A MATINEE IDOL
"Oh, Uncle Jeff," Alicia cried, as they gathered round the dinner-table
that same night, "we went to the splendidest play! It was a light
opera, 'The Lass and the Lascar.' Have you seen it?"
"No, my dear, I rarely go to the theatre; never to foolish pieces like
that! But it's all right for you young people. So you enjoyed it, did
you? How did you like--"
But Alicia's babble interrupted him. "Oh, Uncle, it was simply out of
sight! And the hero! Ah-h-h!"
Alicia leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as if the memory of
the hero was overwhelming.
"Took your fancy, did he?" asked her uncle, with a twinkle in his eye.
"Good-looking chap?"
"Good-looking faintly expresses it!" and Alicia returned to
consciousness. "He was like a Greek god! And his CHARM! Oh, Uncle Jeff,
he is just indescribable! I wish you could SEE him."
"Must be a paragon! What did the rest of you girls think! Were you hit
so hard?"
Dotty laughed. "He was splendid, Uncle Forbes," she said, "but we
didn't fall so head over heels in love with him as Alicia did. He has a
stunning voice and he's a fine actor."
"Oh, more than that!" raved Alicia. "He's a DARLING! a man of a
THOUSAND!"
"A young man?" asked Mr. Forbes.
"Yes," replied Bernice. "Alicia thinks he isn't twenty, but he can't be
much more. He looked a mere boy."
"Wasn't that because he was made up as a young character in the play?"
"Partly," admitted Alicia. "But he's a very young man, anyway. Oh,
Uncle Jeff, I'm just CRAZY over him! I think I shall go to see that
play every chance I can possibly get. Could we go to an evening
performance?"
"Speak for yourself, John!" cried Bernice. "I don't want to see that
play again! I enjoyed it heaps, and I think Mr. Coriell was fine, but
next time we go I'd rather see something else."
"So would I," said the two D's together.
"How can you say so!" and Alicia looked at the others in scorn. "You'll
never find any actor who can hold a candle to Coriell! I have his
picture, Uncle," and, excusing herself, she left the table to get them.
"H'm, yes, a good-looking man," agreed Mr. Forbes, as he scrutinised
the photographs. "But, Alicia, you mustn't fall in love with every
operatic tenor you see. I believe this Coriell is a 'matinee idol,' but
don't allow him to engage your young affections."
"Too late with your advice, Uncle Jeff!" and Alicia gazed raptly at the
pictures. "I ADORE him! and the fact that my adoration is hopeless
makes it all the more interesting. Oh, isn't he a WONDER!"
Gaily she set the pictures up in front of her, propping them on glasses
or salt cellars, and continued to make mock worship at his shrine.
"Don't be silly, Alicia," commented her uncle, but she only shook her
head at him, and gave a mournful sigh.
The girls spent the evening much the same as they had done the night
before. They all sat in the stately drawing-room, and endeavoured to
make conversation. But Uncle Jeff was hard to talk to, for he rarely
stuck to one subject for more than five minutes at a time, and abruptly
interrupted the girls when they were trying their best to be
entertaining.
Alicia continued to chatter about her new-found enthusiasm, until her
uncle commanded her to desist.
"May I beg of you, Alicia," he said, sternly, "to cease raving over
that man? He's doubtless old enough to be your father, and would be
bored to death could he hear your nonsense about him!"
Alicia looked put out, but a glance at her uncle's face proved his
seriousness, and she said no more about the actor.
The evening wore away, but it seemed to the girls as if it never would
be ten o'clock. And it was greatly to their relief, when, at about
half-past nine, Mr. Forbes bade them good-night and went off upstairs.
"It is all the queerest performance," said Bernice. "What in the world
does Uncle Jeff want of us,--I can't make out. The outlook seems to be
that we can have all the fun we want daytimes, and pay for it by these
ghastly evening sessions."
"There's something back of it all," said Alicia, astutely. "This
revered uncle of ours, Bernie, has something up his sleeve."
"I think so, too," said Dotty. "He scrutinises us all so closely, when
he thinks we're not looking. But I, for one, am quite willing to put up
with these evenings for the sake of the fun we have in the daytime."
"I should say so!" agreed Dolly. "We never can thank you enough, Bern,
for bringing us."
"And I'm glad to have you here," said Mrs. Berry, entering the room.
"You're like a ray of sunshine in this dull house,--like four rays of
sunshine."
"But WHY are we here?" insisted Alicia. "You must know why, Mrs. Berry.
Do tell us."
"You're here, my dears, because Mr. Forbes invited you. There is no
other reason,--no other explanation. And now, tell me, did you like the
play?"
