Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-11
Copyright, 1915, Robbs- Merrill Co. }
CHAPTER III.
Rose Keens the Pati.


Rose rehearsed twice q day for a
solid week without forming the faint
est conception Of who "the girl" was
or why she was "the girl upstairs"
During the entire period she never
saw bar of music except what stood
on the piano rack. nor written word
Of the lyrics she was supposed to sing.
Rose couldn't sing very much. She
had rather timorous. throaty little
contralto that contrasted oddly with
the fine, free thrill of her speaking
voice. But nobody had asked her
whether she could sing at all. She
picked up the tune quickly enough by
ear, but the words she was always
little uncertain about.
She finally questioned one Of her
colleagues in the chorus about this
back at the beginning of things, they
had had their voices tried by the
musical director. They had never had
any music to sing from; there had
been half a dozen mimeograph copies
of the words to the songs, which the
girls had put their heads together
over. and more or less learned. What
had become Of this dope the girl
didn't know.
She was pale-haired girl. whom
Rose thought she had heard addressed
as Larson.
Rose made a surprising discovery
when. with friendly pat on the sofa
beside her, for an invitation to sit
down. the girl began answering her
question. She was a real beauty. Only
you had to look twice at her to per-
ceiye that this was so; and what she
lacked was just the unanalyzable
quality that makes one look twice.
II don't know what you should
worry about any Of that stuff for" she
said. How you sing or what you sing
don't make much difference"
Rose admitted that it didn't seem
to. But you see," she said (she
hadn't had human soul to talk to
for more than a week, and she had to
I've just got to keep this Job. And IL
every little helps, as they say, per-
haps that would"
The girl looked at her oddly, almost
suspiciously, as If for moment she
doubted whether Rose had spoken in
good faith. you've got as good a
chance Of losing your job" she said,
'as Galbraith has Of losing his. Dave
tells me Galbraith's going to put you
with us in the sextette.'
Dave was the thick pianist. whom
Rose had found In the highest degree
obnoxious. His announcement was en-
titled to consideration, even though it
couldn't he banked upon. There were
three mediums and three big girls in
the sextette (lGdna Larson was one Of
the mediums. and SO needn't fear re-
girD. Besides appearing in two num-
bers as a background to one Of the
principals, they had one all to them
selves, fact which constituted them
, a sort of super-chorus.
But the intimation that Rose was to
be promoted to this select inner cir
Gle, didn't, as it first came to her.
give her any. pleasure. Somehow. as
Larson told her about 1t, she could
fairly see the knowing. greasy grin
that would have been Dawes comment
on this prophecy. And, in the same
flash, she interpreted the Larson girls
look. half incredulous. half satirical
II haven't heard anything about be-
ing put in the sextette," she said
gu quickly "and don't believe I will
"well don't know why not" There
was a new warmth in the medium 8
voice. Rose had won victory here.
and she knew it. you've got the
looks and the shape; you can dance
better than any Of the big girls, or us
mediums, either. And If he doesn't
put that big Benedict lemon into the
back line where she belongs. and give
Sou uSI pldCc al lHc SeAlcIlc, IL Will
be because he's afraid of her drag"
Rose forebore to inquire into the
nature Of the Benedict girls drag
Whatever it may have been, John
Galbraith was evidently not afraid of
it. because he dismissed that very
rehearsal. calling the rest Of the Choir
us for twelve the following morning.
and the sextette for eleven, he told
Rose to report at the earlier hour.
I.
nous, Rose reflected, in its view Of
this promotion. They accounted for
her having got Job in the first place
at Grants expense, and promotion
so soon thereafter to the sextette, by
assuming that John Galbraith had a
sentimental interest in her.
There was no malice in this. Rose
didn't lose caste with any of them on
account Of 1t. But chorus girl is the
most sentimental person in the world.
If there's anybody who really believes
that love makes the world go around,
she Is that one.
So when Grant came back and ate
her humble pie in vain, and later,
when Benedict was relegated to a
place in the back line, the natural ex-
plantations was that Galbraith was
crazy about the new girl.
OF course 1t set Rose all ablaze
with wrath when she became aware
of this. 1t was precisely because she
had rebelled against the theory that
love was what made the world go
round. that she was here in the Choir
us. The only way she had of refuting
the assumption in this case would be
by making good so intensely that
they'd be compelled to see that her
promotion had been inevitable.
1t was in this spirit, with blazing
cheeks and eyes, that she attacked
the next mornings rehearsal. At its
end Galbraith said to her: You're
doing very we'll indeed. Dane. If
could have caught you ten years ago
could have made dancer Of you"
It was a very real. unqualified cons
pliment. and as such Rose understood
1t. Because, by a dancer, he meant
something very different from a
prancing chorus girl. The others gig
Dave at the piano. They didn't under
stand To, them.> the compliment SEEM
ed to have been delivered with the
left hand. And somehow. an amused
recognition OF the fact that they
didn't understand, as well as Of the
fact that she did, flashed across from
John Galbraith's eyes to hers.
"Just minute" he said as they
all started to leave the stage, and
they came back and gathered in a
half circle around him. We'll re-
principals. You six girls are sup
very up-to-date bachelor-girl type. in
innate friends Of the leading lady. who
10 a multimillionairess that's run away
from home. You've all got q few
lines to say. Go to Mr.. Quan and
get your parts ana have them up by