Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, March 28, 1917Various
History
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, March 28, 1917
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
Some people would die rather than talk aloud in a 'bus; others would rather
die than hold their peace there. This second kind is more fun, and four of
it made part of my journey the other day from Victoria to Oxford Street (I
forget the number of the 'bus, but it goes up Bond Street) much less
tedious. They were all young women in the latest teens or the earliest
twenties, and all were what is called well-to-do, and they were fluent
talkers.
Years ago, when poor LEWIS WALLER was at the height of his fame, we used to
hear of a real or fictitious "Waller Club," the members of which were young
women who spent as much time as they could in visiting his theatre and
rejoicing in the sight of his brave gestures and the sound of his vibrant
voice. It was even said that they had a badge by which they could know each
other; although on the face of it, judging by what sparse scraps of
information concerning the nature of woman I have been able painfully to
collect, I should say that segregation would be, in such a case as this,
more to their taste.
Be that true or only invented, it is very clear that in spite of the War
and its shattering way with so many ancient shibboleths the cult of the
actor is still strong; for this is the kind of thing that lasted all the
way from Hyde Park Corner to Vere Street:--
"Did you see him the other day in that ballet? Of course I knew he could
dance, because he can do everything, but I never thought he was going to be
so gloriously graceful as he was."
"But surely you ought to have known. Don't you remember him as the Prince
at the LORD MAYOR'S Ball?"
"And what a wonderful figure he has!"
"I couldn't help wishing that he had only stained his legs instead of
putting on red tights."
"My dear!!!"
"It's his grace that's the wonderful thing about him, I always think. His
ease. He moves so--how shall I put it?--so, well, so easily and
gracefully."
"Don't you love him when he stands with his hands in his pockets?"
"My dear, yes. But what a wonderful tailor he goes to. I always used to
tell my brother to try and find out where his things were made and go to
the same place."
"But of course it's the way clothes are worn much more than the clothes
themselves. I mean, some men can never look well dressed, whereas others
can look well in anything."
"But he does go to the best tailor, I'm sure."
"How many times have you seen this new piece?"
"Six."
"Only six! I've seen it eleven."
"I've seen it three times."
"I've seen it five times; but one of those doesn't count, because when we
got there we found he was ill with chicken-pox. Wasn't that rotten luck?"
"I heard he had been ill, but I didn't know what it was. Was it really
chicken-pox?"
"Yes, poor darling."
"Fancy him having a thing like that! I suppose it's part of the price of
keeping so young."
"Oh, yes, isn't he young!"
"They say this thing's going to run for years."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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