The evening world., 1911-03-07
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Everybody remarked that the retiring
managers looked cheerful. as IL ths
Paris way. None Will ever be a
truo Partisan who has not learned 10
wear a mask OF gayety over his sorrows
aud one Of sadness. boredom or indlfer-
ence over his inward Joy. You know
that one of you friends Ia In trouble. do
not try to console him. he will tell you
that he IL already comforted: but should
he have met with good fortune. be
careful how you congratulate him: he
thinks 1t so natural that he ls surprised
that you should spea,. OF It.
In Parts our lives are one masked ball.
and the foyer OF the ballet Is the last
place In which two men 20 knowing as
VI. Der.cnns and W. Poligny would have
made the mistake Of betraylng their
crlof. however genuine IL might be. And
they were already smiling rather too
broadly upon Soreiil. who had begun to
rccite her speech. when an exclamation
from that little madcap OF a Jammes
broke the smile of tho managers 30
brutilly that the expression OF distress
and dismay that lay beneath II became
apparent 20 all eyes;
The opera gnost!'
Jammes yelled these words In a tone OF
u~nspeakable terror, and her finger point
ed. among the crowd Of handles. to a
face 50 paid, 50 ~lugubrlous and so ugly.
with tHo SUCH deep black cavities under
the s~trlddling eyebrows. that the deaths
head In question Immediately scored .
huge success.
The Opera ghost, The Opera ghost!''
Everybody laughed and pushed his
n~cignbor and wanted 20 offer the Opera
ghost q drink. but he was gone. He
had slipped through the crowd. and the
others vainly hunted for him.. while two
u.d gentlemen tried TO calm little
Jammos and while little CRY stood
screaming like a peacock.
Sorelll was furious. she had not been
able TO finish her speech; the managers
had kissed her. thanked her and run
way as fast as the ghost himself. No
one was surprised at this. for 1t was
known that they were to go through tho
same on the floor above, In
the foyer of the singers, and that hnATy
they we're themselves to receive their
personal frieuds. for the last time, IN
the great LOBBY outside the managers
office. where a regular supper would be
served.
Here they found the new managers.
VI. Armand Moncharmln and VI. Firrnin
Richard, whom they hardly knew; new
ertheless. they were lavish IN protesta-
lions OF friendship aud received e thou
san nattering compliments In reply. 50
that those OF the guests who had feared
that they had a rather tedious evening
In store for them at once put on brighter
faces. The supper was almost gay. and
a particularly clever speech Of the rep
reseatative OF the government. mingling
the rlorles OF the past with the successes
Of the future. caused the greatest cor
dilll,y 70 prevail, ,
The retiring managers had already
handed over TO their successors the W
tiny naster-keys which opened all tho
doors-thousands OF doors-of the Opera
house. And those little keys. the object
OF general curiosity. were being passed
from hand to hand. when the attention
OF some OF the guests was diverted by
their discovery, at the enl OF the table.
Of that strange. wan and fantastic face,
with the hollow eyes. which had al
ready appeared In the foyer OF the ball
let and been greeted by little Jammes'
exclamation:
The Opera Ehost!'
! ITO BE Conunued.)