Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1917-06-16

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Rose thought she had heard addressed
as Larson.
Rose made q surprising discovery
when, with a 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-
ceive that this was so; and what she
lacked was just the unanalyZable quail
ity that makes one look twice.
II don't know what you should wor-
ry 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 a human soul to talk to
for more than a week, and she had to
make friend of somebody, "you see
I've just got to keep this job. And
if 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 q
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 1t
couldn't be banked upon. There were
three mediums and three big girls in
the sextette (Edna Larson was one of
the mediums, and so needn't fear re-
placement by Rose, who was a big
girI. Besides appearing in two num-
bers as a background to one of the
principals, they had one all to them
selves, q fact which constituted them
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 it, 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.
Il haven't heard anything about be-
ing put in the sextette," she said quick
ly, land 1 don't believe I will be-"
"Well, l don't know why not" There
was a new warmth in the mediums
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
you her place in the sextette, it 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 as he dismissed that very
rehearsal, calling the rest of the
chorus for twelve the following morn
ing, and the sextette for eleven, he
told Rose to report at the earlier hour
The chorus was probably unanimous
in its view of this promotion. When
Grant came back and ate her humble
pie in vain, and later, when Benedict
was relegated to place in the back
line, the natural explanation was thai
Galbraith was crazy about the new
girl. The only way she had of refut
ing the assumption would be by max
i, ing good so intensely that they't
be compelled to see that her promo
ton had been inevitable.
It was in this spirit, with blazing
: cheeks and eyes, that she attacked
the next mornings rehearsal. At it!
end Galbraith said to her: you're do
ing very well indeed, Dane. If coult
have caught you ten years ago l coult
have made a dancer of you"
It was a very real, unqualified com
: pliment, and as such Rose understood
: it. Because, by dancer, he mean
something very different from pranc
ing chorus girl. The others gigglet
e and exchanged glances with Dave a
the piano. They didn't understand
t To them, the compliment seemed t.
t have been delivered with the lief
s hand. And somehow, an amused rec
|, ognition Of the fact that they didn'
2 understand, as well as of the fact tina
she did, flashed across from Johl
$ Galbraiths eyes to hers.
+
t The impetus and direction Of Rose
t career derived from two incident
t which might just as well not hav
t happened-two of the flukiest of small
; chances.
The first of these chances concerne
itself with Edna Larson and her ba
voice. 1t was a bad voice only whe
she talked. When she sang it had
gorgeous, thrilling ring, and volum
q enough for four. Besides, she had a
: infallible ear and sang squarely i
s tune. But when she spoke it sOunde
like someone who didn't know how
r trying to play the slide trombone. Sh
d was Simply deaf, it seemed, to tn
d subtletics of infection.
:. Daily, she reduced Galbraith to hell
e less wrath. Evidently he didn't mea
e to be brute about it. He began e1
h cry one of his tussles to improve he
6 reading of a line with gentlenes
r that would have done credit to kir
e dergartener. But after three attempt!
Y each more ominously gentle than tn
a last, his temper would suddenly fly a
to pieces.
r The girl, queerly, didn't seem
Is care. But in the dressinT room on