Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-05-08
WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
SCENES IN THE PLAY
cnONNIcHT IAC 6T GAGA NLANcA4N CoNeAnC

the dreadful thought had been put int
execution. He had been certain ht
would need some artificial courage.
1t gathered In his soul and helped
him fashion an extraordinary smile
vacuous and tremulous, but none the
less a smile.
"Viola?" hazarded a reckless youth
across the table, and Viola (who was
present In the makeup which she had
worn from the stage of a near theater
where she had, that evening. acted
powerfully the part of a wronged and
innocent maidenhood) hoped wildly for
an instant. Perhaps Broadway, in his
cups. had decided on this most unusual
way Of asking her the fateful ques-
ton! She had had high hopes Of him.
Perhaps"
No he answered thickly. Guess
again. Three guesses. It's going to
take some brains, | tell you that! In
t~ellect's the only thing'1l do 1t. Who
ever guesses right gets a cigar"
There was only n among the
ladies' present who was not favored
by some speculative mind, and that
one was the right one.
Guesser after guesser named some
of the young and vivid creatures of
that almost wholly young and vivid
feminine company, none guessed the
only faded flower In the gay group.
Broadway, neve dreaming of the ag-
ony which filled the faded flowers
much powdered bosom because of the
omission of her name, feeling few emo
tons, really, other than the keen SEN
sation of relief from his financial wor-
ries, stood smiling somewhat vacantly,
but, on the whole, without much pain.
upon the puzzled party.
Go on, guess with your brains," he
genially suggested. tits mind, not
foot-work, that will win the prize"
But none guessed.
Realizing that In this was something
like reflection on her fitness for the
covetable position Of consort to the
youth, Mrs. Gerard attracted every
ones attention, presently, by a WON
derfully feigned embarrassment as she
rose and stood by Broadway's side.
The party gasped. but rose to the oc-
casion as oon ais 1t could get its
breath again. 1t was incredible, and
there were those among the guests
who were so sure Of this that they
believed a joke was hidden somewhere
in the episode, but the majority were
so we'll trained to Broadway's genius
for producing mad extravaganza that
they simply charged this up as one Of
them.
A dancer who had been brought up
from the cabaret below after one
o'clock and closing time had come,
sprang lightly to a table, and. to the
destruction Of the floral lobster and
some notably fine glassware. did a gay
pas-seul among the wrecks of sangui-
nary shells and emptied bottles. The
head waiter smiled, knowing that
whatever might be broken would be
charged up in the bill at double value
and paid for without question by the
sensational spendthrift, to whose own
wealth was now linked the extraordi-
nary fortune Of the recent John Gerard
Wholesale leather) who had made his
millions. married a very vital lady
Of his W ripe years and then died Of
sheer antiquity, to leave her, trium-
plant in superior vitality, relict and
craving for that gaiety which life with
him had not provided.
broadway" breathed the ancient
lady with a skillful stimulation of en-
barrassment. you naughty, naughty
boy!"
Naughty, possibly; but how ex-
tremely lucky!" said the wholly un-
expected bridegroom-elect without a
culver, much to his own surprise and
self-congratulation.
AS It broke up the party rioted with
JOY, very largely alcoholic. Mrs. Ge-
rard's car, when it came up from It's
hiding place around the corner, was