Brenda's Ward

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER X

  THE RECITAL

  For a few weeks after Angelina's _coup_ she had little furtheropportunity to show her skill. The successor of the eloping cook proveda capable, steady person, so in love with her new place that toAngelina's disgust she hardly ever even took the afternoon and eveningoff to which she was entitled. For it had always been Angelina's customin the absence of the cook to entertain some of her own friends in Mrs.Stratford's dining-room, and to provide them with refreshments of herown concoction.

  For doing this she would have justified herself (had she thought sheneeded justification) by saying that no one had ever forbidden her tohave company--and anyway, Miss Martine would never object.

  In this opinion she was quite correct. But, unfortunately, Mrs.Stratford, and not her daughter, was in charge, and the former, unlikeMartine, did not find the Portuguese girl a perpetual source ofamusement. Neither was Angelina as popular with the new cook as she hadhoped to be. Her blandishments had never availed so little to get herwhat she wanted.

  "And why she's so anxious to get me out of the house, I can in no waysunderstand, Mrs. Stratford, and me as quiet as can be, and never sayingnothing to her when she sits there reading them novels with the bigpictures on the cover, or making faces over the pomes she's learning."

  "Oh, I don't believe she's anxious to have you out of the way--only--"

  "Yes'm, it's just that. She's wishing to fill the place up with companyof her own, and because I keep an eye to the ice-chest she isn't at allpleased. I know what girls is, ma'am, and that Angelina, she's always upto something."

  Martine, when her mother repeated the substance of the cook's words,laughed lightly.

  "Oh, it's much more entertaining to have one person in the house who'sup to something. If they were all as stupid as the cook, how dull itwould be. But I can tell you what's the matter with Angelina--she isgoing to give a recital."

  "A recital?"

  "Yes. It seems she has been taking elocution lessons ever since she hadany money of her own to spend."

  "Did Miss Bourne encourage this kind of thing?"

  "Oh, no, she disapproved, but she just couldn't stop her. Brenda Westontold me all about it. Brenda thought there was no great harm inAngelina's amusing herself this way."

  "But elocution lessons must cost so--"

  "Yes, that's what Miss Bourne said, and she didn't want Angelina to goon the stage, as she threatened."

  "Angelina on the stage!"

  "Yes, mamma. She has even confided to me that she has been answeringadvertisements of companies that want soubrettes. Of course I told herit was dreadful, and she's promised to give up that idea for thepresent. But I have taken some tickets for her recital."

  "My dear, I wish you hadn't encouraged her."

  "Oh, anything else would have seemed mean, and she didn't dare try tosell you any."

  After Martine's explanation, Mrs. Stratford was more patient withAngelina. How could she expect regular work from her until after therecital!

  This was the affair that Martine persuaded Priscilla to attend with her,as well as Lucian and Robert. The four other tickets that she had boughtin addition to those needed for her party lay unused in her desk drawer.No one to whom she had offered them cared for them. The recital was tobe given in a place too far away.

  "You are sure we are on the right car?" Martine asked, after the fourhad been some time on their way.

  "You said Chelsea, didn't you? well, this car is bound for the ChelseaFerry," replied Lucian.

  "Chelsea," exclaimed Priscilla, "I didn't know we were going there!Isn't that awfully far away? I oughtn't to go outside of Boston."

  "But this is only across the harbor, and Angelina says the hall is avery short way from the dock."

  "Oh, very well," and Priscilla sank back in her seat. She must continuewith her friends and since they were prepared to go to Chelsea, shecould only resign herself to their plans.

  She did not like the ferry-boat. She did not enjoy the walk to the hall.Robert's jokes failed to amuse her, and even Lucian's college storiesgrew tiresome. To tell the truth, Priscilla dreaded the explanation shemust give her aunt. Mrs. Tilworth had readily acceded to her dining withMartine. She had objected only slightly over the telephone whenPriscilla had asked if she might go to a recital with Martine and herbrother. Priscilla had telephoned even after Martine had obtained Mrs.Tilworth's consent.

  "I am sorry that it is not to be a musical affair. I do not care formiscellaneous programs. But there will be less harm in wasting timeSaturday than any other evening, but I must ask you to be home early. Ilike to have the house locked at ten."

  "Yes, aunt," and as Mrs. Tilworth had asked no questions about theperformers, Priscilla was spared the necessity of telling her thatAngelina would be the chief attraction. Yet of one thing she was nowsure, as the four journeyed Chelseaward--Mrs. Tilworth would bedispleased if she should be out late, and to return early from Chelsea,why, that surely was an impossibility.

  "I wonder what your Portuguese calls a short walk," growled Lucian,after they had wandered about for some time after leaving the ferry."Thus far, every one we have asked has given us a different location. Doyou know, Martine, this whole undertaking is a fool thing? Who but youwould ever have thought of coming to Chelsea for amusement?"

