S
ILLUSTRATICI) KBATURK SECTION— August 29. 19.10
4
the IRRESISTIBLE
TIE IHim A
9 h f Story of a Girl with
a Strange, Brown, and
Compelling Beauty
by WALTER CL ASTON
Brilliant Negro Fiction W riter
At Last, Verna Meets a Man who Does Not “Fall” for Her Charms, and
Her Confidence is Shaken
HKCIN READING MERE
« m u sic s u d M arg u l • m aid m
k e p ta g la n c e d a p p ra h n g ly a t M arg o t a lto ♦
bua» m a k in g cock tail« fro m p re -w a r am u sed, stood n e a rb y
W H A T H A N t iO N K R k r o N K -
I t wag ten m in u te s la te r b e fo re ahe
S c o tc h
t r n u N « « h . W a a t ifa l. p * mh b a l a n iM llM i r e fu s e » a g a in « ! I k r « d r i c e o f
P r a c tic a lly r v r r y o n r
lia d a rriv ed cou ld »hake oft th e a rd e n t F re n c h
h rt m oth er to m arnr l l k t t'n lv ta . u m a u lb I « b o r n
Nhr I* r n r a r d fro m
h t« fo r rod « l i m i t o « « hr H on a ld n a t t e r , a a u r a p s t o « « g a m M rr fr o m h a lm
an d tile p a r ly w as b a g ln m n g to get n o b le m a n
w ith o u t
in su ltin g him
harg. a n r a rb r r i i »
Il» n < Id Irrr« i« u kl< d r a w n to Veri»». b r U m a l t m l l o n * « « o n h e r w ith -
o a t a v a il
s h e r o n s r n U l a g o to hi« t o w n w it h h im a n d a r r e s t * a « a« lt!o n
aa a r a h a r v t m t r v t a l n r r In h la alarw o f b a s ta r * « .
Ill* k ( o í r l a u n «a r r e « » fa llr a ttr m a ta to p re v e n t h r r g oin g . A ft e r th r ill*
I n r a d v r n t a r r « «h r n r a p n fr o m th r a n ■■ t a a a lo a « He »1er w h rn h r i l n w t
h i* t r a r ro to r«, an d I» b r fr t r n d r d b » H r t l l a g h t i o d f r r , . k a n d w m r ro a n g
r l r r i t m « « w ho Im m r d ta lr lv fa lla a n d rr th r a n rll o f h r « m va trrlo a a r h a rm
Nhe r r fa a r « lo m a r »» H r t f i o d f r r » b rra a a r «h r h a « a m b itio n « fo r som e-
th ln g b etter
N hr g a r « to W rh-h. W V a , w h r r r aa w a it r r « « la a N r g r o r a f r . «h r la
r o o i t r d bv Hr C h a rlie M r r r r * . p ro m in e n t bo al d e n tisi. T o ra ra o r h i« at -
trn tio n a sh r a n r p b w ork aa m a id In th r h o m r o f a mirar «u ü r r ln lr n d r u t
In th r h ill«
A fte r a rv rn
m o n th « t h r r r «h r m r r l « h i« d a n « h ie r M a r g o t
V a m r , . an a rlU I. w h o r a m o v r r V r r n a '« b r a u lr and h rr v o irr , and a rg ra
h rr to io n ie to N rw Y o rk prom lalng to h r lo hrr If «h r dor*.
H o m rtlm r la lr r . b rra a a r o f m r r lln g a ga in w ith lllr k C o lvin , V r r n a Ira v ra
fo r N rw Y ork
A rriv in g , « h r la la k r n In hand b » M a r g o t Y a n r r v w h o a «ra
h r r aa a in od rl b rra a a r o f h rr n r r fr r t body
V r r u « a la v a th r w ork and la
a a rrra a fa l In g r ttln g r m o lo v m r n l fr o m o t h r r arttata In fi r r r n w i r h V llla g r
Nrron «h r la m a k in g m o rr m o n r r th a n a h r r v r r d rra n trd «t ir 'd r a m
T h r r r m o n th « la lr r ro m ra th r Itra u a A ria Hall. M a rg o t p rra u a d r« V rrn a
to g o dressed a « th r lin e e n o f Sheba
N hr la a «rn a a lto n . r«n r* la llv w h rn
• h r »In g a " T h r E th io p ia n larvr N an g." T h r a u d trn rr gora w ild an d t o n n i
t r r d ln a n d d r K a a lh o n n r «n r r u m h « In h r r r h a r m a n d olTrra to p a , fo r th r
tra in in g o f hrr v o irr b> a g n at
n u v lr r
s ltr t u r p i , a m i r< lu rn a h om r
iu lilU n t o v rr hrr triu m p h
•
g a y w h rn th e d oorb ell ra n g a n d W r n -
d ell D a lto n w aa a d m itte d an d a n
n ou n ced
V e r n a looked e a g e rly to
«re w h a t tie looked like, but a t th at
tim e th e orclta atra bore d ow n h e a v ily
T h e n M a rg o t took h e r to th e c o m e r
o f th e room w here th e g re a t N egro
c o m p o se r-p ia n ist »at su rro u n d e d by
a b e vy o f ch a rm in g la d les, an d tn -
tra d u ce d th e tw o.
