CHAPTER XIX.—MADGE ANSWERS AN ADVERTISEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 58

CHAPTER XIX.— MADGE ANSWERS AN ADVERTISEMENT.

There had been much wearisome searching for rooms before Phil discovered the little flat of four rooms in a house on the outskirts of Pimlico, and almost within the shadow of the towers of Westminster. , The sitting room was large and airy, and through the gaps between the opposite houses could be obtained glimpses of the river. The situation was convenient for Phil, as it was only a twopenny omnibus ride to his office, or a penny steamboat journey from, the pier at Vauxhall. Madge, of course, was delighted, but then she would have been pleased with whatever Phil chose, for everything he did was right in his sister's eyes, and she felt that nothing could take away from her the happiness she experienced at sharing a home and his life with him. She was inclined to spend her own earnings recklessly in adding little comforts to the rooms that Phil had furnished very simply — a particular chair for him to restin when he came home tired with his day's work, a vass that she knew would delight him with its vivid blu&, colour, ferns to beautify the windows, a cushion for hi? head — until p'bil had to remonstrate with her and tell her to save her money for a rainy day. The time passed very quickly, for she did all the work of their little flat herself, so she did not find the hours long that she spent alone. By 6 o'clock Phil had usr.r.-»y returned, when they would have • their simple dinner, and then-, while the evenings were still warm and light, would stroll out, sometimes into the old gardens of Chelsea Hospital, or across the water to Battersea Park, their companionship growing daily more precious to eacli other, till Phil won"dered Bow he could have lived so long without her. Strange co say, in all the letters that Madge had received from" Mr Lovell, and he wrote frequently, tnere was still no news of his wife, nor of the girl rwho accompanied her, nor any trace of the jewels that Mrs Lovell must have disposed of. Madge sometimes, returning home in the evening with Phil, would chance to sse some wretched, intoxicated woman reeling out of a brilliantly-lighted tavern, and she would look back with a sickening fear lest she should recognise the face of Mrs Loveil. But so far she had never come across her, and then one day she heard from Mr Lovell that he was going abroad for some months and should shut up "The .Towers" for the winter and send nurse and. the children down to St: Leonards till his return ; and Madge guessed that he suspected his wife had left England, and he would be more likely to meet her on the Continent. One evening Phil came home looking troubled and anxious. ■ "What is it?" asked Madge, as she helped him off with his overcoat, for the autumn days were beginning to be chilly, and Phil's chest was weak. „ \ . "The paper is going dovm^ it hasn't half the circulation it had, and I've been asked to-day to accept a lower screw. Hard luck, Madge, when we want every penny ; this little place isn't as cheap as I thought it was going to be. We shall have to live more economically, I'm afraid," said Phil. Madge looked anxiously at her brother's worn face. "I'm the extra expense ; I'm the burden." was what she thought, and resolved to find work for herself to de. "Couldn't I get something in ap office, Phil, during the day, and so keep on this little home? You see, we could shut it up whilst we were away all day," she suggested. 'We'll see, liUle Sis. I'm half afraid we shall have to do that until I can earn a bigger salary. Yet I did so hope to be able to keep you entirely. I'm awfully soitv, Madge," he said. "But I shan't mind, and we shall have j our evenings together just the same. I shall j begin to look out for something at once, and you might make inquiries too, Phil," said Madge, cheerfully. Indeed, she made so light of their triads and anxieties that her brother's face soon •brightened, and the eland was lifted for a time. But. a week passed, and then another, and still Madge was without employment. The weather was getting cold, there was an early spell of severe frost, coals went up in price, and everything seemed to get dearer. Phil had a run of ill-luck with his writings, and had only his salary to 'depend on. One morning, when Madge was scanning the paper to find something likely to suit her, she came across a theatrical advertisement. "... Only ladies with a musical education and good yokes need apply." j Now Madge both played and sang above the average, and after reading the advertisement a second and a third time, she cut it out of the paper, and prepared to answer it in person. "To apply between 12 and 2." The address given was of a theatre of not particularly good standing, situated in one of the nearer suburbs of town. Madge took a train on the District Railway, and reached her destination about half-past 12. Passing the public entrance of the theatre, she made her way round to the side, following a bevy of showy-looking girls in feathered hats and sao coats to it small arched door, where a man was stationed asking each one her business as she passed inside. He was a dirty, seedy -looking individual, who -would have looked the better for a wash and a shave. Madge explained her errand lo him, saying that she had come in answer io an advertisement. Her neat, quiet appearance and refined voice attracted attention, and the girls in front turned round to stare, then said something to each other, and laughed coarsely at the joke. "All right, my dear, you'll take your turn, but the Sipnor ain't 'ere yet, so you'll

