The Alaska citizen., 1910-12-26
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 and seeing no other way out of it. proceeded to have a fit. No one not even the illustrious Signor could tell just how much of that fl was deliberate and artificial and just how much was due 10 an over wrought sensitive organization, but certain il was that the Signor Ri- cardo was quite unable to go on with the performance. and Monsieur Noire himself as agitated as moment before the great Ricardo had been. rushed up to Bin and grab bed him roughly by the shoulders
 Too long" shrieked he, we have let you be annoying the artists by reason of The Caravaggio. But now you shall do the skiddooing.
 With laugh Bif looked back over his shoulder at The CaraNag gio. and permitted Monsieur Noire to eject him bodily from the stage door upon the alley.
 The next morning, owing 10 the prompt action and foresightedness of Spratt. all the papers contained the very pretty story that the great Ricardo had succumbed to his own lIltHSllN OI tll4tNINliS AAfN' NtiN '1''' act of Carmen. and had been unable to go on. giving way to the scarce ly less great SignOr Duleeo. That same morning Bobby was confronted by the first long series of similar dilemmas. The SignOrina CaraVag- gio must leave the company or Signor Ricardo would do so. No stage was big enough 10 hold the two; moreover, Ricardo meant to have the hearts blood of Signor Biffo de Batess-s-s.
 With a sigh. Bobby. out of his ig- norance and independence. took the only possible course to preserve peace. and emphatically told Signor Ricardo to pack up and go as quick ly as possible which he went away vowing to do. Naturally the great tenor thought better of it after that. and though he had already been dropped from the cast of Il Tro- vatore on Saturday afternoon, he re ported just the same. And went on with the company.
 It was not until they went upon the road that Bobby fully realized what a lot of irresponsible, fretful, peevish children he had upon his hands. With the exception of serene Nora McGinnis, every one of the principals was at daggers drawn with all the others, sulking over the least advantage obtained by any one else. and accepting ad- vantage of their own as only par tial payment of their supreme rank. The one most at war with her own world was Madam Nillenauve whose especial bete nOiTe was the Nee geenees; whom, by no possibility, could she ever be induced to call Caravaggio.
 On the second day of their next engagement. as Bobby strode through the corridor of the hotel, shortly after luncheon, he was stopped by Madam Villenauve, who had been waiting for him in the door of her room She was herself appar- ently just dressing to go out. for her coiffure was made and she had on a short underskirt, kimono- like dressing jacket and her street shoes.
 "I wish to speak wiz you on some beezness. Meester Burnit," she told him abruptly, and with an impera- lively beckoning hand stepped back with low bow for him to enter.
 With just a moment of surprised hesitation he stepped into the room, whereupon The Villenauve promptly closed the door A week before Bobby would have been trife as tonished by this proceeding, but in that week he had seen so many examples of unconscious unconven- tionaities in and about the dress ingroom and at the hotel, that he had readjusted his point of view to meet the peculiar way of life of these people, and, as usual with readjustments, had readjusted him self too far He found the room in a litter with garments of all sorts cast about in reckless disorder.
 T have been seeing you last night" began Madam Villenauve, shaking her finger at him archly as she swept some skirts off chair for him to sit down, and then took her place before her dressing table, where she added the last deft touch to her coiffure. T have been seeing you smiling at ze reedeec'lous Car men. Oh, la, la! Garment" she shrilled. Tt is I, monsieur, I zat am ze Carmen. It was zis Matteo, the scoundrel who run away wiz our money, zat allow le Ricardo to say whom he like to sing to for Carmen Ricardo ees in loaf wiz la MeeGeenees Le Ricardo is a fool, SO zis Ricardo sing Carmen ever tam to ze great, grosse mon stair MSeGeeness; an everybody zey laugh. Ze chorus laugh, ze principals laugh, le Monsieur Noire he laugh, even zat Fruhlingsvogel zat have no humair, he laugh; an ze audience laugh, an last night I am seeing you laugh. Ees eet not so? Mais! It Is absurd! It is rec deec'lous. Le Ricardo make a fool over la MeeGeenees. I sing ze Car me sing Aida? Eet ees zat way I men! am ze Carmen! You hear sing Carmen. Now I s'aal sing Car men again! Ees eet not?"
 As Madam Villenauve talked, pune tuating her remarks with quick, i'm patient little gestures, she jerked of her dressing jacket and threw it on the floor and Bobby saved him. self from panic by reminding him. self that her frank anatomical dis play was, in the peculiar ethics of these people, no more to be noticed than If she were in an evening gown, which was very reasonable, al hn