V e rn a m um b led , w ith a little aw e.
th a t sh e w ould. S h e Joined th e c ir
cle o f a d m irin g w om en on w hose
o u te r circle s stood a r a th e r e n vio u s
g ro u p o f m en
D a lto n w as th e c e n te r
o f a ttr a c tio n . A s h e w en t on ta lk in g ,
d escrib in g h is la te s t triu m p h In L o n
don. d iscu ssin g th e w ork o f A n a to le
F ra n ce ,
c o m m e n tin g on
E o ste tn 's
scu lp tu re , g iv in g h is view s on th e p r o -
N O W . CIO O N W I T H T I I K S T O R Y
C H A I T E K F R U IT
♦ at th e ir d lsla n c e , m y d ear, w ithout
In su ltin g tlie m o r m a k in g th em feel
P r o f W a ld e m a r K o m flo r t s stu d io c h e a p "
o f voice w as th e g a llir r ln g p la c e of
" O h . I th a n k you so m u ch , M argot
a ll th ose w h o d esired to h a v e th e a il- V ou h a v e been su ch a h e lp to m e."
1 III
fl I
ltl \< K
I loll
v a n ta g e s o f his su |ie rla llv e In s tru c
tion . H liigcrs w h o ha<l a lrrk c> m ade
th e ir m ark on Ilic co n c e rt sta g e and
w h ose nam ns a p p e ared III la rg e type
In
tlie
m e tro tx illta n
n ew spap ers,
c a m e th ere for a d d itio n a l tra in in g
P - o f Kom lTort » stu dh
w as w orld
fa m o u s, an d In th e cou rse o f th e
a fte rn o o n one m ig h t m eet th e r e any
n u m b e r o f g r e a t ce le b ritie s o f th e
m u s lr a l w orld
It w as e x c e e d in g ly fo rtu n a te Uiai
V r r n a h ad been a b le to lia v e C o u n t
F e rd in a n d d r R a a lb o o n e to h a v e her
e n ro lle d as a pu pil anti p a y fo r Iter
tu itio n
O th e rw ise
sh e ' w ou ld not
h a v e been ab le to get th e tra in in g
a fro n te d b ecau se o f th e tre m e n d o u s
expen.se in vo lved
T w o a ft e r n - kids a
w e e k she n im r fo r a sin g le h a lf h ou r
w h ic h cost tw e n ty d o lla rs.
P r o f K om lT ort w as u n it u a ltv r.t-
t c n ilv c to h er
A sh o rt, b r w h u k r r e d
little m an w h o m ad e n u m e ro u s g rs-
tlculatlon.«. ta lk e d In te rm in ab ly , rolled
hi.* e y e s a n d Hew Into a ra ge a t ttie
s lig h te s t
m ista k e
he Im m ed ia tely
sueetitubed to V e rn a 's
c h a rm
an d
w a s m ore p olite to h e r th a n Ur m a n y
o f th e g r e a t c o n c e rt s m g rrs w h o
took Iris in stru ctio n
s h e h a d been a tte n d in g th e stu d io
o n ly th re e w eeks w h en th e fu s s y lit
tle m an m ad e
th e
In evitab le a d
vance.*
W ould sh e go lo d in n e r w ith
h im ? W ould s h r irerm lt h im to ta k e
h e r to th e o p e ra ? W ou ld sh e a ccep t
a box o f c a n d y ? E a c h d ay t h r r r wa*
a n ew ro p ie s t put morr
e a rn e stly
t h a n b efore
V ern a le a r n « tire fla m e
said V rrn a , p la c in g h e r h an d o n th e
w h ite g ir l's sh ou ld er
" I d o n 't know
w h at I sh o u ld h a v e d on e w ith o u t you
a ll a lo n e In th is g r e a t c ity , k n o w in g
n o on e "
" I t w as a d e lig h t a n d a p lea su re
to h a v e you con ic an d to h e lp you.