the passage. They -won't charge you tc> sib down, so you may take a chair if you can find one," said the doorkeeper. Madge followed tie Mattering, giggling, girls, "who seemed in no hurry and blocked the "way, but presently she made lier "way. through into a small, badly-ventilated-,-dirty-looking room, containing a piano and a few seats — deal forms and a broken chair or two. There were about a dozen, "ladies" of 'all ages and appearances waiting'fiheir. turn," and Madge felt more and more nervous and ill at ease as she noticed the stamp of woman who applied "for this kind of employment. Yet she reasoned withriierself that appearances were often deceptive/ and' there might be respectable as well as good women amongst the motley crew-that-sun-roxmded her, talking in harsh. "Cockneyvoices, and complaining loudly of the Signor's want of punctuality. "Here 'c comes !" exclaimed two or three voices at once, as a man's footsteps were heard in the passage, and the "Signer" entered, with liis hat on and a - big cigar in his mouth. He gave a familiar nod and a rfanoa round the room, then, unbuttoning' his furlined coab" and pulling off his gloyes, seated himself at the piano." - • . "Now, then, lydies,.' please to walk up in yer turn ; I've no time to wite." ■ : ••. His ' Cockney accent was very-pronouncetf,-so Madge concluded his foreign -nationality" " was assumed to makea musical impression. Giving a fierce twirl to his moustaches;- he.; dashed his beringed fingers over the piano v keys with an elaborate flourish of sound. A few bars of a song were, sufficient, and out of the dozen voices that were tried be- s, fore Madge's turn arrived only two were ' pronounced worth anything, and their ■' owners were told to write down their names- ; and addresses. . i Then Madge stepped forward, her knees * trembling so that she could 'har/dly.' stand, 'I and wishing «t that moment Twith^all-'ler heart that she had not come. If Chris- • could see her. what 'would he think! But " it was for Phil's sake — to keep a home \ together ; besides, there, was no .harm in • - it, -she, must not be so sensitive about ; things ;• she must rough it more if she were \ going to get on in the world. >3li Such thoughts as these .passed swiftlythrough her mind ; then she unfastened the* fur at her thro?t, and the man. at the * piano, giving her a bold stare of admiration, told her to run iip the "scale. . Her • voice was a clear contralto, possessing a, wonderfully sympathetic quality and lasting tone. "Now sing a verse of a .song. Do yon know this?" holding out a comic opera thenir vogue. "Yes;" replied Madge, and sang the .first verse of. a. plaintive little convent song'thafecame in the piece. t r She' knew she was singing her worst, she was "annoyed and indignant ;at. „tht^ .scornful -quizzical* glances 01-t'he . womeriy • and the- insolent"lookbf : thesmgrng-ma ! si%rj whose eyes were fixed upon.jher fact/ "\/ ' > "Sitrdown and wait -awhile ; I-thinkyon'Jl do,"' he told her, and with burning,.*cheeKs Madge found a chair near -the door. . A"'s ! she sat there she caught scraps' of. conversation between the girls standing, .near, and an idea of the kind of edstumes thai would be provided for the chorus. ', : "You may choose yer colour, but..they've got to be; rights," said one, and "Madge, seemed to face a new ," horror. v - Tights ! She face the footlights % in tights— neyer ! With a quick glance, to see that the master was not noticing her, she^slipped from her chair into the doorway, and out into the passage. No! she couldn't — she couldn't do that ; her modesty rose in revolt. "Oh, I bept your pardon !" she exclaimed!, for she had trodden on the skirt of » tall woman who was in her way. The woman turned- round with an impatient word, and the- looked at each other in amazed recognition. Madge shrank back halt-irightened, but the other woman put out her hand and drew h«* out into the street. -a j (To be continued.)