CHAPTER XIV 

 Back to the Bright Lights 



Around the Auditorium's grim, gray 

 tower one bleak December night the 

 lake winds howled and whirling snow- 

 flakes drifted. City and country alike 

 were in the embrace of the first bliz- 

 zard of the season. Up and down the 

 busy boulevard the myriad lights of 

 taxicabs and limousines were gleam- 

 ing. 



Farrar's Carmen may be all right, 

 but most of those who rolled Loop-wards 

 on the night of which we speak pre- 

 ferred her Madame Butterfly; and all 

 were happy when the storm-bound 

 city streets outside had been exchanged 

 for the atmosphere of spring and cherry 

 blossoms with which the stage-setting 

 for this opera is invested. 



[i45l 



