The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-08-25
I11ustrationsby>I
Irwin Myers

. ward, that it was a premonition OF
the terrible event that was to happen
this night. Wrong! 1t was because,
for the first time in many generations,
the Comus bah was held in one OF the
newer public buildings instead OF In
it's accustomed place. Everyone was
| speaking of it Even Maillard the
banker, that cold man Of dollars, spoke
uneasily Of it when Gramont encoun-
tered him III the smoking room.
1T doesn't seem like -Comus," said
Maillard, with a ,yexed fro;vn. And
to think that we had just finished re-
decorating the opera house when 1t
was burned down! Comus will never
be the same again"
II didn't know you could feel such
emotion for a ruined building, Mail
lard" said Gramont, lightly. The
| banker shrugged trif1e.
"EmotiOn?' No. Regret! None of
us, who has been brought up in the
traditions Of the city, but regarded
| the French Opera house as the center
of all our stored life. You can't I'M
derstand it, Gramont; no outsider
can. BY the way, you haven't seen
Bob? He's in costume, but he might
have spoken to you"
GramOnt answered in the negative,
with slight surprise at the question.
It was not long before he came to
comprehend more fully just what the
loss Of the old French Opera house
meant to the assembly. He heard COM
| PARSONS made on every hand, regret
full illusions, signs for the days that
were no more.
This present building, to be sure,
was one of the city's finest, up to date
in every way, with an abundance Of
room-and yet everyone said that Co
mus would never be the same. About
the opera house had chung the romance
Of many generations. About it. too,
had chung the affections Of the people
with a fierceness beyond reason. More
famous buildings had been allowed to
20 to ruin; like the Hotel Royale, but
the opera house had been kept in re-
pair for Mardi Gras., 1t was itself
landmark. Nothing else would ever
be like it.
From his seat in the Lavergne box
Gramont contented himself during the
early evening with the. common role
Of oil the "blackcoats' Of look
ing on idly. More than once he saw
Lucle Ledanois called out, among 9TH
ers Of the fair sex, as a dancing part
ner for some member of the krewe.
None of the male guests, however, was
allowed to participate in the festivity
until Rex and his queen should ar
rive-at midnight; thus, Gramont saw
almost nothing Of Lucie during the
evening.
While in search Of smoking compan-
ions, Gramont encountered many Of
his acquaintance, and among them
! Doctor Ansley and joachim Fell. The
three strolled Off together into one Of
the unused passages leading to other
parts Of the building. They opened a
window and stood watching the crowd
that surged in 10 street below, con-
stantly increasing as the hour grew
later, for the procession Of Rex would
be we'll worth seeing and nobody
/ meant to miss anything upon this
! night of nights.
Suddenly, at the sound Of an ap-
preaching footstep, the three men
. turned. The electric lights were going
! in all of the Railways, and they per-
celved that the individual approaching
them was a member Of the Krewe Of
Comus. He was also, it became evil
dent, giving share of his allegiance
to Bacchus, for his feet were obviously
unsteady. He was clad In parti-
colored costume, which was crowned
by an exaggerated head Of Mephisto.
|, "Wonderin' who am. aren't youl"
he hiccuped. swell, don't wonder;
sail between Of friends tonight. Tell
you what, m friends-come with me
and I'll find you III drink, eh? Real
old Boone pinchneck-got it from some
boys in Louisville, been savin' it up for
tonight"
He wagged his head at them, and
pursued his subject in half-maudlin
| OulSl VI COuuuSutAok dSSOA dASC.
''Havin' little party in one Of the
rooms" he continued. "All Of us
friends-lots more fun than dancin'
And say! I'm going pull something
great, positively great; you don't
want to miss it, gentlemen! You come
along with me and I'll Fix it for ayou.
Come on, Gramont, that's a good fell
low! You'n had a disagreement to
day-doa't matter tonight, nothin'
matters tonight, nothin' at all. Mardi
Gras only comes once a year, eh7
Come along, now"
Jachin Fell very civilly refused the
invitation, as did the others. Gramont,
who now recognized their accoster,
was less civil in his refusal. Mephisto
regarded them with vinous regret:
mo 'joyment in you, any more? Bet
ter come along. Tell you, I've got the
biggest joke of the season ready to
pull off-something rich! Gramont,
come on!'
Thanks, no." responded Gramont
! CURLY. ~.-r. ~, ,
- TIE massus- gags W. the. struggle
sA- - IL.