The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-12-20
$ Lady Fessenden
The Game of Fighting the Commonplace Turns
Romance Into Reality.
BY GELETT BURGESS



AS Myra STOOD hands behind her. her back to the long
WALL awaiting the confusion of the rush hour the sordidness
OF the restaurant struck her This pause after the but
ter pats were arranged the pies quarered and the acears
ed while she waited for the hurried fretu trong pile
her tray with ORDERS gave her plenty of chance for disgust
So as she waited she took Tip game and fought the
Commonplace 1t chlds game, but through last
slow year of poverty she had developed with detail
and fancy that had been something of against
despair The fmespun, fair brown of hair that
bed about her low brow the wondering gray the absurd
little the dewy parted lips and triangular chin made up
the wstfu face of Ma Long, the quickest and detes of all
the bladgowned mattresses at Heppners Quick Lunch the
only one whose whimsical dro face did not attract the ra
tious familiarity of the holder customers But NOT
Myra Long who stood with her back to the wall She
had gone off in day dream.
1t Lady Fessenden instead who seeking diversion and
sociological material bored with her Kent her
wants and her circle of society," had taken the absurd within
which brought her into contact with the Lower Middle
Classes. 1t Lady Fessenden Also who after having
taught school at North Summit had New York
seek for place the stage and who sinking lower and low
in her ambitions had last found position where she
would not at least, have to starve
And so, in New York, in her little hall bedroom West
cath street. she still bravely kept up the game There
many odd bits of panomme that in front of her
wabby mirror that impossible here in the
But Heppner Lady Fessenden idle She
watching for champion Myra from the dragon of
the Prosac She had been captured by the Commonplace 1t
time for rescue and she waited with her back
the long WALL she scanned the crowd for her knight
That he did she hoped to her very table at Hepp
ners and that she recognized him at glance proved Lady
Fessenden to be of the boodroyal of Romance He in
with old He in to be plain upon the front
page of the Morning Despatch in the form of printed in
terview and halftone portrait of Hall Payson Prince
South American explorer and Archaeological The paper
left the table, and Lady Fessenden pounced upon and
bore it into the pantry.
With his light dropping mustache, his firm straight mouth
and his sunwrnled eyes, she felt she had known him for
years She read the interview avdy In minutes she
haIh hu hoh haru
She duty o'clock day. AT half-past
she entered public telephone booth and hesitatngy called for
Mr. Princes number He answered hnlself-her beating
told her that his first word Gaspng for BREATH
trembling with sudden alarm her impertinence all
she could do to speak aloud
"Oh Mr. Prince" she managed say, q" do hope I'm
inerrupting you-please tell me if But have
thing I'd like very much to say to you"
Whom have the pleasure of talking to? he asked pleas
antly.
'1Nell if you must know I'm Lady Fessenden,' her
hesitating
Lady Fessenden? I'm afraid you have the advantage
me-"
"Youre quite right Mr. Prince but intend keep it I'll
have to quite throw myself on your mercy really"
'What do for you then? There seemed to be trace
of amusement in his tone
'It's most exraordn'ry proposal have to make, Mr.
Prince. Really don't know how dare 1t would be, of
course impossible home for person of my position But
you Americans have the of being civarous and ro-
mantle I'm really curious to see if it's Of course it's
highly unconventional thing I'm doing and all that of
thing but I'm depending upon genity not to mscon-
strue my motives YOU already what sort of opinion
I've formed of you do hope you won't dsappoin meT
"But don't quite understand? There ring of inn
patience in his voice.
My Mr. Prince just exactly what want to do
quite understand (yra got that almost verbatim
from Henry James II beautifully don't understand
mysehow permit myself the world to do i'll
That's the charm OF it, isn't it"
Oh it's charmngl perfectly agreed Mr.. Prince had at
last begun to play up.