Evening star., 1928-12-16

ONE MAN s
WIFE
BY
BARBARA
WEBB
(CopyT1gh Ig2S by Pubic LcdgeJ
F+4++I+44

mother had danced. had sold flowers
sudden fire from Yvonnes passionate
look and words.
'Of course, you will dance. will take
you at once to a teacher-to great
teacher know. He can tell you at once
whether you have talent"
Now" Yvonne breathed the word,
forgetting for the first time that Rich
ard must have his dinner, that her
house needed its mistress.
"Of course not, silly child. have to
make an appointment. You must have
some kind of costume to wear. These
things can't be done in minute
Yvonne followed her meekly out CT
the building, and drove home as though
in trance The figures of the dancers
haunted her. After dinner she played
| and tried to imagine people dancing to
| her music. She tried changing the
tempo of one piece to an imaginary
dancer.
| do you like it that way, Richard?"
she asked, turning to the place where
he had been sitting little while before.
Silence greeted her. Richard had
gone to his workroom, saying nothing
to her as he passed. For the first time
slight feeling of bitterness aSsailed
her. Richard was hardly polite to her
But she chided herself for the thought,
and tried to recall all the kindness he
had shown her. to assure herself that
his very trust in her was proof that he
loved her.
Her reason answered. He trusts you
as he trusts the fIlrniture-because he
does not think you capable of moving
dicY1jCCnH fhnCn f1nn0nfC
Summoning her memory of the dancers.
There was one thing which she must do.
Not even her duty to him could stop
that. are
The following day Mrs. Ogden came
to tell her an appointment had been ar
ranged for her with famous master
of ballet for the next afternoon. I've
bought you costume and some slippers,
we must see If they fit"
Yvonne slipped her foot into one of
the soft, heelless shoes: 1T is just
right" she said. And will I wear
that?"
She held the wisp of chiffon up to
her chin. ut hardly covers me-" she
half protested.
~"All dancers wear them. Don't be
self-conscious, Yvonne."
Somehow Yvonne got through the
hours before the appointment. She
tubbed herself, washed her hair,
scrubbed her fingernails and groomed
herself until she radiated health and
cleanliness from every pore. Then they
were in the car, then they had stopped
before dingy building, then they had
climbed steps and steps to the very top,
where under huge skylight the master
had his studio.
Girls were practicing, some OF them
at the bar, others doing limbering ex-'
ercises, others perfecting some intricate
step. Mrs. Ogden went with Yvonne to
a dressing room. She exclaimed at the
sight of the girl in her dancing garb.
"You have a marvellous figure,
Yvonne," she said.
Yvonne flushed. She thought herself
too thin for real beauty. She could not
know that her years of hard work out
of doors had trained her muscles,
tapered her ankles and thighs, sloped
her shoulders delicately SO that she was
near perfection in beauty of form.
Half ashamed of her bare arms and
throat, she followed her mentor to the
dancing floor.
The great teacher looked her over
much as he might examine fine horse.
Good figure, good muscles" he said
He studied her face and permitted him
self moment of enthusiasm: THE
face of an angel~
He led them to an alcove screened by
curtain Follow me-" he commanded,
He bent and twisted himself, executed
some simple steps, leaped into the air,
capered around the room. Yvonne fol-
lowed him. her eyes earnestly on his
movements.
Good. mademoiselle you are not stiff.
But you are shy, modeSt-liSten, it is
abandon you must have, abandon, the
soul of the dance. Wait!"
He sat down at piano and began
to play. "Now-skip, faster, faster, with
the music"
Yvonne's shyness fell from her. At
his command she leaped, she ran, she
swayed on her toes, then he stopped
as abruptly as he began.
"You have had no teaching, made
moiselle," he said. THAT is good. will
be your teacher. You will learn all Of
the art. as it should be learned" His
voice dropped and he spoke almost in a
whisper, "Once in lifetime, made
moiSelle, thers comes to a teacher a
woman of genius, fired through and
through with the spirit of the dance
You are that woman for me. I will
make you the greatest dancer of two
continents-of the whole world!"