"Did we LIKE it!" exclaimed the volatile Alicia, "we're just crazy over
it. Why, the chief actor--"
"Now, 'Licia," protested Dolly, "if you're going to begin raving over
that man again!"
"Well, I am!" declared Alicia. "I just can't help it!"
Nor did she seem able to curb her enthusiasm, for after the girls went
to their rooms, she kept on extolling Mr. Coriell until the others were
tired of the subject.
And even when the D's were nearly ready for bed, and, in kimonos, were
brushing their hair, Alicia burst into their room, exclaiming, "I've
the grandest plan! I'm going to invite Mr. Coriell to come here and
call on me!"
"Alicia Steele!" Dotty cried, "you're not going to do any such thing!"
"Yes, I am. Uncle Jeff said we could invite anybody we wanted
to,--that's permission enough for me."
"But he didn't mean some one you don't know at all,--and an actor at
that!"
"I don't care. He didn't make any exceptions, and I'm going to do it.
I'm going to write the note."
She went back to her own room, and sat down at the pretty little
escritoire that was there.
"How shall I address him?" she asked, but more of herself than the
others.
"Not at all!" said Dolly, and she took the pen from Alicia's fingers.
"You must be crazy to think of such a thing!"
"Don't do it, Alicia," begged Dotty; "tell her not to, Bernice."
"I don't care what she does," and Bernice laughed. "It's none of my
affair. I think it would be rather good fun, only I know he wouldn't
come."
"I think he would," said Alicia. "Anyway, I'm going to tell him how I
adored his acting and his singing, and I guess he'll be glad to come to
call at Jefferson Forbes' house! I think I'll ask him to afternoon tea.
Why, it isn't such a terrible thing, as you seem to think, Dolly.
Anybody has a right to write to an actor,--they expect it. He probably
gets hundreds of notes every day."
"Then he won't notice yours. He can't possibly accept a hundred
invitations."
"Oh, they don't all invite him. Any way, I'm going to write."
Alicia found another pen, and soon produced this effusion:
"My dear Mr. Coriell.
"I'm just simply crazy over your performance in 'The Lass and the
Lascar' and I feel that I MUST meet you. I shall DIE if I don't!
Please, oh, PLEASE give me an opportunity. Will you come to see me at
my uncle's house, Mr. Jefferson Forbes? Can you come to-morrow or
Friday? I can't EXIST if you say No! So grant the plea of
"Your devoted admirer,
"ALICIA STEELE."
"It's perfectly horrid!" and Dolly's fair face grew flushed with anger.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Alicia."
"Now, look here, Dolly Fayre," and Alicia's eyes flashed, "I won't be
dictated to by a little country ignoramus! I've had experience in the
ways of the world, and you haven't. Now suppose you let me alone. It's
none of your business, as you very well know."
"Dolly was only advising you for your own good!" Dotty flashed out,
indignant at the rebuff to her chum; "but, truly, Doll, it isn't up to
you to tell Alicia what to do. This is her uncle's house, not yours,
and you're in no way responsible for her doings."
"I know it," and Dolly looked serious, "but I know, too, Alicia will be
sorry and ashamed if she sends that silly letter!"
"Let her be, then," counselled Bernice. "If Uncle Jeff doesn't like it,
that's Alicia's affair, not ours. Leave her alone, Dolly."
But Dolly made one more effort.
"Listen, Alicia," she said, pleadingly; "at least, ask Mrs. Berry's
advice. She's awfully indulgent, you know, and if she says all
right,--then go ahead."
Alicia looked at Dolly. To tell the truth, she had misgivings herself
about the plan, but she was too proud to be advised.
"I'll tell you what," she decided, at last; "you said, only to-day,
Dolly, that you'd be glad to do something for me. Now, prove that you
meant it. You go and ask Mrs. Berry if we can do this. She's awfully
fond of you, and she'd say yes to you quicker'n she would to me. So, if
you're so anxious for her consent, go and ask her. She's in her
room,--I just heard her go in."
"But, Alicia," and Dolly looked dismayed, "_I_ don't want to do this
thing! Why should I ask Mrs. Berry for what YOU want?"
"Because you said you'd be glad to do me a favour. I knew you didn't
mean it! I knew you'd fizzle out when the time came!"
"She hasn't fizzled out!" exclaimed Dotty. "Doll never breaks a
promise. But, say, Alicia, I'll go and ask Mrs. Berry. How's that?"
"No, Dolly's got to go, if any one does. She said she'd love to do me a
favour, now let her do it."
It was evidently a test case with Alicia, and one glance at her
determined face convinced Dolly, that she would never be forgiven if
she failed to do this thing.
