The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-08-03
CHAPTER XXI.
Jimmy Wallace Throws a Bomb,

Wallace threw his bomb.
Every year he made two profes-
sional visits to New York; one in au-
tumn, one in the spring, in order that
he might have interesting matters TO
write about when the local theatrical
doings had been exhausted. From
his first spring pilgrimage after
Roses disappearance he came back
wearing a deep-lylng and contented
smile, and few days later, after n
talk over the telephone with Rod
ney, he headed a column of gossip
about the theater with the following
paragraph:
"Come On In," as the latest of the New
York "evues is called, Is much like all the
others II contains the same procession
OF speciality mongers, the same cacophony
OF rag-time the same gangway out into
the audience which refreshes tired busi-
ness men with a thrilling worm's-eye view
of dancing girls knees au naturel And
up and down this straight and narrow
pathway Of the chorus there is the custo-
mary parade OF the same naughty beau
ties of Broadway. Only in one item Is
there deviation from the usual formula:
the costumes For several years past the
revues at the theater Che Columbian)
have been caparisoned with the decadent
colors and bizarre designs of the exotic
Mr. Grenvile Melton / knew there had
been a change for the better as soon as l
saw the first number, for sthese dresses
have the stimulating quality of healthy
and vigorous Imagination, as well as u
vivid decorative value. They are exceed
ingly smart. of course, or else they would
never do for a Broadway revue, but they
are also alive while those of Mr.. Melton
we're invariably sickly. Curiously enough
the name of the new costume designer has
a special interest for Chicago. She is
Doris Dane, who participated in The
Girl Upstairs" at the Globe Miss Danes
stage experience here was brief but new
ertheless her striking success in her new
profession will probably cause the forma-
tion of a large and enthusiastic "I-knew-
herwhen" club.
Jimmy expected to produce an effect
with it. But what he, did produce ex
ceeded his widest anticipationS. The
thing came out in the three o'clock
edition, and before he left the office
that afternoon he had received over
the telephone six invitations to din
ncr; three of them for that night.
He declined the first two on the ground
Of an enormous press of work Incl
dent to his fresh return from a fort
night in New York. But when Violet
Williamson called up and said, with
reference to previous engagement that
was shamefully fictitious: Jimmy, you
haven't forgotten you're dining with us
tonight, have you? It's just us, so you
naabu't 6raCS - bn
"Oh no, Eve got 1t down on my cal
endar all right. Seven-thitty?"
Violet snickered and said: "You
wait Or rather, don't wait. Make 1t
seven"
Jimmy was glad to be let off that |
extra half hour of waiting. He was
impatient for the encounter with Vio-
let-a state of mind most rare with |
him. He meant to wiring an the pleas
ure out of it he could by way of re-
venge for ViOlet's attitude toward |
Rose after her presence in the Globe
chorus had become known-for that
biting contempt which was the typical
attitude of her class.
Violet said, the moment he APP
peared in the drawing room doorway:
John made me swear not to let you
tell me word until he came in. He's
simply burbling. But there's one
thing he won't mind your telling me,
and that's her address. I'm simply per-
ishing to write her note and tell her
how glad we were."
Jimmy made little gesture of re-
greet He'd have spoken too, but she
didn't give him time.
you don't mean," she cried, that
you didn't find out where she lived
While you were right there in New
Yorkw
John came in just then, and Violet,
turning to him traglcally, repeated, He
doesn't even know where she lives"
"Oh, I'm boob, know" said Jim
my. "But, as l told the other five :"
Violet frOwned as she echoed, 1.-The
other fve-what?"
Jimmy turned to John Williamson
with a perfectly electric grin. !
"The other five of Rose Aldnch's '
friends-and yours" he said, "who \
called me up this afternoon and invited {
rne to dinner, and asked for her adj /
iress so that they could write her {
notes and tell her how glad they l
were." |
John said "Whoosh !"-all but upset S
A chair and slammed it out of the way l
n order to jubilate properly.
Violet stood looking at them a
A little flush of color t
was coming up into her face. j
you two men," she said, "are try a
ing to act as If weren't in this as if Il
weren't just as glad as you are and b
hadn't as good a right to be. John d
lere" this was to Jimmy, "has been v
yloating ever since he came home with S
he paper. And you 4. Did you mean n
ne by that snippy little thing you said t,
lbout the 'I-knew- -her-when clubT Well, n
you'll get your punishment. There's n
Inner But you won't be allowed to n
,at. You'll have to begin at the begin h
ling and tell us all about her." S,
Jimmy, his effect produced, his long k
nedltated vengeance completed by the ii
iare OF color he'd seen come up in o.
fiOlet's cheeks, settled down seriously
o the telling Of his tale, stopping oc- h
asionally to bolt little food just be- m
ore his plate was snatched away from W
lim, but otherwise without intermis- u
ion.
He'd suspected nothing about the Of
ostumes on that opening night of et
Come On In" until a realization of VI