Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-13

nenr Kate.

Dear Kate:
Say. but am having a good time. Ana
what do you think? / am having my pic
ture painted. Some artist people blew into
the cafe the other night, and after mao
danced a couple of times they talked to the
manager, then they asked me to come over
and talk to them. / set down TO the taDie
and they were awful nice TO me, dloh
get fresh, but asked me lot OF quesuohs
about myself and where learned TO dance.
l told them l could dance ever since
could walk, that l danced as kid at Coney
Island and Miners Theatre had got IN
trouble twice with the Chlldren's Society
because Of me. l laughed and said, why,
l never learned to dance, l just danced"
The artist man said he wanted to paint my
picture. II is funny idea, 1t seems TO me
He wants to paint me in this dirty cabaret
with the tables all around me and the bum
men setting around and me dancing IN
the center with the lights on me. He said
he IS going to call It Youth" He said to
one Of the men that was with him, Cant
you see II, Philip; can't you see 1t? That
pretty girl, the very spirit Of youth, with
her gold hair around her face and her won
dorful body swaying TO the time Of the
music and ell those bloated beasts looking
up at her through the smoker" l don't see
how he is going to paint the picture, but
that is his business. Mine is to go to his
studio every day at 10 o'clock.
DO you remember VIII Henderson, who
used to play in the orchestra in the Grand
opera and who lived next to us when we
was at 129? Well, what do you think?
He is playing the piano in this joint here.
Isn't that a comedown? He got to taking
coke and he couldn't be trusted to keep
his dates and he lost all his good jobs and
now he can only get place in the Joints,
but he does play wonderful! And when he
is not too dopey he sets down at the piano
and makes music that draws the heart right
out Of you.
lie won't touch his violin cause II makes
him remember, he says. II is a lucky thing
for mo in a way, as he likes me and he has
wrote some music for me to dance by. He
wrote a piece for me called THE Poppy, -
and that artist chap who is painting my
picture got me a dress made for the dance,
and oh, Kate, It is grand 1t is red chiffon,
and over it green chiffon like the leaves Of
the poppy, and l wear red slippers with pale
green silk stockings that are so thin can
hardly get them on and he had my hair
all fuffed out and piled on top of my head
where it made a golden halo" whatever
that is. Him and Will explained to me
about the dance. II seems that opium is
made out Of the flower, and they wanted me
to show by dancing all the beautiful dreams
that come with opium. and then sleep after
ward. / have known a lot of people who
hit the pipe, and don't know as they have
ever had many beautiful dreams, but any
way the dance is awful pretty The artist
gave a party the other night, and had me
come and do 1t. All the lights in the room
was turned off and a greenish light was
thrown on me and danced fast at first and
then I went slower and slower until at last
l dropped down on the stage and the lights
went out and ! run away in the dark
| Everybody was crazy about it, and one OF
the big restaurants on Broadway Is going