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said Vuyning。 〃And you say a horse at the end of a
thirty…foot rope can't pull a ten…inch stake out of wet
prairie？ Well； good…bye； old man； if you must
be off。〃
At one o'clock Vuyning had luncheon with Miss
Allison by previous arrangement。
For thirty minutes be babbled to her； unaccount…
ably； of ranches； horses； cations； cyclones； round…ups；
Rocky Mountains and beans and bacon。 She looked
at him with wondering and half…terrified eyes。
〃I was going to propose again to…day；〃 said Vuy…
ning； cheerily； but I won't。 I've worried you often
enough。 You know dad has a ranch in Colorado。
What's the good of staying here？ Jumping jon…
quils！ but it's great out there。 I'm going to start
next Tuesday。〃
〃No； you won't；〃 said Miss Allison。
〃What？〃 said Vuyning。
〃Not alone；〃 said Miss Allison； dropping a tear
upon her salad。 〃What do you think？〃
〃Betty！〃 exclaimed Vuyning； 〃what do you
mean？
〃I'll go too；〃 said Miss Allison； forcibly。
Vuyning filled her glass with Apollinaris。
〃Here's to Rowdy the Dude！〃 he gave a toast
mysterious。
〃Don't know him；〃 said Miss Allison； 〃but if
he's your friend； Jimmy here goes！〃
THE MEMENTO
Miss Lynnette D'Armande turned her
back on Broadway。 This was but tit for tat； be…
cause Broadway had often done the same thing to
Miss D'Armande。 Still； the 〃tats〃 seemed to have
it； for the ex…leading lady of the 〃Reaping the
Whirlwind〃 company had everything to ask of
Broadway； while there was no vice…versa。
So Miss Lynnette D'Armande turned the back of
her chair to her window that overlooked Broadway；
and sat down to stitch in time the lisle…thread heel
of a black silk stocking。 The tumult and glitter of
the roaring Broadway beneath her window had no
charm for her； what she greatly desired was the
stifling air of a dressing…room on that fairyland
street and the roar of an audience gathered in that
capricious quarter。 In the meantime； those stock…
ings must not be neglected。 Silk does wear out so；
but after all； isn't it just the only goods there is？
The Hotel Thalia looks on Broadway as Marathon
looks on the sea。 It stands like a gloomy cliff above
the whirlpool where the tides of two great thorough…
fares clash。 Here the player…bands gather at the end
of their wanderings； to loosen the buskin and dust the
sock。 Thick in the streets around it are booking…
offices； theatres； agents； schools； and the lobster…pal…
aces to which those thorny paths lead。
Wandering through the eccentric halls of the dim
and fusty Thalia； you seem to have found yourself
in some great ark or caravan about to sail； or fly； or
roll away on wheels。 About the house lingers a sense
of unrest； of expectation； of transientness； even of
anxiety and apprehension。 The halls are a labyrinth。
Without a guide； you wander like a lost soul in a
Sam Loyd puzzle。
Turning any corner； a dressing…sack or a cul…de…sac
may bring you up short。 You meet alarming
tragedians stalking in bath…robes in search of ru…
mored bathrooms。 From hundreds of rooms come the
buzz of talk； scraps of new and old songs； and the
ready laughter of the convened players。
Summer has come； their companies have disbanded；
and they take their rest in their favorite caravansary；
while they besiege the managers for engagements for
the coming season。
At this hour of the afternoon the day's work of
tramping the rounds of the agents' offices is over。
Past you； as you ramble distractedly through the
mossy halls； flit audible visions of houris； with veiled；
starry eyes； flying tag…ends of things and a swish of
silk； bequeathing to the dull hallways an odor of
gaiety and a memory of frangipanni。 Serious young
comedians； with versatile Adam's apples； gather in
doorways and talk of Booth。 Far…reaching from
somewhere comes the smell of ham and red cabbage；
and the crash of dishes on the American plan。
The indeterminate hum of life in the Thalia is
enlivened by the discreet popping at reasonable
and salubrious intervals of beer…bottle corks。
Thus punctuated； life in the genial hostel scans easily
the comma being the favorite mark； semicolons
frowned upon； and periods barred。
Miss D'Armannde's room was a small one。 There
was room for her rocker between the dresser and the
wash…stand if it were placed longitudinally。 On the
dresser were its usual accoutrements； plus the ex…lead…
ing lady's collected souvenirs of road engagements
and photographs of her dearest and best professional
friends。
At one of these photographs she looked twice or
thrice as she darned； and smiled friendlily。
〃I'd like to know where Lee is just this minute；〃
she said； half…aloud。
If you had been privileged to view the photograph
thus flattered； you would have thought at the first
glance that you saw the picture of a many…petalled
white flower； blown through the air by a storm。 But
the floral kingdom was not responsible for that swirl
of petalous whiteness。
You saw the filmy； brief skirt of Miss Rosalie Ray
as she made a complete heels…over…head turn in her
wistaria…entwined swing； far out from the stage； high
above the heads of the audience。 You saw the cam…
era's inadequate representation of the graceful；
strong kick； with which she； at this exciting moment；
sent flying； high and far； the yellow silk garter that
each evening spun from her agile limb and descended
upon the delighted audience below。
You saw； too； amid the black…clothed； mainly mas…
culine patrons of select vaudeville a hundred hands
raised with the hope of staying the flight of the bril…
liant aerial token。
Forty weeks of the best circuits this act had
brought Miss Rosalie Ray； for each of two years。
She did other things during her twelve minutes a
song and dance； imitations of two or three actors who
are but imitations of themselves； and a balancing
feat with a step…ladder and feather…duster； but when
the blossom…decked swing was let down from the flies；
and Miss Rosalie sprang smiling into the seat； with
the golden circlet conspicuous in the place whence it
was soon to slide and become a soaring and coveted
guerdon then it was that the audience rose in its
seat as a single man or presumably so and in…
dorsed the specialty that made Miss Ray's name a
favorite in the booking…offices。
At the end of the two years Miss Ray suddenly an…
nounced to her dear friend； Miss D'Armande； that
she was going to spend the summer at an antediluvian
village on the north shore of Long Island； and that
the stage would see her no more。
Seventeen minutes after Miss Lynnette D'Armande
had expressed her wish to know the whereabouts of
her old chum； there were sharp raps at her door。
Doubt not that it was Rosalie Ray。 At the shrill
command to enter she did so； with something of a
tired flutter； and dropped