The Washington herald., 1921-04-10
he deftIy makes juleps for the

he deftIy makes juleps for the
party.
Major Talbot, sitting quietly. but
white with Indignation. heard his
best stories retold, his pet theories
and hobbies advanced and expanded,
and the dream of the Anecdotes
and "reminiscences" served, exag-
gerated and garbled. His favorite
narrative-that of his duel with
Rathbone Culbertson was not
omitted, and 1t was delivered with
more fire, egotism, and gusto than
the major himself put into it.
The monologue concluded with a
quaint, delicious. witty. little lee
ture on the art of connecting a
julep. illustrated by the act Here
Major Talbot's delicate but snowy
science was reproduced to a hairs
breadth-from his dainty handling
of the fragrant weed-"the one
thousandth part of grain too
much pressure. gentlemen, and you
extract the bitterness, instead of
the aroma, of this heaven bestowed
plant"-to his solicitous selection of
the oaten straws.
At the close of the scene the au-
dience raised a tumultuous roar of
appreciation. The portrayal of the
type was SO exact, so sure and thor
ough, that the leading characters in
the play were forgotten. After re-
peated calls, Hargraves came be-
fore the curtain and bowed, his
rather boyish face bright and
flushed with the knowledge of sue
cess
At last Miss Lydia turned and
looked at the major. His thin nos
| trils were working like the gills of
a fish. He laid both shaking hands
upon the arms Of his chair to rise
I'VE will go, Lydia" he said
chokingly. This is an abominabIe
dissertation"
Before he could rise, she pulled
him back into his seat.
we will stay it out" she de-
declared. do you want to adver-
tise the copy by exhibiting the or
| iginal coat?" So they remained to
the end.
Hargrave's success must have
kept him up late that night, for
neither at the breakfast nor at the
dinner table did he appear.
About three in the afternoon he
tapped at the door of Major Tai
bots study. The major opened 1t,
and Hargraves walked in with his
| hands full of the morning papers
too full of his triumph to notice
anything unusual in the majors de-
meanor.
81 put it all over 'em last night,
major" he began exultantly. Il
had my inning. and. I think, scored.
Here's what the Post says:
His conception and portrayal
of the old-time Southern
colonel, with his absurd gran
diloquence, his eccentric garb,
his quaint idioms and phrases. =
| his moth-eaten pride of family,
| and his really kind heart. fas-
tidious sense of honor, and low
able, simplicity, is the best de-
| lineation of a character role on
the boards today. The coat
worn by Col. Calhoun is itself
nothing less than an evolution .
of genius. Mr.. Hargraves has
captured his public.
How does that sound. major, for
a first nighterT'
ct had the honor"-the majors
voice sounded ominously frigid-"of
witnessing your very remarkable
performance, sir. last night" v F.
Hargraves looked disconnected.
you were there l didn't know
you ever-I didn't know you cared
| for the theater. Oh, say. Major
Talbot" he exclaimed frankly
don't you be offended. / admit
| did get a lot of pointers from you
that helped me out wonderfully in
the part. But it's type. you know
not. individual. The way the
audience caught on shows that.
Half the patrons of that theater are
| Southerners. They recognized 1t"
Mr. Hargraves," said the major,
who had remained standing, you
have put upon me an objectionable
insult. You have burlesqued my
person, grossly betrayed my conf
dence, and misused my hospitality.
If l thought you possessed, the
faintest conception of what is the
sign manual of a gentleman, or
what is due one, I would call you
out, sir, old as am. will ask you
to leave the room, sir" r-.
The actor appeared to be slightly
tewildered, and seemed hardly to-
take in the full meaning of the old
gentleman's words. -,
II am truly sorry >you took Of
fence" he said regretfully. up
here we don't look at things just as4
you people do. INknow men who
would buy out half the house to
have their personality put on the
stage so. the public would recognize
It."
They are not from Alabama,
sir" said the. major haughtily 4
Perhaps not. I have a pretty
good memory. major: let me quote
a few lines from your book. In re-
sporse to a toast at a banquet given
in-Miliedseviile. beIieve-you ut