn sort OF
way and turned a serious countenahce
upon me.
az am pleased to be able to state
nv friend said he to me in that oracu-
lar way of his. that New York is I'M
pyoving. There could be no better
! evidence Of this fact than that its
! peopIe are beginning to exhibit an
| appreciation of Biblical subjects Illus
| trated on the stage. Er-you say
| there are other thsaters in New YORK
where these Biblical evenings are a
| feature?'
| Il told him that there were Sal1mes
i all over the place and most OF EN-
\ lockers. too.
"I shall lie obliged. then my friend
said he. If you will conduct me. later
on in the week. to one or two OF tae
other places where these Biblical eH'
Ihibitions are given. Really. I no long
er despair Of your city when 1 see
lsrch manifestations OF improvement on
the part of its people, and the old son
lof sea cook never cracked even a
ls-mptom of a grin. and here I am. TOT
my funniness. booked to drag him
laround to see some more Salomes!
Accumulated a Solemn "Souse.'
Pretty soft for you dubs, said No
" of the party. You got Off lucky
with your provinciais. took an ont
Handler from PhiIadelphia-a Philadei'
Iphia lawyer a: that-to see the Sa'
jiomc who's the big noise mp In Harlem
lat tn. head on the plaque dance.
ct wouldn't have taken him to the
Thing in normal circumstances But
lived had dinner together. and. entire
lly to nv surprise. he picked up quite
icute little sca-Soing bur for himself a.
1.-The meal and afterwards. and said
Ito myself. II the Phiiadeiph'an *as
lyame enough to aggregate jag then
The ought to be game enough 10 20