The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-01-13

nous past. but she, on the otner nan0'
was the most dignifed of the whole
troupe and even the most reserved.
In the second act of the play dance
hall was depicted. and here it was
necessary for thin, attenuated and
also pretty woman of about thirty to
appear as a gay coquette. Dora was
not on the stage during this act, and
for that she was extremely grateful.
Her curiosity was excited from the
very beginning as to the caliber OF the
woman who would play this part. The
woman was without coarseness, and In
addition she did" very good dance,
which made her an additional and
high priced member of the company.
AS they Travelled from town to town
during the first few days Dora watch
ed the women's behavior on the trains.
The various members of the company
broke up into groups during these first
few days. some reading magazines,
some novels. one--the heavy old man
reading a volume of poetry. while the
others played penny ante. mild
form of gambling. solitaire and even
checkers
The woman who played the coquette
and the dancer spent her time sewing
or knitting and always alongside Of
the feminine members of the company,
usually the lady with the multitude
nous and multicoorcd past
1t was when they were leaving SYRIA
h.it I hnr
first insight into the business attitude
that these women took toward their
profession She was sitting in front
of the manager of the company. There
were no parlor cars on the train. and
they were all in what was tlamb0y
antly advertised as an ESPECIALLY en-
gagged coach" She would have pre-
ferred not to overhear the converse
ton. but afterward she gloried in ii
The dancer. Miss Weston. came up
to the manager and began:
Can | talk business with you for
moment?"
Sure" be replied with the cigar
still in his mouth and his hat at the
proper managerial angle. sit down"
THAT dance of mine is not getting
over" she began earnestly
"Oh. quit worrying Wait until we
strike a real town and you'll see that
1t will be all right Don't. for heavens
sake. start changes on me now!'
But | know" persisted Miss Wes-
toni know that in white my figure
looks awfully large Now. in black or
In red look a great deal thinner, and
1t is more becoming to me-"
"You are just nervous" said the
manager.
But my figure is not nervous" an
swered Miss Weston laughingly. Pm
serious, Mr. Bleiman. want to make
hit in this thing, and | know from
my experience In vaudeville and in mu-
steal shows that don't do my best
and don't look my best in white. Now.
If you won't pay for black dress |
will pay for it myself"
The conversation continued. and Miss
Weston devolved into discussion In
which her figure was intimately con-
versed about. She speculated as to
whether white stockings caused her
limbs to appear disproportionately
large She insisted that she be given
either red or black stockings
The talk Of the manager and the
player went on for few moments
along this line and was settled with
out any satisfaction to the dancer, but
with vague promise that before they
got into Chicago or New York the mat
ter would be taken up.
The thing that hung over Dora's
mind was: Here was woman who
didn't hesitate to discuss what she had
been accustomed to regard as an in
terdicted subject; here was woman
who discussed the proportions OF her
calves without any immodesty and
without fear with even this coarse
man. for whose opinion she had not
only the greatest respect. but financial
fear. And even he. with all his con-
summate and accumulated brutality,
answered In q most matter of fact and
absolutely impartial manner.
1t gave her thrill that here at
least was unqualified honesty
Dora, having a feminine mind. was
missing the great danger of all this
because it seemed to her beyond doubt
that in this very frankness. in this
very attitude of being businesslike
about things that are not ordinarily
the subjects of conventional CONVERSE
tion, lay entire safety for person OF
education and of sound instincts But
possibly her puritanical Aunt Cornelia
would not have agreed with her con
corning the matter.
At any rate. the broad vista of life
as 1t is in many sided. complex
world was beginning to unfold before
Dora. and little could she foretell as
to what the future held in store for
her
Il