"All right," she said, slowly, "I'll go and ask Mrs. Berry. But I shall
tell her it's for you, Alicia. I shan't let her think I want to ask
that man here!"
"Hold on, Dolly. Don't you think it would be nice if he should come,
with Mrs. Berry's permission?"
"Yes, I think that would be lots of fun; but she won't give permission,
Alicia. I know that as well as I know my own name!"
"Of course, she won't, if you go about it that way! I depend on you to
coax her or get around her some way to MAKE her say yes. See? Don't
think that you can go in there and say 'May we?' and have her say 'No,'
and let that end it! I tell you you've got to get her consent. You've
got to do this for me, because you said you'd do whatever I asked you."
"Oh, Alicia!" and Dotty shook her head vigorously, "Doll never said
THAT!"
"Well, she meant that. And what's the use of her doing anything I can
do for myself? But you all know she's Mrs. Berry's pet of the four of
us--"
"No, I'm not," and Dolly looked deeply troubled.
"Yes, you are, and it's just because you're so mild and meek. Now, will
you go and ask her? You'll have to be quick or she'll have gone to bed."
"Yes, I'll go," and Dolly showed sudden determination.
"And will you promise to do all you can to make her say yes--"
"I'll do that, Alicia, but I can't promise to make her say yes."
"You can if you coax her. And don't let her think it's all for my
benefit. Because it isn't. You girls will have just as much fun as I
will, if he comes."
Dolly twisted up her golden curls in a loose knot, and still in her
trailing dressing-gown, she went down the hall to Mrs. Berry's room and
tapped gently at the door.
It was opened at once, and Dolly was glad to see Mrs. Berry had not yet
begun her preparations for the night, so she was not disturbing her.
"What is it, dearie?" asked the kind-hearted lady; "come in. Sit down."
Dolly sat down in a little rocker, and was suddenly seized with a fit
of shyness. The request she had come to make seemed so impossible, that
she couldn't put it into words. Mrs. Berry saw her embarrassment, and
kindly strove to put her at ease.
"How do you like my room?" she said, cordially; "you've never been in
here before."
"It's lovely," said Dolly, looking about at the pretty furnishings;
"it's in a sort of back extension, isn't it?"
"Yes, this a narrower part of the house, and gives me an outlook on our
tiny yard as well as on the side street. It's a very satisfactory room,
except for my neighbour," and she laughed.
"Who is the unsatisfactory neighbour?" asked Dolly, smiling in response.
"Not the people next door, they're quiet enough; but they have a
parrot, and he's in the room just across from this, and he chatters so
often that it is sometimes very annoying. Look over, you can see him
now."
Sure enough, as Dolly looked from the window, she saw a big Polly in a
cage at the opposite casement. Only thin lace curtains were between,
and Dolly could clearly see the beautiful bird.
"It's a lovely parrot," she said, "but I suppose his chatter is just as
bothersome as if he were a homelier bird. Well, Mrs. Berry," and she
turned from the window, "I've come to ask you something."
"And something that you hesitate to ask,--I can see that. But don't be
afraid, dear. Tell me what it is, and if I have to refuse you, at least
I won't do it harshly."
"I know you won't!" and Dolly felt ashamed of her fears. "Well, it's
just this. Alicia,--that is, we're all of us just crazy over the hero
in the play we saw this afternoon, and we--that is, we think it would
be nice if we could--if we could ask him to--to call here, on us."
The dreaded speech was made, and though Mrs. Berry looked surprised,
she didn't exclaim in horror at the idea.
"Whose plan is this?" she asked, quietly.
"Why,--well,--we all want it."
"Yes, but who first thought of it?"
"Alicia spoke of it, and--the others agreed,--we all agreed,--that it
would be lots of fun,--if you approved of it." Now Mrs. Berry could see
a hole through a millstone, and she knew as well as if she had been
told, that the others had planned this thing,--probably Alicia or
Bernice,--and had made Dolly their spokesman, because of her
good-natured acquiescence.
"What do YOU think of the idea?" she said smiling.
"At first it seemed to me a very forward thing to do," Dolly replied,
looking very sober; "but if you think it's all right, I'd like to meet
Mr. Coriell. You see, I'm going to be an opera singer myself, some day,
and there are a few questions I'd like to ask him."
Mrs. Berry gasped. "You do beat the dickens!" she exclaimed. "So you're
going on the stage, are you?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Then of course you ought to meet an actor. Tell Alicia to go ahead and
ask this man. Tell her to invite him to tea on Friday. I'll arrange a
pretty tea-party for you."
"Oh, I'll tell her! She'll be SO glad!" and Dolly departed, quite
unconscious that she had unwittingly betrayed Alicia's principal part
in the scheme.