, 1925-02-18

the LOOK or the professional gambler of
the day. The wide SLOUGH hat, the flow
ing mOustache, the glittering eye, the
too-bright boots. the gay cravat, all
were missing In Simeon Peake's make
up. True, he did sport a singularly
clear white diamond pin in his shirt
front; and his hat he wore just a little
on one side. But then, these both were
IN the male mode and quite commonly
seen. For the rest he seemed a mild
and suave man, slim, a trifle difident.
speaking seldom and Their with a New
England drawl by which he had come
honestly enough, Vermont Peake that
he was.
Chicago was his meat. 1t was boom
ing, prosperous. He played in good
luck n bad, but he managed some
how to see to 1t that there was always
the money to pay for the Fister school,
ing. Selma was happy. She knew only
such young people-girls-as she met
at Miss listers school.
Her chum was Julie Hempel, daugh-
ter of August Hempel. the Clark street
butcher. You probably now own some
Hempel stock. If you're lucky and eat
Hempel bacon and Hempel hams cured
in the hickory, for in Chicago the dis
lance from butcher of 1885 to packer
of 1890 was only a ~five-year leap.
Being so much alone developed In
her a gift for the make-believe. In a
comfortable, well-dressed way she was
a sort of mixture of Dick Swiveller's
Marchioness and Sarah Crewe. Even
in her childhood she extracted from
life the double enjoyment that comes
usually only to the creative mind.
Now I'm doing this. Now I'm doing
that" she told herself while she was
doing 1t. Looking on while she par
ticipated. Perhaps her theater-going
had something to do with his. At an
age when most little girls were not
only unheard but practically unseen,
she occupied a grown-up seat at the
play, her rapt face, with Its dark seri-
Il eyes,, glowing In a sort of luminous
pallor as she sat proudly next her
father.
In this way Selma. %half-hidden in
the depths of an orchestra seat, wrig-
gled in ecstatlc anticipation when the
curtain assembled on the g~rotesque
rows of Haverly's minstrels. She wit
messed that startling innovation. a Jew
ish play. called "Saml of Posen." She
saw Fannie Davenport in "Pique." Sim
con even tool her to a performance of
that shocking and delightful form OF
new entertainment, the Extravaganza.
THE thing l like about plays and
books Is that anything can happen.
Anything! You never know Selma
said.
n different from life" Simeon
Peake assured her. you've no idea
the things that happen to you If you
just relax and take them as they
come"
Curiously enough. Simeon PeGke said
this. not through ignorance, but de-
liberately and with reason. In his way
and day he was n very modern father.
Il wan you to ste all kinds. he would
say to her. II want you to realize that
this whole thing is just a grand ad-
venture. A fine show. The trick Is to
play in 1t and look at 1t at the same
time"
what whole thing?"
Living. All mixed up. The more
kinds OF people you see. and the more
things you do. and the more things
that happen to the richer you are.
Even II they're not pleasant things.
That's living. Remember, no matter
what happens, good or bad. its just so
much'-he used the gamblers term.
unconsciously-"just so much velvet"
But Selma, somehow understood.
you mean that a~nything's better than
being Aunt Sarah and Aun. Abble."
"Well-yes. There are only two
kinds Of people in the world that really
count. one kinds wheat and the other
kinds emernlds,"
Fanny ~Davenport's an emerald"
said Selma. quickly. N rather sur
prised to find herself saying 1t.
"Yes. That's It,"
"And-and Julie Hempel's father
he's wheat"
by golly. Selel" shouted Simeon
Peake. You're n shrewd little tyke 70
Julie Hempel and Selma Peake, both
finished products OF Miss listers
school. were OF an age-nlneteen. Sc
lima. on this September day, had been
spending the afternoon with Julie, and
now, adjusting her hat preparatory to
leaving. she clapped her hands over
her ears to shut out the sounds of
jules importunlngs that she stuy to
supper. Certainly he prospect OF the
usual Monday evening meal In Mrs.
Tebbltt's boarding house did not pre-
sent sufficient excuse for Selinn's re-
fusal. Indeed. the Hempel supper ms
sketched dish for dish by the urgent
I.II. h.auuhs uttIa ,r.aIs ..D... S....