The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-08

lessly, and went toward McCabe. her
eyes on the pasteboard box. Behind
McCabe stood two more men. likewise |
hox-laden.
Put them down here" sad Josie.
The men thumped the boxes down on
the long table. Josie's fingers were al
ready at the strings. She opened the
first box, emptied its contents. tossed
them aside. passed on to the second.
Her hands busted themselves among
the silks and broadcloth of this; then
on to the third and last box. Josie
snapped the cord that bound the third
box. Her cheeks were flushed. her
eyes bright. She turned it upside
down. Then she paved 1t over. She
was breathing quickly. Suddenly: 1T
isn't here!" she cried. ''It isn't here!"
She turned and fls-t to the stairway.
The voices of tn men came up to her.
She leaned far over the railing. Me
Cabe! McCabei"
''Yeh? What do you want?"
THE black velvet dress, The black
velvet dress! 1t isn't there!"
ooh. yeh. That's I'll right. Haddon,
she's got bug about that dress. and
~he says she wants to take 1t to Lon
ION with her, to use the opening
'ght. She says IL she wears a new one
hat first night the play'll be failure.
ONE temperament, that girl. since
he's got to be a start"
Josie stood clutchtng the railing of
'e stairway. Her disappointment was
bitter that she could not weep. She
1t cheated. outraged. she might
I'VE let me have it." she said aloud
| the dim half light of the hallway
She's got everything else in the
world. She might have let me have
/ that"
Then she went back into the big,
bright sewing room. "Splendour'' ran
three years in London.
During those three years she saw
Sid Hahn only three or four times. He
spent much of his time abroad. When
ever opportunity presented itself she
would say: Els 'Splendour still play
ing in London?'
still playing"
At the end of three years Sarah Had
don returned to New York with an
English accent. slight embonpoint
and little foreign habit of rushing ur
to her men friends with a delighted ex-
clama ton preferably F'rench) and
kissing them on both cheeks.
The scenery. props. and costumes Of
the London production Of "Splendour'
were slow In coming back. But finally
| they did come. Josie received them
with the calmness that comes of hopt
deferred. It had been three years
since she last saw the play. She told
herself chidingiy, that she had beer
sort of foolish over that play and this
costume. Her recent glimpse of Had
don had been somewhat disiliusiening
But now, when she finally held the
gown itself in her hand-the origina.
"Splendour'' seconds act gown. a limp
soft -black mass: Just few yards OF
worn and shabby velvet-she found
her hands shaking. She folded the
dress over her arm and carried II
to the wardrobe room. There she hung
1t away in an empty closet. quite apar
from the other historic treasures And
there it hung. untouched. until the fol.
lowing Sunday.
On Sunday morning East Fort
third street bears no more resemblance
to the week-d day Forty third than doe,
stiffiy starched and subdued Sab.
bath school scohlar to his Monda,
morning self. strangely quiet 1t is. and
unfrequented. Josie Frifer scurryins
along in the unwohted stiffness. wal
prompted to throw a furtive glance
over her shoulder now and then, al
though afraid OF being caught at SONS
criminal act. she ran up the littlt
flight of steps with a rush, unlocked
the door with trembling fingers. and
let herself into the cool. dark gloon
of the storehouse hall. The metal dooi
of the elevator stared inquiringly aftei
, her. She fed past 1t to the stairway
, Every step of that ancient structure
, squeaked and groaned. First floor
second, third. fourth. The everyday
hum OF the sewing machine was abb
. sent. The room seemed to be 'hold:nI
its breath. Josie. a tense. wide -eyed
frightened little figure. stood in tbs
centre of the vast room. listening tc
she knew not what. Then. relaxing
! she gave a nervous little laugh and
; reaching up, unpinned her hat. She
threw It on q nearby table and dis
appeared into the wardrobe room.
|, Minutes passed-an hour. She did
not come back. From the room beyond
came strange sounds woman'i
voice; the thrill OF song; cries; the
anguish of tears; laughter, harsh and
, high. as a desperate and deceived wo-
man laughs-all this following in such
-apid SUCCESSION that Sid Hahn. puff.
ng laboriously up the four flights Of
tairs leading to the wardrobe floor
ntered the main room unheard. Un-
| -nown to any one, he was tndulging l.
| ne Of his unsupported visits to the ole
,>wareroom that housed the evidence Of
past and gone successes-successe:
| that had brought him fortune and
/ fame, but no real happiness, perhaps
At the doorway he paused now
/ startled. He was listening with every
nerve of his taut body. What7 Who
He tiptoed serossethe room with a steI
, incredibly light for one go stout. peer
ed cautiously around the side of tn.
, doorway, and leaned UP against 4
weakly. Josie Ftfer. in the black vel
vet and mock pearls Of "Splendour.'
; her grey -streaked blonde hair bidder
under the romantic scallops Of a blacl
, wig. was giving the big scene from this
third act And though 1t sounded iIk,
a buriesque of that famous passage
and though she limped more than evel
as she reeled to an imaginary shrine
in the corner. and though the biaci