The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-05


| creature exalted by passion. and
her voice seemed to have regained
its pristine freshness. She had done
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 q
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 forget.
ten to warn Madame Zattiany Of
the step at the front of the box.
down which 50 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 il the
same fashion.
He had seated himself q little to
the right and behind her. He saw
her lids droop and her hands move
restlessly. Then. as the curtaM
went down and Farrar was accept.
ing the customary plaudits. her
eyes opened and moved over the
rich and beautiful auditorium with
look Of hungry yearning. This
was too much for Clavering and he
demanded abruptly: '2H"'i ~
why do you look like that!
Have you ever been here before?"
She turned to him with q smile.
What a question:! But
opera. both the silliest and the
most exciting of the arts. is the
Youth OF Life. it's perpetual ana
final expression. And when the
house IL dark I always imagine II
haunted by the ghosts Of dead op
era singers, or of those whose fate
Is sadder still. Does It never aztec,
you in that way?"
Cant say It does. But
|. vaguely remember-sorpS
ten years ago young singer wifi
remarkable voice sang Margue
rite once on that stage and thel
disappeared overnight lost hel
voice, it was said. :"
She gave = low choking laugh
IAnd you think am she? Really!'
II think nothing. but that an
here with you-and that in anothe
moment I shall want to cit on the
aoor-Oh, Lord!"
The house was z blaze Of light
It looked like a vast gold and red
jewel box. built to exhibit In the
fu1lness OF their splendor the most
and extravagant women
in the world. And 1t was filed to.
night from coifed and jeweled or
chestra to highest balcony, where
palmer people with possibly jew.
eled souls chung like flies. Not q
box was empty. Clavering's glance
swept the parterre, hoping 1t
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 parterrs
boxes was as notorious a. the I
horseshoe" itself. Dame Nature
and Dame Fortune. rivals always.
having been at each others throats
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.
Ing private Hall OF Fame while
still alive.
1t had begun! Claverinx fell 4
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
soon white shoulders and black n
the orchestra chairs began to-
change their angle. attracted BY
the stir in the boxes. That com.
ment was flowing freely, he made
no doubt. In the boxes on either
side OF him the occupants we're
staring less openly. but with ire
quent amazed side glances ana
much whispering. Madame zatti.
any sat like an idol. She neither
sought to relieve what embarrass-