Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19

a slay, The women cling frantlcally to
the arms Of these flag bearing husbands
when they promenade in the haunt OF vice
below stairs for fear that II left alone they
will be lured away in spite OF their strenu-
Gus objections.
Many Of these women gaze question
ingly at each other. In the eyes OF each
Is suspicion Of the other and wonder 'as
TO whether It could be possible that she
could possibly think that L"
There is a quartet YOU encounter on
your ramblings, the feminine part com
posed Of two middle aged women, very
trim and trig II not exactly modish. They
wear close black bonnets tied under the
chins; one has a black fur cape and the
other a cloth sacque. Their skirts are
short and full, apparently made by a
country dressmaker and more noticeable
for unitarian purposes than for aesthetic
charm. The faces OF both are the faces
Of maturity and show that they have
worked much and worried more, The
men folks are not so different in type and
fixings that you can avoid wondering how
and why they came-a question often in
the mind as you look at voyaging America
which never would be answered IL you
aid not read the alluring prospectuses OF
Tours of Ninety Days Length"
The two women whom you have at
tempted to describe gaze refleotively at a
couple OF plump persons encountered in the
spacious foyer. These are eowned in gray
charmouse and pink foulard, with Jet tur-
bans set jauntily on their coiffured puffs.
The expressions on their enamelled faces Is
that of femininity which takes no thought
Of ths morrow and has forgotten yesterday.
Their ages would perhaps total that OF
/ thu AVaarfoap ruyar,an.F Far M pa rfe4o ~
promenader could be as young as she's
painted and your sophisticated escort haz-
ards Is as a conservative estimate.
American women gaze mournfully and
say.
Poor Thingl' Poor Thlng!"
You turn to see another Poor Thing"
at your elbow. She is sitting in a rather
lumpish mood. it appears, on the top Of a
very tall stool. She wears an ecru satin
and a big Gainsborough hat which is a
garden Of ostrich plumes. She is a little
apoplectic from the leap she has taken to
reach her exalted position and the hello
trope tint shows plainly through her white
enamel. She sips her drink with a reckless
abandon that out-Herods Herod. The drink
is citron presse. What more do you want,
whispers escort at your elbow? You have
seen her, the her of Du NSSurier, OF Murger,
Of Filson Young, alone with a lemon
squash.
That is no more than the regular pro-
gram affords. For it is certain that the
long expected sauce piquante is to be pro-
vided for the commonplace food on which
you hav to that moment been fed. You
have returned to the psychic moment;
psychic and high kick-you hope. Reign
ing Favorite is being brought in on a
palanquin by the Sultan's Guards, cleverly
concealed from too quick notice by a
scarf draped for the occasion. Sultan's
Aid snatches a corner Of it. In a moment
more Favorlte will be exposed to view.
Afterward you drift in the wake Of the
seekers for the orchard where thrives for
hidden fruit. You want to get a mental
snapshot Of that orchard you have heard
so much about. 1t isn't Maxim's of
course, but Msxim's hour is approaching
and this will be an appetizer. You have
been told that you mustn't forget to go
downstairs and turn to the left.
At one of the round tables in the space
allotted to Wickedness herelnbefore men
TONED an American tourist, supported
through the ordeal by black coffee, is
writing postcards home, perhaps to wife.
At another table two of the same nation
ality tot up receipts and credits and COM
pare Gallo gouges. One has had six 25
centime pieces passed off for 2 franc pieces
during the day, the other only four. Some
girls dance together and smirk to right
and left. A bright blue charmer keeps up
an animated conversation with an actor
who wears a green Alpine. Animation
takes the place Of understanding, for he
does not apparently know any French
nor she any English, but IL love needs no
language neither does the desire for liquid
refreshment and the willingness to provide
same. Moment by moment the crowd In
creases in number, the items always the
same.
A red-haired, freckle-faced youth with a
large party leaves his table and dances fist
with one girl, then another; size, COM
plexion, age, costume, 1t makes no diff
ference TO him. He is absolutely impair
tial and having twirled each to a breath
less finish returns to his ~coterie, who
greet him with handclappings. He is a sad
dog! He takes one beer with his sister,
who has been discussing what universal
suffrage would do for a condition Of this
kind with her escort.
A gray haired portly parsonage walks
about with a serpentine charmer on either
ARM; he pats first one little hand. then the
other. He plays no favorites. 1t isn't
necessary. Frenchmen are conspicuous by
their absence. The American tourist has
II all TO himself. But 1t is all dolefully
dull and dreadfuliy dreary.
There is a gasp from the American tour
lists In the Vicinity. A young woman, judg-
ing from the shine Of her wedding ring not
long a bride, averts her eyes and seizes
husbands hand. He responds to the
fevered clasp, but does not turn his optics
from the stage, a privilege for which he
has paid 10 francs He can look at wife
any time,
The great moment Is preceded by a
sigh, an expectant sigh, the pelanquin is
lowered; there is not a single hitch except
a slight wriggllng of the scenery to which
custom has by this time stalled you.
Reigning favorite steps down in the deep,
calm hush, arrayed in a dainty CONNECTION
In which she might without fear OF moles-
tation do her marketing on Sixth avenue.
There is another gasp from nearby
tourists. This time It is one Of unmis-
taxable disappointment. Young husband
yawns loudly and suggests to wife that
they break away,
A woman in the next row speaks Of the
favorlte to her companion.
Amt she like hat picture OF Recamler
! In the IOIVra 30 only she prpppunnae a.