  "Thank you, Taps," responded Martine, sweetly, knowing that the oldnickname would stir Lucian's anger even more. She did not dread Lucian'sanger, for it never flamed very high, and while it lasted it wassometimes rather funny.

  "You have good company," continued Martine, in a calm tone,ill-calculated to soothe an irritated brother. "Priscilla and I have towalk just as far as you, and you ought to appreciate our being withyou."

  Ungallant Lucian did not reply, and the laugh with which the girlsreceived some remark of Robert's did not please him.

  "It may seem funny to you to be wandering around the streets of Chelsea,but it would be more to the point, Martine, if you would gather yourwits together, and remember the hall where this foolish entertainment isto hold forth."

  At this moment by some subtle working of her mind light came to Martine,and the next moment she had whispered the forgotten name of the hall toRobert. Upon this Robert shot ahead of the others, and when Luciancaught up with him, he was standing in front of a corner drug-store.

  "Come," he said, seizing Lucian's arm, "I'll show you where to go. We'reever so far out of our way. If you had left it all to me, we should havebeen there long ago."

  Turning the corner beyond the drug-store, and walking a few steps alonga street parallel to the one on which they had looked for the hall, thefour young people were soon at the entrance of a large building, thelower story of which was occupied by a grocery shop.

  In front of the shop was a group of half-grown boys.

  "Got a ticket, Mister?" said one of them, holding the green pasteboardcard to Lucian.

  Lucian, who was really an amiable youth, had quickly recovered from hisannoyance with Martine, and would not gratify Robert by showing vexationthat the latter had been more successful in finding the hall. Hesuspected the truth--that Martine had helped Robert, and since they werenow at the hall, what did it matter?

  "Got a ticket, Mister?" A second boy held out his hand to Lucian.

  "Of course, that's why we're here," replied Lucian. "Are you sellingthem?"

  "No, we're giving them away. We want an aujence," was the astonishingresponse.

  "What _does_ he mean?"

  "We'll soon know, Martine," said Priscilla, following the two others upa long flight of dimly-lit stairs.

  "Did you ever?" Martine gazed around the hall as they entered; "thereare not ten people here."

  "Just thirty." Priscilla was nothing if not accurate.

  "But I thought Angelina said she had sold two hundred tickets, Martine."

  "Expected to sell them, Lucian, though, to tell the truth, I thought she_had_ sold them."

  "I'll wager she gave away half the seats that
are occupied now. Thoseare Portuguese faces down in the front."

  "I paid for mine."

  "I know that, Martine. You always had a foolish habit of getting rid ofyour allowance almost as soon as you received it."

  "That reminds me," asked Robert, "is this a charitable performance? Itwould have been more charitable to let us stay quietly in our rooms.Just think what a fine four hours of study Lucian and I could have putin this evening."

  "Yes, you are so apt to study Saturday evening," interposed Martine;"but to answer your question, I can't say that this is whollycharitable. Part of it is for a girls' club over here--I mean part ofthe profits--and the rest--"

  "Here's a poster," interrupted Lucian; "let's see what it says."

  "It's easy enough to read. It must have been meant for bill-boarddecoration. Big black letters on green paper. Listen!" and after readingaloud place and date, Lucian continued:

  MISS ANGELINA ROSA THE EMINENT MONOLOGUIST, WILL GIVE ONE OF HER CHOICE RECITALS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GIRLS' EXCELSIOR CLUB AND A HALF-ORPHAN

  "A half-orphan!" shouted Robert. "What in the world--?"

  "Why, she means herself, of course; her father is dead."

  "Oh, I see!" and then, after the fashion of young people, the four beganto giggle.

  "Hush! the audience will be disturbed." Priscilla was the first torecover herself.

  "What audience?" asked Martine, looking around the almost empty hall.

  "It's fifteen minutes past eight." Lucian closed his watch with a snap."There's something happening. I wonder what it is. Two or three of thoseforeigners have gone behind the curtain."

  At half-past eight Angelina had not appeared. Lucian proposed goinghome. Martine thought she ought to find Angelina to learn if anythingserious had happened. Some of the boys in the front seats scuffledangrily. The hall was neither well heated, nor well lit. Every one wasuncomfortable.

  "I think that we really ought to go home," whispered Priscilla,half-timidly, to Lucian. But just at this moment the curtain was pushedaside, and Angelina appeared in the centre of the stage.

  In her pink satin gown with its tawdry trimmings at neck and sleeves,she looked "blacker and skinnier than ever," as Lucian put it. Justbehind her walked a man who stumbled over her train, and then with a bowbegan to speak.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, it is most unfortunate that this lady and I maynot be able to give our entertainment as advertised."

  Hisses from the front soon interrupted the speaker.

  "What has he to do with it?"