V ern a d e a r." M arg o t re p lied
"Y o u
h a v e p roved y o u rse lf e v e ry Inch a
la d y an d a c re d it to m y Ju d gm en t o f
c h a ra c te r.
Now. te ll ine. h ow are
you g e ttin g on w lU i C o u n t do R a a l-
b o n n r ?"
"H e 's w o rry in g m e m ore th a n P ro f
K o n d fo rt. Y o u see h e h a s m ore tim e
• t h “ d isp o sa l th a n P r o f. Kom lTort
“ n d > c o n se q u e n tly . It la h a rd e r to es-
| c “ *>r l,,m
Hc la a lw a y s a sk in g m e
| 10
r >dmg In Uie c o u n try w ith h im .
10 com e to h is a p a r tm e n t, to go
(abroad, a t« ' a th o u sa n d an d one o th er
I W m * - I a lw a y s h u ve to p lead b u sl-
" * ' * b u t 1 c » " *” ' >*c la g e ttin g tired
o f ,b B t
l d o n 't kn o w h ow I c a n k eep
i on « void in g hint. M urgot.
A fte r all.
, Y o u know , h e is pay in g m y tulU on
®l,‘l * ° 1 *"> »*• h is d eb t."
I M a rg o t Y a n c e y w a s th o u g h tfu l fo r
**"vn al secon d s.
S h e h ad com e to
lovc V ern a N ash, a* h ud everyb o d y
el* In th e a rtis tic se t o f O re e n w lc h
V illa g e . S h e d id n 't w a n t to see Uie
colored g ir l g e t Into a n y d ittlcu ltlcs
from w h ic h It w ou ld Ire d ifficu lt to
e x tr ic a te h er
A n d y e t sh e rea lised
i t h a t It w ould n o t be very e a sy to
1 avo id b oth P r o f K om lT o rt an d C o u n t
de Itau lb o n n r. w hom sh e k n ew to be
1 tw o p e rs iste n t su ito rs o f b e a u tifu l
v/onren.
T o th em . V e r n a w as a n
( e x o tic c re a tu r e , a ra re flow er to be
p lu ck ed un d th e n c a s t a sid e w h en
"W h u t sh a ll I d o ? " sh e Itnally w in tered
a sked M argot. "I d o n ’t w a n t tir ot-
T h e P a rty
fr iid him M urgot. b ut I re a lly don't
" Y o u m u st m eet W en d ell D a lto n .
w a n t to be go in g abou t w ith h im In
ou t su d d en ly
th e llrst place, h e's U ni old a n d . In V e rn a ." s're b lu rted
Uie n e x t p la c e h e 's not co lored an d | H e l1 a p p re c ia te k n o w in g you a n d 1
tha- w ould m a k e It e x tre m e ly e m know y o u 'll sh a re th e fe elin g. He 1 »
on e o f th e fin est an d m ost a c c o m
b a rra ssin g "
T u n d e rs ta n d ," said M u rg o t, c o m plished y o u n g m en I know , w h ite or
fo r tin g ly , " S t ill I d on 't th in k Uiere b lack, a n d c e rta in ly a cre d it to hla
w ould be a lly h arm In go in g lo d in ra ce ”
" D o you m ea n tire c h a p w h o w rote
n er w ith h im a t on e o f th e re s ta u
ra n ts h ere In th e v illa g e or lo th e T h e E th io p ia n L o ve Hong ?" asked
op era.
A fte r all. V rrn a , you m ust V ern a, a little e x cite d ly.
" Y e s . I 'll c a ll h im u p an d see
rem em b e r th a t W a ld e m a r K om fTort,
d ow n
W e ll
u g ly an d ,u n n y a s he Is. Is a g re a t w h en h e c a n com e
pow er In th e m u sica l w orld. Hy b e 'th ro w ' a p a r ly as a n e xc u se ." M a r
in g n ice 10 him yoti m ay « lla lli s u c go t re a ch e d fo r tire te le p h o n e and
ce ss m u ch q u ick e r th a n you w ould r a ile d a n u m b e r u ptow n .
