The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-23

Starr danced II the first row, they
were in evening dress. Samson men
tally acknowledged, though with in
stinctive disfavor for the pair. that
both were, in a way, handsome Col
lasso drew him aside to whisper i'm
portantly:
Make yourself agreeable to Farbish.
He is received in the most exclusive
society, and is a connoisseur of art
If he takes a fancy to you, he will
put you up Il the best clubs. think
1 shall sell him a landscape
The girl was talking rapidly and
loudly. She had at once taken the
center of the room, and her laughter
rang in free and egotistical peals
above the other voices.
Come, said the host, 81 shall pre-
sent you"
The boy shook hands, gazing with
his usual directness into the show
girls large and deeply-penciled eyes.
Farbish, standing at one side with
his hands in his pockets, looked on
with an air of slightly bored detach-
ment
His dress, his mannerisms, his bear
d4A LAOSO Vi the HAL W III AdS
overstudied his part. They were too
perfect, too obviously rehearsed
through years of social climb but
that was a defect Samson was not
yet prepared to recognize.
Someone had naiveIy compIimented
Miss Starr On the leopard-skin cloak
she had just thrown from her shapely
shoulders, and she turned promptly
and vivaciously to the fatterer.
1T is nice, isn't it?" she prattled.
1T may look little up-stage for girl
who hasn't got a line to read into
the piece, but these days one must
get the spotlight, or be a dead one.
1t reminds me of a little run-in I had
with Graddy-he's our stage-director,
you know She paused, awaiting the
invitation to proceed, and, having re-
ceived it, went gayly forward. 81 was
ten minutes late, one day, for rehears-
al, and Grady came up with that sar-
castle manner Of his, and said: Miss
Starr, 1 don't doubt you are a perfect
ly nice girl, and all that, but it rather
gets my goat to figure out how, on
a salary of fifteen dollars a week,
you come to rehearsals in a million
dollars worth of clothes, riding in a
limousine-and ten minutes late!'"
She broke off with the eager little
expression of awaiting applause, and,
having been satisfied, she added: 81
was afraid that wasn't going to get
laugh, after ALL
She glanced inquiringly at Samson,
who had not smiled, and who stood
looking puzzled.
"a penny for your thoughts. Mr.
South, from down South, she chal-
lenged.
81 guess I'm sort of like Mr.. Grad
dy,'' said the boy, slowly. Il was just
wondering how you do do it
He spoke with perfect seriousness,
and, after a moment, the girl broke
into prolonged peal of laughter.
"Oh, you are delicious." she ex-
claimed. IF 1 could do the ingenue
like that, believe me, I'd make some
hit" She came over. and, laying a
hand on each of the boys shoulders
kissed him lightly on the cheek
That's for a droII boyi" she said.
That's the best line I've heard pulled
lately"
Farbish was smiling in quiet amuse-
ment He tapped the mountaineer on
the shoulder.
I've heard George Lescott speak of
| you," he said, genially. I've rather a
fancy for being among the discover
ers of men of talent. We must see
more of eacn other
| Samson left the party early, and
with a sense of disgust.
Several days later, Samson was
alone in Lescott's studio. 1t was near
ing twilight, and he had laid aside a
| volume of De Maupassant, whose sim
| pie power had beguiled lin. The door
! opened. and he saw the figure of a
| woman on the threshold The boy
! rose somewhat shyly from his seat,
and stood looking at her. She was as
richly dressed as Miss Starr had been,
| but there was the same difference as
between the colors of the sunset sky
and the exaggerated daubs of ColIas-
! SOS landscape She stood at the door
moment and then came forward
with her hand outstretched
This is Mr. South, isn't it?'' she
| asked, with a frank friendliness in
her voice
Yes, ma'am, that's my name"
I'm Adrienne Lescott," said the
girl. 81 thought Id find my brother
here l stopped by to drive him up
| town
Samson had hesitatinglY taken the
| gloved hand. and its grasp was firm
and strong despite its ridiculous
bsmaliness.
4 reckon he'll be back presently %
| The boy was in doubt as to the proper
| procedure. This was Lescott's studio.
and he was not certain whether or not
| it lay in his province to invite Les
| colts sister to take possession of it.
! Possibly, he ought to withdraw. is
| ideas of social usages were very vague.
| Then, think I'll wait" announced
the girl. She threw OF her fur coat,
and took seat before the open CRATE
The chair was large. and swallowed
| her up.
Samson wanted to look at her, and
| was afraid that this would be impolite.
He realized that he lad seen no
real ladies', except on the street. and
now he had the opportunity.