Page 12 - 1912 February - To Dragma

TO DRAG MA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN CENTER

( A N EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM ISABELLE HENDERSON.)

But Chicago, Virginia, it is interesting! I'm f u l l of work up to
the chin. Sometimes I feel guilty in writing letters, but I do have
to do this once in a while—so I hope you'll pardon me i f they are
few or far between.

I just came from my class in dancing!—at the Lmiversity Settle-
ment. I have an invitation to tea there December 3. Once I had
Sunday tea there—the first Sunday I spent in town. And this my
initiation into a Settlement was a most pleasant one. I couldn't place
old spinning-wheels, brasses, oriental rugs, big leather chairs in the
living room, and the long table with doilies, blue china and the de-
licious things to eat. I couldn't place these with my idea of a set-
tlement. Miss McDowell is one of the prominent people of Chicago,
and she is the head resident.

At the Chicago Commons, we've been having a Harvest Festival—
I had three groups of children—but the work of this wasn't any-
thing to my method of reaching the place. I groaned inwardly and
spoke audibly on the subject to any one who cared to listen. The
principal street I rode on is only thirty miles long—I didn't travel
the thirty miles—an hour's ride was quite sufficient for me. I t is a
Polish-Jewish and a thousand other ish's neighborhood—not to
mention the "Stock Yards." I was either pinned in between two
seats with those ish's all around me—sitting jammed up close to an
intoxicated ish or being tossed hither and thither into these ish's
arms. The Festival ended in time to save my reputation, for I was
on the point of taking up smoking so I could stand outside on the
section reserved for smokers. Here at Lincoln Centre, our Festival
is Saturday night in the auditorium—the over worked B. M . of To
DRAGMA is to make her debut in Chicago as Mother Earth.

I come in tripping lightly and gracefully (to accompanying music)
with a green drape over my best night gown, my hair hanging—
rather flowing, having been put up in curls on the previous Friday
night. And following in my wake are fairies, flowers, etc. I and
my palpitating heart and fairies and flowers, etc., go careering
round the stage, and gradually I fall asleep. Then there should
be a curtain,—but there is no curtain—so I wake up and glide out.

The last act—the O. W. B. M . of T . D. again appears—as a
rollicking maiden, snapping corn, dancing "Pop goes the Weasel"
and the "Dargason."

I f you don't believe I am getting diversions and experiences, then