T h r e e e v e n in g s la ter, th e p a rty w as
o tlu rw lsr
A m on g th ose
p resen t
w ere
"W e h a v e to use our h e a d s In th is held
w orld . V ern a, an d som etim es we m ust F red W atk in s, W ill K o n d o sk l. F ro l
K
om
lTort.
C
o
u
n
t
de
K
a
alb
o
n
n
e
.
Au
do th in g s th a t a re d ista ste fu l.
O el
m e r ig h t, now
I do n ot m ea n th a t g u s tin s de H llva, tlur g re a t co n tra lto .
you sh o u ld lie In d iscreet; I m erely M y rtle von Ill-wen th e n o velist, C la ir e
m ean llu it you sh o u ld be c o u r t e o u s . P a n th e r , th e b e a u tifu l b lu e -e ye d Itt-
and ta c tfu l. M ost w om en n e ve r g e t | He a ctre ss, a n d a n u m b e r o f o th ers
a n y w h e re tn life. V ern a b ecau se h e y ¡o f e q u a l p ro m in e n ce
A th re e -p ie ce
d o n o t u se la rt
Y o u c m k-- p m n o rc h e s tra from H arlem p la yed h ot
Verna . all excited his lonK black fingers scampered over the keyboard and brought
it weird exotic chords and strains that brought visions of great palms nodding over
a crescent shaped beach carpeted with white sand.
wh h
ms
from
upon a “ s to m p " a n d se v e ra l o f th e
W e n d e ll D a lto n w as ta ll, slen d er.
m en su rro u n d e d h e r C o u n t de K a a l Jet b lack, w ith p e a rly w h ite te e th ;
bonne. tall. Im m a cu la te ly
tailo re d , w ith lon g sle n d e r fe e t a n d h an d s, an d
sa rd o n ic a n d co u rteo u s, re a ch e d h er a c e rta in
g ra c e fu l,
cou rteou s. In
first.
d olen t in solen ce a b o u t h im t h a t w as
"■ et eea m y d an ce , ees e e l n o t? " In trigu in g
H e w as su p e rio r w ith o u t
h e Inquired w ith p o litely a rc h e d e ye - In a n y w ay a tte m p tin g to be. H e w as
bro
b e am in g d ow n upon h e r " Y o u on e o f th o se m en w h o u n con sciou sly
prom ise h e em to m e. re m e m b a lr? "
d o m in a te a n y a sse m b la ge . H is p e r
W ith sw e e t re lu cta n o e V e rn a , r e
sp le n d e n t In a long, d in g in g , green
e v e n in g d ress w ith slip p e rs a m i Jade
b ra ce le t, e a r r in g s a n d n e ck la ce to
iiMitch. rose la n g u id ly a n d p e rm itte d
h im to lea d h e r to th e d a n c e floor.
As sh e w e n t site trie d to g e t a glim p se
o f th e n ew a rriv a l, a n d . fa ilin g , sh e
te c tlv e
t a r iff
w ith
on e b re a th , a n d
on th e ra c e prob lem w ith
a n o th e r,
th e a sse m b la g e fo rg o t th e m u sic an d
listen ed r a p tly ; b u t none m o re rap t ly
th a n V e rn a N ash .
W h a t a m a n ! sh e m u rm u re d to
h e rself. C o m p a re d w ith h im . a ll th e
o th e rs sh e h a d k n o w n p aled Into In
sig n ifica n ce . K o m ffo r t w as a m ere
fe ct co m m a n d o f E n g lish a n d his
e q u a lly p e rfe c t e n u n c ia tio n w ere a r p ro fesso r a lb e it a fa m o u s on e; C o u n t
re stin g
de R a a lb o n n c w as a m ere w e a lth y ,
d e c a d e n t F re n c h n o b lem a n ; D ic k C o l
V e r n a Is C a p tiv a te d
" I t Is a p le a su re to k n o w you, Mls-s vin. D o n a ld B a x te r. H u gh O o d fre y ,
N ash ," tie sa id co u rte o u sly,
rising a n d D r C h a r lie M eyers, alt w ere so
an d bow in g in a c o u rtly O ld W orld
m a n n e r " W ill you n o t Join u s ? "
1
('u n tim ie g « a F a c e P iva