Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-23
"One-and a kid"
"Ah, a confidence gamer"

<<N1O. 1 knowed what I was up against
~ all the time, but the money had to
go. Reck'n 1 am fool-come Of a fool
family, y'know-but l amt none sorry
about this, though Then he continued,
all the while carefully reflling his pipe.
keeping his face turned from me. do
you mind my telling you something about
her. that time up on the dump of the
Bald Hornet?'
Yes; WHY"
"Oh. nothing much. only she was in
Denver. too Where do you spose I saw
her?'
. II haven't the slightest idea"
AT the Palace
1.-The Palace?" I echoed in astonish-
ment. for the Palace was an all-night va
riety theater of the worst type. What
on earth was she doing in such a place
as that? 1 thought she married civil
engineer.
"She did, only he wasn't engineering
much for drinks down there. He was the
professor and she was doing two turns
Professor? Two turns?" l repeated.
mystified by his variety-theater slang.
Yes: piano player, you know, and she
done two dancing turns on the stage
carried spear in the last act In spite
of the paint and short dress-and things
like that-I knew her the :-iinute she came
on the stage, and thought I'd fall off my
chair when she commenced to sing about
mothers grave, and she looked SO much
like she meant it that 1 just felt l would
have to have little talk WIN her anu
get the thing straight. I didn't know how
to get to where she was. and figured and
figured on 1t until / saw some of the
other ladies working the boxes. Thinks
/ to myself. That's my ticke'; I'll hire
box and catch her when she comes
around'-and I did.
What do you mean by working the
boxes, Tom?" / asked.
Thought you said you had been in
Denver he answered. looking at me in
quiet disapproval.
Il have. only 1 am afraid missed the
Palace. Tell me about it."
well. the lady performers. after they
do their turn-little acts. song. dance
the boxes in their show clothes to push
wine for the house. They get a per cent.
The whole upper story-gallery-is row
of boxes. and the ready-cash fellows sit
around after a while and come to me.
We talked on for a while; finally I asked
in kinder offhand way what her name
might be.
"'What's the good of names in a place
like this? she says. But. IL you really
want to know. it's Maud Delaney. Buy
another bottle and let's drink to it.
w nat yours. NC$Ci SOu dUOut
my name just now I says. lookinc at ner
painted eye-winks. SO your name is
Maud Delaney. is it-Maud Delaney
that's funny Yes. it's Maud Delaney
she says, spunking up like she used to
sometimes little red showing under the
white paint on her face. Il don't see
anything funny about it. l think it's
pretty name. don't your Oh. yes, it's
pretty enough, but But what? she
says. oh, nothing. says; I was only
thinking Don't; nobody thinks here;
they would go mad If they did
Just then the wine came in. All right.
Maud Delaney l says. We won't do
any more thinking. I guess you are right
about the mad part of it. Your names Is
all right-it's quite becoming to you, but
l am just down from the hills. where they
don't sport such highfalutin names. nor
dresses like you have on. I was think
ing awhile ago how I used to like old
fashioned common names-Nellie Fran
els for instance. That's it-let's drink to
Nellie Francis She sprung TO her feet.
and then began to tremble that she
had to hold on to the wine table to stand
up. In the name of heaven she whim-
pered. what do you mean? Who are you
that speaks of Nellie Francis: Never
mind. Nellie I says feeling sorry for
her: I am your friend-always your
friend; don't forget that
All! l know you now, Tom Graham;
you can't fool me any more; that's the
last thing you told me fefore you went
away she said, drawing In her breath