The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-17
CHATTER xxi.


II was about eleven months after
Rose had watched Rodney walking de-
fectediy away into the rniii that Jimmy
Wallace threw his bomb.
Every year he made two profes.
sional visits 20 New York one In an.
sunan. one 10 the sprIng. 10 order that
ne might have interesting natters 60
write about when the local theatrical
doinga had been exhausted From
his first spring pilgrimage after
Roses disappearance he chme bnck
wearing deep-iylng ana eonteutcd
smile. and few days later. after il
talk over the telephone with Rod
ney. he headed column Of gossip
about the theatar with the following
paragraph:
-Come On In" ~ the latest u the New
Tntk fevuea N called Il much Ike All tho
others Il contains the Same procession
~ speciality mongers The agfns rmeophony
or rne silme the same San gway put int
the audience which refrestaa trad husf-
nrss men with thrilling woi ua's~eys view
OF dancing glria' knees au aatnroL And
up and down this straight and salrfow
pathway ~ the chorus there IL the eusto.
mary parade Of the same naughty beau
ticS Of broadway Only IN one item Is
there y deviation from the usual formula.
the costumes For several years past tho
rsxaes at the tnsatsr fthe columbian)
have heen caparisaned with tha decndent
coi9rs and bizarre designs Of the exotic
Mr. Grenyisle Melton ! knew there had
been a change for the better aH soon as /
SAW the first number, for these dresses
have the stimulating quality OF a healthy
and vigorous imagination. az well as a
vivid decorative value. They are exceed
tngiy smart. Of course, or else they would
sever do FOR q Broadway revue. but thay
are also alive while those OF MIR. Melton
were invariably sickly. Curiuusiy enough
the name OF the new costume designer has
q special interest for Chicago She N
Doris Dane, who participated IN s'fha
Girl Upstairs" at the Globe MISS Dane
stage experience here was brief but new
ertheleaa her striking success IN her new
profession VIII probably cause the farmn-
zion Of large ana enthusiastic '.f~kuew-
her whenr club.
Jimmy expected TO produce an effect
with H. Rut what he did produce exs
cecded his Widest anticipatlons. The
thing came out la the thrce o'clock
edifion, aud before he left the office
TINT afternoon he hnd received over
the telephone six Invitations to din
aeF three OK them for that night
He declined the firSt two on the grount
OF an enormous press OF work Incl
dent 90 his fresh return from Il fort
night IN New York. hut when Violet
Williamson called UP and saia, with d
reference 20 q previous engagement that
was ahamcfuily fictitious: Jimmy. You
haven't forgotten you're dining with us
aonight. have your It's just us. SO you
needn't dress, he answered;
"Oh, 40, I've got II down on my cal
endar all right. Seven-thlrtyY"
Violet snickercd and said; "Yon
walt l--or rather, don't walt. Make II
seven.
Jimmy was glad 10 be let on that
extra half hour OF waiting lie was
impatient for the encounter With Vlo-
iet~a state Of mind most rare with
hia, lie meant to wiring all the pleas
urc out of II he could by way OF re-
VenEe for violet's attitude toward
Rose after her presence In the Globe
chorus had become known--for that
hitting contempt which was the typical
attitude OF her class.
Violet said. the moment he ap,
neared In the drawing room doorway
John made me swear not to let you
tell me- a word until ne came In. Hes
simply burbIing. But there's one
thing he won't mind your telling me
nnd that's her address. I'm simply per.
isaing 30 write her note aud tell her
h6w glad We we're"
Jimmy made a little gesture OF re
gret He'd have spoken too but she
didn't give him time.
-Iou don't mean" she cried. "that
gou didn't find ont where SHE lived
while you We're right there in New
York a
John came in just then, and Violet
turning 10 him trngieally, repeated. III,
doesn't even know where she lives I"
''0h, I'm boob, | know" said Jim
my. but, as l told the other five :
Violet frowned as she echoed, 9TH,
other five-whatT'
Jimmy turned to John Williamson
with perfectly electric grin.
'.'rhe other i've OF Rose Aldrich'
friends-and yours he said "wh
called me up this afternoon and invite,
me 70 dinner, and asked for her I'D
dress so that they could write he
notes and tell her how glad the
Were"
John said "Whoosh l"-all but upse
chair, and slammed 1t out of the wa
I'm order to jubilate properly.
Violet stood looking at thel
thoughtfully. A little flush of cole
was coming up into her face
"You two men," she sale, "are tr
ing to act as if weren't in this; as
weren't just as glad as you are, ar
hadn't as good a right to be. Jot
here" this was to Jimmy, "has be,
gloating ever since he came home wi
the paper. And you !. Did you met
me by that snippy little thing you So
about the I-knew-her-when clubT We