Evening star., 1913-11-23
Drawing by ]. v. McFall

at the Office had gone to the club for dinner.
AS entered the dining room the first thing to
catch my eye my old friend Billie Farrin-
gate, seated by of the small tables over by
the window enjoying period Of joyous COM
nlunon with cold broiled lobster, which he
was washing down with copious drafts of
iced tea.
"How's his Royal Hghness this evening""
observed as | paused at his table, half hoping on
for an invitation to sit down and join him for LZHX
if there is anything in the world that despse W/JH
it is eating alone And, by the way, | should W
explain that all referred to Farrngate
@hs Royal Hghness' because of his remark
able likeness to the Vandyke portrait of Charles
L. his beard bearing and generally arstocratic =
contour of face making the resemblance almost
startling.
"His Majesty is feeling pretty fit, he replied,
with a hearty handshake, "but tribe lone
some. He misses the loyal attendance of his
followers"
THAT can be easily remedied, l ventured.
$50 be it., said Farringate "but as three IS
awkward number, let me order another
lobster and We'll have little baytie eavee.'
! quick to avail myself of the profered
hospitality. Another lobster ordered, and
it was not long before the four of were busiy
occupied with another, Farringate having
with self restraint paused in the consump-
ton of his own particular crustacean until mine
was served
@Whom do you suppose saw last night,
Jack? Farringate suddenly blurted out after he had
discussed with waiter the nn1Sh1ng
off his repast with raspberries and Canadian
melon
"Wel,' said l. grnnlng over particularly luscious
and meaty claw, If your evening meal IS generally made
up of broiled lobster and raspberries and cream, |
shouldn't be surprised if you'd old Father Noah,
Methuselah, possibly Sitting Bull. Such
binaton would seem to me to be conducive to almost
any kind of vision
Farringate laughed. @That's why l indulge myself
in such combinations he said al can't tell you
what joyous picnics have had with the ilstrious of
other days. based upon my devotion to lobster and
Canadian melon I've had personal interviews with
Julius Cesar, Captain Kidd old Bill Shakespeare and
Lucrezia Borgia time and time and again. but it wasn't
dietary vision this time: it the real thing | saw
Bobby Faxon.
Really cried. "Well, declared Good old Bobby
Faxon, eh? Why, don't believe I've Bobby since
the old Blue Haven days. Where earth did you dig
him up?'
"Hes in vaudeville, said Farringate. q found time
hanging rather heavy my hands last night; SO
dropped into the Varieties along about nine o'clock and
who should turn up the hero of clever little
farce of his writing but dear old Bobby himself?
He's what they call a topiner'
Il knew Bob had gone the stage said |; "but
thought he had made failure of it, poor boy. He
dropped out of sight long ago. He fine fellow
Faxon was, went on; "but it struck that he
knew how to act
"And there's where there's another strike coming to
you" retorted Farringate with surprising show of
enthusiasm lie 1lne IN JnlS l1tLe last
night; though to tell the truth knew him the minute
he the stage
@Why shouldn't youa" said l. Al presume you had
program with his it.
True said Farringate; @but Bobby isn't known
Bobby Faxon the profesh he is other than the
famous Harley Ruxton, whose and fame
the lips of all from end of Broadway to the
other. If you haven't anything else for tonight,
go and call on him.
"Deighted!' said l. "I've always had soft spot in
L
fist more