  Lucian looked again at the poster where "Mr. Smithkins, accompanist"appeared in small letters at the bottom.

  Mr. Smithkins resumed his speech: "The fact is there's been somemisunderstanding with the owner of this hall, who refuses to let usproceed until the rent has been paid in advance."

  "Yes, every cent of it," and a stout woman with a red face and a bonnettrimmed with purple flowers pushed her way from behind. Angelina waved alarge red fan nervously, but otherwise did not appear discomposed. Shewas at least the centre of the stage and although the audience wassmall, all eyes were certainly fixed on her.

  The eloquence of the stout lady quite drowned the words of Mr.Smithkins, making vain efforts to give his version of the situation. Butafter the hubbub had subsided, it was fairly clear to those present thatAngelina had failed to pay the fifteen dollars she had promised inadvance for the hall. Moreover, it was even clearer that Mrs. Stinton,the owner of the building, meant not only to stop the entertainment, butalso to prevent Angelina's "skipping," without giving her her due.

  "Will they arrest her?" asked Priscilla, anxiously.

  "Oh, no, of course not; Angelina must pay the money."

  "But you heard Mr. Smithkins say that she had been disappointed in thesale of tickets, and hadn't a cent even to pay him, and if he couldafford to wait, Mrs. Stinton ought to be able to wait too."

  "Give us a song or a pome," called a voice from the rear of the hall.The boys, who had been lounging at the door, were now inside.

  Lucian and Robert rose from their seats.

  "Excuse us for a moment," said the latter to Martine as the two madetheir way out into the aisle.

  "Why, they're going behind the scenes," said Priscilla, in surprise.Still more surprised was she when Lucian, raising the curtain, beckonedto Mrs. Stinton. The latter, impressed by the young man's appearance,went behind the curtain, and Mr. Smithkins, anxious to understand whatwas going on, followed her. Thus Angelina, to her own greatsatisfaction, was left in possession of the stage.

  When Mr. Smithkins, a little later, appeared before the audience, he hadthe pleasure to announce, as he phrased it, that Mrs. Stinton's demandshad been paid in full by a friend of the talented Miss Rosa, and thatthe performance would go on as advertised.

  In promising this, however, Mr. Smithkins went a little too far. Thecold hall, the low-necked gown, the long wait in which the youngmonologuist had heroically concealed her anxiety, all proved a greatstrain for Angelina.

  Although she began bravely enough with what she considered the gem ofthe repertoire, the monologue was given quite tamely, and though shecontinued it to the end she was evidently glad to stop. It was at thispoint that Mr. Smithkins showed himself of especial service, as heseated himself at the cracked piano. There he pounded out a number ofpopular airs to the great delight of the audience, and received fargreater applause than poor Angelina.

  Nevertheless, when Angelina appeared for the second time, there fell ather feet a large bouquet of carnations, for which she bowed heracknowledgments several times.

  It was all very pathetic as well as absurd. The dimly-lit, cold hall,the empty seats, the little figure bowing on the platform. Martine,always ready to see the amusing side of things, began to laugh. The restof her party, even the considerate Priscilla, echoed the laugh. Then itspread to the front seats, and when Angelina was in the midst of hersecond selection, one in which she meant to move her audience to tears,all she could hear was one prolonged giggle. Poor Angelina! Thislaughter was the last straw. Still holding the flowers and the fan, shethrew one angry glance toward the house, and then turning her back onfriend and foe alike fled behind the curtain.

  "There, Martine, you've done it. It was your giggling that set them off.You ought to go behind and console her." Lucian seemed in earnest.

  "It's half-past nine." Robert looked at his watch.

  "Then we ought to start for home. We are so far away."

  There was nervousness in Priscilla's tone.

  Martine had made no effort to go to Angelina.

  "How is the prima donna to get to town?" asked Lucian. "Are you going tolook after her, Martine?"

  "Oh, no, her brother John is here. He is that tall, good-looking youth,standing near the door. She can depend on him."

  "Then we may start," continued Lucian, "even if the show isn't whollyover. We cannot wait for further instalments."

  "We've had more than the value of our money," added Robert. "Mrs.Stinton's performance alone was worth the price."

  "Yes, girls, you should have heard her express her surprise andgratitude when we gave her the fifteen dollars, and when we told her wewere Harvard students, she could hardly believe it."

  "But what did Angelina think?"

  "Oh, we told her, Martine, that you had sent it, and that she must payit back gradually. So you see that you, dear sister, will make the mostout of this evening, as we'll let you keep whatever she pays back."

  With Angelina's _fiasco_ to talk over, the four found the journey backto town much less tiresome than the "voyage," as Martine called it, toChelsea. It seemed shorter, perhaps, because Robert discovered that theycould return to Boston by a bridge instead of the ferry. When at lastthey left Priscilla at her door, it was not as late as it might havebeen if Angelina had carried out her full program.