Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-17
ELLEN ADAIR SEES
BOTH SIDES OF LIFE
ON LONDON NIGHT
She Gets Glimpse of Dere-
licts by Th ames En-
bankment and Witnesses a
Romance in Restaurant.

no longer TEEN with busy men, the trains
have carried these to lons-drawn happy
evenings on the hundred golf links which
surround the great city--to gay little ten
mis- clubs-to quiet backwaters, where
rows of gaily decorated houseboats line
the old river Thames The punts and
skifrs at Hampton Court are filled with
happy drifting couples and moored be-
meath the overhanging willows the white
fanneled river youth ie courtins the
white-clad English river girl. Oh, happy
youth! Dear Hampton Court The old
red palace in It's stately Elizabethan
beauty every summer witnesses the same
old scenes as in those stately days 400
years ago when Anne Boleyn coquetted
with the amorous King Henry, and IDLY
drifted, happy Queen, in her short love
dream on the river Thames.
That July evening, the night before 1
sailed for America, Is still so fresh with
in my mind We drove around the Lon
don streets. the little old lawyer man
and I, perched high on the great motor
bus. And mingled with the pain of my
recent loss. my lonely present. and my
vague uncertain future, l felt strange
elation. For I was setting forth on the
Great Adventure.
Miss Adair." said my companion sud
de My. your re a f1no little girl. and l hate
TO think Of you clearing off like this,
with no one to help YOU. | hope that
uncle OF yours over in Philadelphia is
week, didn't you? He'll probably come
to New York to meet you. l wish l could
stay here in town to you to your
train tomorrow morning-but can't
I've rung UP good boardinS-house in
Kensington, and they've got room for
YOU there tonight. And tomorrow just
taxi over to Waterloo Station, and por-
ter will book you and your luggage right
through to southampton on the early
boat-train. Got your ticket all right
Yes indeed" said l hurriedly, for [
did not like to mediate on the fact that
I v~s travelling steerage-it was all l
could afford.
TJFES DERELICTS IN LONDON.
Wo journeyed many miles in silence, out
by the Thames Embankment, when the
Sky was reddening in the wcst-past those
quiet Embankmcnt seats which hp.d NE
dcrelicts. cast up from God knows where-
the melancholy army of the Might-Hare-
BecnS.
sec those poor souls sitting yonder,
said the little lawyer huskily, "Iifes
flotsam. drifting rudderlcss. And many
OF them better men than l."
"Eut these are down and out Sau'
"and look like tramps and begEars.
No matter" said the little man, they
once were great, they once were fine. on
yonder lonely seats have often sat the
greatest geniuses OF the age-shaboy-
neglectcd-misund Inc
aInlnortal Ut. johnson often St1'l't llV'''
without q copper in his pocket. Here
l-nnder the shadow Of Westminster and tho
"a Of Parliament he sat alone, and
gains on the old Thames, medtated on
the vanity OF all earthly hopes. o. Nanlias
vanltatum-how true that Is.
"r don't believe it's true cried !
valiantIy, "for life Is surely what we
make IT, hate that dull philosophizins
the path Of glory leads beyond the
grave and anyhow should include very !
pleasant life in this world. l mean 10
make the very most Of my lie.
You have the courage OF youth sala
the little lawyer IN his kindly voice, and
now that the hours are slipping by, shall
we return 20 dinner? Frascau's In the
Strand Is a famous place
And later we arrived there. In front OF
the great restaurant long line or taXls'
Iandaulettes, electric broughams was as
senbled. 1t was now nine o'clock and
ttiu daylight. And We walked in to-
gether. through the cheerful entrance
hall. TO a veritable AIaddin's Cave be-
yond. In my country ineXperience, 1
thought a new heaven and new earth
had opened--it was all so magnificent
Great banks OF hot-hOuse flowers ming
led sweet odors with exotic perfumes of
the East. great palms lowered far above
our heads 20 the vaulted roof, the glitter
OF thousand lights sparked in one great
chandelier beneath the dome,
INFL ITENCE OF NJ SlI.
And the people, At softy-shaded, lamp
lit tables there they sat-and Oh, the
beauty OF the women I know ! saw
them all through rose-colored glasses
that night, to me II was all Couleur-de-
Rose-and the strains Of a dear Hun
garian melody were drifting from floor 10
gallery and dome. pompous waiter
waved us 70 a tiny table, rose wreathed,
rOse-lit-mirrors, mirrors every|here, and
! looked strangely shabby In that gay
crowd.
And then the relocated leader ~ the
orchestra stepped forward and the music
changed. II began with vague sigh
ing OF the embellishments, Ike the
early STRINGS In wood IN autumn,
when four-footed furry little creatures
are steaIthily stalking over the fallen
leaves-I could smell the pines and the
bog-myrtle, and feel the fresh keen tang
OF autumn IN the air-and then the
cadence deepened as the 'cel.os softly
caught the melody II was all a breath,
a shadow so softly did they start And
then my heart leaped strangely, tor the
violin obligato sweled louder, II was the
great "RarcarOlle' OF Onen6ach, that
Wild sweet melody that holds the tears,
the heart-throbs Of a universe! At first.
1t softly rose and fell rose and fell with
a tender Hitting cadence that refused 20
plunge beneath the surface Of things, but
that held that gay crowd, in the hush
of a sudden silence. CON4l sun near li-
autumn strings in nv English forest,
and see the quiet unfolding Of the little
wood-sorrel as It raised its pink face and
tender foliage TO the morning sun.
And then, on a sudden sobblng breath
the music rose on a higher key-no words
of mine could give its passion and its
pain-nor yet It's wild eNultant beauty!
I'D through the glittering gallery, up
through the lofty palm trees and the
great arched roof IL drifted, l think to
the very gates OF heaven! II nlled me
with a yearning and a pain, and yet a
strange new ecstacy l could not fathom.
Beside US at the nearest table sat
slender lovely girl In a rose-pink gown,
and By her side an eager boy, a typical
London youth with a keen, clever face
and fne dark eyes. AS the melody rose
and fell, rose and fell, l saw him sud
denly grasp her slim hand In his big
strong, sunburnt one. Higher and higher
the cadence rose. and in II was the love
that many waters cannot quench, and
many foods can never hope 10 drown.
Then suddenly, on one breathless note
vibrating with tender passion, the mu-
sic paused-and on that passionate note
the boy leant forward 'Leonora,
Leonorar' said he breathlessly.
i turned my head away, for l felt
was rudely treading on holy ground.