The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-01-03
CHAPTER XXI.
A success at the Psne,o,


1t was the first night of the new
musical comedy at the Pandora, and
all London" from the theatrical point
of view, had assembled to give it a
send-off. Lords about town, the mag
mates Of high finance, members of
parliament, K. Cs as famous in Cos
sip of the Day as actor-managers, pop.
ular actors and actresses temporarily
out of the bill smart society bellies
and elderly clubmen, dramatists, au-
thors and journalists filled the stalls,
principally by invitation, and most of
the people in the dress circle knaw
them by name and were "somebodies"
themselves.
There had been a queue at the pit
doors since s in the morning, and late
in the afternoon the manager, with
that gallantry which was one of his
engaging attributes, Lad sent out tea
to the ladies.
The gallery was packed with regular
first-night members of the Gallery
First Nights club" and young gentle
men and ladies who knew all the act
ors by the diminutive of the Christian
name and were the devoted admirers
of tie actresses, to each of whom they
gave reception"
The chorus ladies at the Pandora
were as we'll known to fame as the
leading artists-some of them even
better, for their photographs were
rarely absent from one or other of the
illustrated weeklies for whom appar-
emily the stage is life and life is the
stage.
The new musical play was success
from the first, and Miss Claire Barton,
who was playing good part for the
first time, could not have been more
handsomely treated by the audience If
she had been an operate star of the
first magnitude.
Never had Claire appeared to great
er advantage in lovely frocks; never
had the "smile" which had marked
her out for promotion while she was
still in the chorus been mote engag-
ing.
There was no muriaur of "Who is
she?" as Claire Barton made her en-
trance in the first act as French
comprehensive bouquetiere of the
Jockey club.
Everybody, from the Park Lane
South African millionaire in a private
box to the messenger boy at the back
of the gallery, knew Claire Barton.
Her photograph had appeared weekly
in the illustrated papers for months
past. One week you. saw Miss Claire
Barton Eat home;;" the next Miss
Claire Barton in her motor car; the
next Miss Claire Barton and her toy
Pom, "The Guv'nor." Miss Claire Bar.
ton had also been represented as in a
snowstorm, on the river, at the races,
and Gin her dressing ROOM" She was
also outside famous brand of
cigarettes, on picture post card. and
in photographers windows. Only
blind man could have lived in London
and remained ignorant of the personal
appearance of Miss Claire Barton.
The new rlay went with swing and
go from sort to finish, and there
was rot To slightest doubt when the
curtain fell that another production
had to he sf,'ed to the long series Of
Pandora successes.
When calls had been taken, when
the composer had bowed from the
orchestra stand, and then gone round
and bowed with the actors from the
stage, and the manager had come and
bowed and been received with hurri.
cane of cheers and the solitary "boo"
from the gallery-without which no
Pandora success could be considered
complete-the company stopped for
moment to converse excitedly and
jubilantly together on the triumph"
and the stage doorkeeper sent in per-
feet little sheaf of notes from habitues
in front to fair favorites behind re.
questing the honor of their company
to supper at the Savoy, the Carlton,
or the Imperial, as the case might be.
Claire Barton received two or three
notes, glanced at them. and said mo
answer" and the message was convey.
ed to the stage doorkeeper, who under
stood it and delivered it in turn to the
gentlemen whom it most concerned.
Ito BE contlnued.)
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