Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-11


more she sees of him the bigger and finer she dnds
him"
He remains inlpersonal, then" assumed
Emma nodded. She says he is Just a brav. tru,
friend-what she has been looking for all these
years, and had finally spaired finding among men.
One afternoon, not long after that, ! went 70 a
large invitation musicale at widely known profcs-
sonal studio ard Of the first sights that CAUGHT
my eye-indeed. ones eye could scarcely escape be-
ing caught by twas the sumptuous figure of Elcc-
ira in god-coored vcours moving languidly like a
stage queen among the guests. She did no. recoc-
nize me. Prentiss Johnson joined me- and as he
knows everybody supposed that he undoubtedly
knew Electra, and proved to be in my uppo-
sition He followed her with his eyes spoke an
unanayzable expression about his mouth.
Extraordinary woman he calculated, and I won
dered If he were OF the victims OF Electras fatal
SPELL yet his expression somehow did not seem
to bear out the theory. Extraordinary in size at
least" he added
There does seem to be a good deal Of her"
conceded, but at least it is all good material"
Prcntiss' expression became definitely recog-
nizablc Of distastc. TOO much One is en-
barrassed overwhelmed. She is like dinner given
by one of Our new multi-milonarcs-too magnif-
cent, too superlatve filling
But she is really so large 0 argued mot
actually taller than the average tall woman"
That is true Prcntiss admitted Il wonder what
it is about her that gives such feeling of-wel
plethora
Arthur FALSELY. who is sought after than any
other man | know in musical and social circles
dropped into the conversation at that moment and
curously enough repeated Premises non-commttal
exclamation, "Extraordinary woman
What is it about her? Why isn't she il? She
isn't, you know and never will be- Prentiss de-
clared
This prophetic blighting Of Electra's prospects
stunned into silence for the moment Then I
FALSELY scrutinizing Electra with the eye of the
agnostician and felt that last was 10 discover
Electra's failure despite her obviously per-
feet equipment But he only added another met
aphor.
She is like an immense unfavored pound-cake'
Her perfection is her DOOM I suggested Per
haps that is the diff cultyshe leaves nothing to the
imagination"
Paisley shook his head "She might rise above her
projections, but she can't rise above her absolute
lack Of"
Just then pianist, who had been making prepara-
tons unheeded by in the interest Of our psyche
logizing Electra, broke into the conversation
with the opening crash OF composition by Of
the most advanced OF the young Russians" so that
| unable to discover just then what was in
Paiselys mind, the deficiency that Electra could not
rise above. And after the stormy composition was
- 49, -. p,;.si ra-; ..a
" W va "''@S' O'e''is ~ me d. SUBSTITUTE an
lntehse-ooking young volinlst with Slav hair and
Western accent Indeed. I was obliged to leave
without seeing either FALSELY Prentss again. I
wa to' Nau "a"'eu " u's'uss Leg
ira fprthx with them, to solve, II might be- the
curious problem of her self-frustrating beauty
And SO, after all it through Emma, who had
first presented her to my consciousness. that was
able to trace Electra to her logical conclusion
Emma began almost the moment of my arrival.
II was just thinking OF you | was going to write
you note about it," | waited expectant at has
happened, although had hardly believed it would"
Electra has got her operate position?" asked
| knew that it something about Electra
Emma nodded. "A temporary position and per-
ranent one" Emma had not been addicted TO such
sententiousness before the days of Electra) Then
without designating which position belonged under
which head she elucidaed further "She is engaged
to Mr.. Smith, and has been given position in his
opera company. She achieves her first artistic op-
pOrtunitv and the ouest ~ her I've simultaneously"