The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-01-03
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1t was New Years Eve at the
Bal Tabarin in Vienna.
In the center of the long room
the girl from Budapest was dane
ing. She was tall girl, 1.-THE and
supple, and she danced to a
clamor OF little bells - bells
around her waist, bells concealed
that tinkled as she swayed, and
protested shrilly when she leaped.
Her sensuous dancing pleased the
crowd; as she ceased, smiling,
with a flash of dark eyes and
white teeth, tipsy officer in uni
form presented her with a glass
of champagne.
The wild Hungarian music riot
ed. The musicians, in red coats,
with swarthy faces, played furi-
ously. With the near approach of
midnight a frenzy seized the
crowd. The merriment of the
carnival was giving place to some
thing less innocent. A man in a
loge drank from a woman's slip
per.
! Behind the bar, at the top of
the steps leading from the boxes
to the main floor, an English bar
maid was sharpening a lead PEN
ell.
A thin young American girl in
a dancing dress stood beside her,
leaning both elbows on the bar
and surveying the scene with
frank curiosity.
Look at the diamond collar on
that woman over there with the
bandeau!" she said. Seems to
me diamond collars are taking
the place Of necklaces this win
ter"
I'm glad you spoke of that,
lilly" The barmaid yawned and
stuck her pencil In her hair. 'I'll
have some of my stuff made
over"
Tilly's eyes had gone back again
to the woman with the bandeau.
81 wonder" she reflected, how
I'd look with a black velvet collar
like that with paste buckle on 1t.
I'm 30 Internally thin!"
lilly said internally" There
is strong reason to believe that
she would have said "damnably"
had 1t occurred to her. The world
had not been kind to lilly in her
nineteen years, and, although she
was still sound and fine, there
were scratches ON her social We
neer. Stranded in Europe by the
failure of a rowing company, in
which she had belonged to the
chorus, lilly had refused with
loathing the means many of the
girls had chosen to get back, and
had drifted into the cabarets as
the best of a bad job.
For three months now she had
been a part Of the night life of
the city, dancer at the Tabarin,
a familiar figure to FOUNDERS, an
enigma to the other girls of the
cabaret. For lilly showed a curl
Gus willingness to live on her
forty kronen a week salary, q
hitherto unknown tendency to
mind her own business, and an
aloofness that was helped by her
ignorance of the language.
Tonight, on this Silvesterbend.
Tilly's eyes, as she stared over the
jewellers, were somewhat clouded.
For her contract at the Tabarin
expired that night, and she had
every reason to believe that it
would not be renewed.
Tilly's innocence was not igno-
rance. She knew why she was to
be dismissed. Her graceful dane
ing, totally lacking in fire or SEN
suality, made no appeal to the
satiated habitues of the Bal Taba-
rim: her aloofness irritated them.
A man one night had held lilly
tight and tried to kiss her, where
at Tilly had bitten his hand until
it bled.
Weininger, the proprietor, had
stormed in German, and lilly,
gathering something of his mean
ing, and desperately alone, had
done her best. She had shortened
her shabby skirts, and even after
battle royal, consented to dance
In her bare feet. The result
was curious, incongruous-Til
dressed like a bacchante, danced
her virginia. little dance with
shamed, downcast eyes, a travesty
Of bacchanalia, a child repeating
passion by rote.
And now Tilly was at her last
ditch. Before long, at dawn prob
ably, Weininger would dismiss her
not pay her off, for lilly had
drawn her salary ahead, being
given to the aforesaid riotous
living, and having at Christmas,
the week before, presented to the
children of the PORTER at her pen
sion, the only Christmas they had
received.
The barmaid was large and
very blond. Tonight, with moth
ing but champagne on sale, she
was not busy, having only the
walters checks to look after. She
pinned a pink rose in her bosom,
and looked at lilly with not un-
friendly eyes.
Have you seen Weininger?"
she asked. "He was looking for
you"
I'm right here when he wants
me-" Tilly's tone was defiant.
Take 1t from me-" the barmaid
said, you do what he wants.
You're a long ways from home,
kid. You can dance all right.
But you've got to put some snap
into It tonight II you want to hold
your job. You dance like q Sum
day SCHOOL,
I=<She a ttAAWeSa-.st;sfl1.
steps with Z kindly contempf. But
Tilly turned, speaking over her
thin shoulder:
TELL Weinfnger. for me. 70 60
| to the devili" she said. and ad-
vanced delicately on her bare toes
to the top Of the half dozen stairs
leading down to the floor. And,
lingering there. her Indifferent
| ovoo fall nm the louo aorooo and