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raked up She was raised in a village； you know； and when a Broadway
orchid sticks a straw in his hair and tries to call himself a clover blossom
she's on； all right。 I asked her； in a sarcastic vein； if she thought Den… man
Thompson would make any kind of a show in the part。 'Oh； no；' says she。
'I don't want him or John Drew or Jim Corbett or any of these swell actors
that don't know a turnip from a turnstile。 I want the real article。' So； my
boy； if you want to play I 'Sol Haytosser' you will have to convince Miss
Carrington。 Luck be with you。〃
Highsmith took the train the next day for Cran… berry Corners。 He
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remained in that forsaken and inanimate village three days。 He found the
Boggs family and corkscrewed their history unto the third and fourth
generation。 He amassed the facts and the local color of Cranberry Corners。
The village had not grown as rapidly as had Miss Carrington。 The actor
estimated that it had suffered as few actual changes since the departure of
its solitary follower of Thespis as had a stage upon which 〃four years is
supposed to have elapsed。〃 He absorbed Cran… berry Corners and returned
to the city of chameleon changes。
It was in the rathskeller that Highsmith made the hit of his histrionic
career。 There is no need to name the place； there is but one rathskeller
where you could hope to find Miss Posie Carrington after a performance
of 〃The King's Bath…Robe。〃
There was a jolly small party at one of the tables that drew many eyes。
Miss Carrington； petite； mar… vellous； bubbling； electric； fame…drunken；
shall be named first。 Herr Goldstein follows； sonorous； curly… haired；
heavy； a trifle anxious； as some bear that had caught； somehow； a butterfly
in his claws。 Next； a man condemned to a newspaper； sad； courted； armed；
analyzing for press agent's dross every sen… tence that was poured over
him； eating his a la New… burg in the silence of greatness。 To conclude； a
youth with parted hair； a name that is ochre to red journals and gold on the
back of a supper check。 These sat at a table while the musicians played；
while waiters moved in the mazy performance of their duties with their
backs toward all who desired their service； and all was bizarre and merry
because it was nine feet below the level of the sidewalk。
At 11。45 a being entered the rathskeller。 The first violin perceptibly
flatted a C that should have been natural； the clarionet blew a bubble
instead of a grace note； Miss Carrington giggled and the youth with parted
hair swallowed an olive seed。
Exquisitely and irreproachably rural was the new entry。 A lank；
disconcerted； hesitating young man it was； flaxen…haired； gaping of mouth；
awkward； stricken to misery by the lights and company。 His clothing was
butternut； with bright blue tie； showing four inches of bony wrist and
white…socked ankle。 He upset a chair； sat in another one； curled a foot
around a table leg and cringed at the approach of a waiter。
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〃You may fetch me a glass of lager beer；〃 he said； in response to the
discreet questioning of the servitor。
The eyes of the rathskeller were upon him。 He was as fresh as a collard
and as ingenuous as a hay rake。 He let his eye rove about the place as one
who re… gards； big…eyed； hogs in the potato patch。 His gaze rested at length
upon Miss Carrington。 He rose and went to her table with a lateral； shining
smile and a blush of pleased trepidation。
〃How're ye； Miss Posie？〃 he said in accents not to be doubted。 〃Don't
ye remember me … Bill Sum… mers … the Summerses that lived back of the
black… smith shop？ I reckon I've growed up some since ye left Cranberry
Corners。
〃'Liza Perry 'lowed I might see ye in the city while I was here。 You
know 'Liza married Benny Stanfield； and she says 〃
〃Ah； say！ 〃 interrupted Miss Carrington； brightly； 〃Lize Perry is never
married … what！ Oh； the freckles of her！〃
〃Married in June；〃 grinned the gossip； 〃and livin' in the old Tatum
Place。 Ham Riley perfessed reli… gion； old Mrs。 Blithers sold her place to
Cap'n Spooner； the youngest Waters girl run away with a music teacher；
the court…house burned up last March； your uncle Wiley was elected
constable； Matilda Hos… kins died from runnin' a needle in her hand； and
Tom Beedle is courtin' Sallie Lathrop … they say he don't miss a night but
what he's settin' on their porch。〃
〃The wall…eyed thing！〃 exclaimed Miss Carring… ton； with asperity。
〃Why； Tom Beedle once say； you folks； excuse me a while this is an
old friend of mine Mr。 what was it？ Yes； Mr。 Summers Mr。
Goldstein； Mr。 Ricketts； Mr。 Oh； what's yours？ 'Johnny''ll do come on
over here and tell me some more。〃 She swept him to an isolated table in a
corner。 Herr Goldstein shrugged his fat shoulders and beck… oned to the
waiter。 The newspaper man brightened a little and mentioned absinthe。
The youth with parted hair was plunged into melancholy。 The guests of the
rathskeller laughed； clinked glasses and enjoyed the comedy that Posie
Carrington was treat… ing them to after her regular performance。 A few
cynical ones whispered 〃press agent〃' and smiled wisely。
Posie Carrington laid her dimpled and desirable chin upon her hands；
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and forgot her audience a faculty that had won her laurels for her。
〃I don't seem to recollect any Bill Summers；〃 she said； thoughtfully
gazing straight into the innocent blue eyes of the rustic young man。 〃But I
know the Summerses； all right。 I guess there ain't many changes in the old
town。 You see any of my folks lately？〃
And then Highsmith played his trump。 The part of 〃Sol Haytosser〃
called for pathos as well as comedy。 Miss Carrington should see that he
could do that as well。
〃Miss Posie；〃 said 〃Bill Summers；〃〃 I was up to your folkeses house
jist two or three days ago。 No； there ain't many changes to speak of。 The
lilac bush by the kitchen window is over a foot higher； and the elm in the
front yard died and had to be cut down。 And yet it don't seem the same
place that it u