The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-05


The waters Of the Styx sparkled
with the golden light Of the reflected
illumination of. the houseboat. The
famous craft fairly corruscated with
electric flashes
."They don't seem to he hooveri7-
ing on their juice over there tonight,
Cerby." said Charon TO his faithful
dog as he gazed 81 the brilliantly lit
windows If the Associated Shades
--wondcT what's doing?
Il heard somebody say it was
ladies' night barked Cerberus in COL
loquial canine. with which language
Charon, after many years Of propin-
guilty ~ it, hid mastered sufficiently
to he on speaking terms with his
three headed friend They're goin'
to crown one Of EN- queen O the
May"
THE hejlcon you say" Laughed
Charon Coin to pick one women
out O. the lot to queen 1t ever the
rest ?"
aSThqtz the big idea yelped Ger
berus.
Jumping Jupiter" calculated Cha
ron, holding his hands aloft. What
boobs these immortals be. After all
those centuries Of scrutiny, not to say
study, OF the fair sex. they're going
to try to pull a stunt Ike that, and
think they'll get away with it. Well,
it's none O. my funeral. but ] hope
they don't ask me to come over and
pick up the hairpins after it's all
over
Over or the househoat II was quite
evident that the same fears that sug4
gested themselye&t TO Charon had risen
up to vex the minds also of some of
the wiser and mort experienced mem
bers of the club.
am be glad when this queen Of
the MAY business Is over Sacrates,'
said Paris, anMously. as he and the
J Greek cast their BALLOTS for the lady
of their choice. "Its Ct mighty risky
proceeding, Socksy, and ! ought to
know, for I've been through il. All
the troubles that hete!l me and my
family came from my foolishness IN
acting as a Judge IL an Olympian
beauty show and awarding - prize to
one woman. / gave the apple 10
Venus and it made Juno and Mi
nerya SO mad they simply wiped the
house of Prian out of existence"
Il know. Paris, replied Socrates,
shaking his head sadly. We ought
never have started this thing here
tonight. / know something about wo~
men myself Nanthippe was a noble
soul, but
All" said Paris, "ves-hut she was
only ONE woman, Socrates. / had to
deal with three"
woman, eh? It's quite evident you
never met Xanthippe, Paris or you
wouldn't say that Only ONE? MY
Ieus man-she was a thousand Of
EN-, and 500 of EN- on the war path
half the time"
We'll, anyhow" said Paris. II think
we are taking awful chances choosing
a May queen AT this party of ours,
with all the women in history invited
TO be present. ] think III hike for
the woods"
Il think the thing to do" said
Nero, lis to take the crown and throw
it into the midst Of 'em and let EN-
scramble for 1t. Mark III 's4j9S
MARKED DOWN TO $4.96. and it'll
be some scrimmaGc.'
Your may retire, Nero" said Soc
rates, coidly. Were not going to
butcher our wives to make a Roman
bargain day"
who suggested the thing. any
way" asked Brigham Young. I've
got forty-seveu wives here tonight.
and I'm worried"
"Oh, Sir Walter Raleigh. as usual"
said Socrates. Hes as doty as ever
on Queen Elizabeth. and ! think he
thinks he can doctor the returns so
that she'll win out "
Good Lord" said Paris Eliza
beth queen OF May? Lago di Garda,
but the man must he mad"
Meanwhile the ladies were arriving
in large and animated numbers and
il was admitted even by the most
cynical of woman aters that they
made a rarely lovely picture as they
grouped themselves about the bril-
liantly lighted salon Helen OF Troy
never looked more beautiful, and as
for CLEOPATRA. dressed as she was
almost wholly in flashing gems of
purest ray serene. ii was no wonder
that Antony teiephoned home TO his
!. chauffeur to bring him his blue cog
giles.
What's the matter, DEAR" said
Cleopatra, As the illustrious friend OF
Caesar stood blinkingly before her.
Trouble with your eyes?
Dot yet" said Antony. 'hut
would have II it weren't for these
blue goggles. I'll stare Il search
light out OF eountenanee, Cleo, dear.
hut you-you sparkle like a Louis
Quatorze chandelier made OF kohl
noors in a naughty world
F1atterer" gigrfed Cleopatra,
softly. tapping her conqueror on the
wrist with her pet Asp.
Socrates, surrounded by so much
beauty, was clearly nonpiussed He
found supreme difficulty in making
his eyes behave. gazing first at Helen.
next at Portia, then at Aspasia- and
Z
because of its constant twistings and
turnings, now this way. now that, to
feel short sharp shooting pains in his
neck. His ordeal was short~iived,
however, for %anthippe. perceiving
tho old gentleman's gyroscopic en-
harrassmentE, summoned him
Socrates" she called sharply, in a
SkAccAto tone. Come here to me"
Coming. Mommer, coming" re-
piled the Sage, gathering up his
skirts and tiptoeing in gingerly fash
ion aross the slippery floor.
You are making "A most disgusting
exhibition OF yourself. Socrates" said
y Xanthippe, getting your head turned
I by every woman in this room. Put
these on, ana E--on
me-
She handed the old gentleman a
Y pair OF patent leather Binders.
Naturally the Ladies coon divided
VI themselves off into congenial groups.
~ women are inclined to do. There
NJ were the Junos, the Minervas. and the
A ycnuses, or as Thackeray put IT;
The White Stockings, the Blue
u Bookings. and the Peekaboos."
e The first group posed in chilly
Il nflance. and gazed critically at the