Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-11-22


many things to irritate New York
ers, but In this scene, whether they
forgave her or not. they surren-
dered; and those to whom love and
passion were lost memories felt
dim resurgence under that golden
tide.
Clavering had no desire to sur
render In fact he endeavored to
close his ears. He had received a
cold douche and hot one in the
course OF the past hour, and he felt
that his equilibrium was satisfac-
torily established He had forgot
ten to warn Madame Zattiany Of
the step at the front Of the box,
down which SO many novices had
stumbled, but she had taken it and
settled herself with the nonchal-
ance of custom. Odd Once more
something beat in the back OF his
brain. But he dismissed it impa-
tiently. No doubt many boxes in
Europe were constructed in the
same fashion.
He had seated himself little to
the right and behind her. He saw
her lids droop and her hands move
restlessly Then, as the curtain
went down and Farrar was accept
ing the customary plaudits. hei
eyes opened and moved over the
rich ard beautiful auditorium with
a look OF hungry yearning. This
was too much for Clavering and he
demanded abruptly:
why do you 0ok like that?
Have you ever been here before?"
She turned to him with a smile
What a question: But
opera, both the silliest and the
most exalting of the arts, is the
Youth of Life, its perpetual and
final expression. And when the
house is dark l always imagine it
haunted by the ghosts of dead OPP
era singers, or of those whose fate
is sadder still. Does it never affect
you in tbr1 way"
Cant say it does. But
l vaguely remember-some
ten years ago a young singer with
a remarkable voice sang Margue
rite once on that stage and then
disappeared overnight lost her
voice, it was said
. She gave q low choking laugh.
And you think am sac? Realty
II think nothing, but that | am
here with you and that in another
NOR Mt l shal! want to sill on the
foo. Oh Lord"
The house was blaze Of ligh
It looked like a vast gold and
jewe! box, built to exhibit in the
>fullness of their splendor the most
luxurious and extravaganza women
IA the world And it was filed to-
aight from coifed and iewo!ed or
chestra to highest balcony, where
palmer people with possibly jew
eled souls chung like flies. Not
box was empty Clayering's glance
swept the partarre hoping it
would be occupied for the most part
by the youngest set, less likely TO
be startled by the resemblance OF
his guest to the girl who had sat
among their grandmothers when
the opera house was new. But
there were few of the very young
in the boxes. They found their en-
tertainment where traditions were
in the making, and dismissed the
opera as an old superstition, far
too long.winded and boring for en-
terprising young radicals.
Against the red backgrounds he
saw the austere and homely faces
of women who represented all that
was oldest and best in New York
Society, and they wore their
naughty bones unchastened by
power. There were many more Of
the succeeding generation, Of
course, many more whose ancestry
derived from gold not blood, and
they made up in style and ritual
what they lacked in pulchritude.
Lack Of beauty in the parterrc
boxes was as notorious as the
Horseshoe" itself, Dame Nature
and Dame Fortune, rivals always
| having been at each others threats
| some century and three-quarters
! ago, and little more friendly when
! the newer aristocracy Of mere
! wealth was founded. All the New
| York Society Beauties were his.
| torical, the few who had survived,
| the mere prettiness of youth enter
| ling a private Hall of Fame while
still alive.
! 1t had begun! Clavering fell
! back, folded his arms and set his
| teeth. First one pair of opera
/ glasses in the parterre, then an
other, then practically all were lev
( eled at Mrs. Oglethorpe's box.
/ Young men and old In the omnibus
box remained in their seats. Very
Fsoon white shoulders and black in
the orchestra chairs began TO
change their angle, attracted by
the stir in the boxes. That com
ment was flowing freely, he made
mo doubt. In the boxes on either
/ side OF him the occupants were
staring less openly. but with fire
I !uuent amazed side Rlances and
much whispering. Madame zatti
any sat like an idol. She neither
ieonght n rAlfave what an, harraas