“Brownie is pretty, and prettier than ever today. Getting married seems to agree with her.”
“I love that bracelet you gave her!”
“Maybe I can find one like it. Would you wear it if I could?”
“You’re just as funny off the stage as on.”
“I don’t mean it funny.”
“It is, though.”
“We’ll have another dance after a while.”
“That’s something to live for.”
“You’re funny yourself, aren’t you? Let’s drink to our funniness.”
They, and the others, had more drinks and more dances. Ben called room service and two waiters eventually appeared with the dinner. It was a rather elaborate meal, but largely unappreciated except for the wine.
“Let’s drink to the bride,” said Wallie.
“She’s a good excuse,” said Ed.
“For a bride?”
“For a drink.”
They rose and drank to Brownie and then to the groom.
“Speech!” said Ruth, who was feeling more at home.
“Don’t!” said Dorothy. “He’ll think you mean it.”
“I do,” said Ruth. “I want to be amused.”
“You picked out a swell method!”
“Can I talk sitting down?” said Jimmy.
“Is there any way you can’t?” said Dorothy.
“You oughtn’t to drink any more. It makes you sour. Or are you just jealous?”
“Jealous! Of what?”
“Of Brownie getting married.”
“Listen: I wish I had Brownie’s looks and her voice and her figure. But her taste in men is laughable.”
“I suppose yours is great!”
“You’re there with the repartee! And you told Harriette Underhill you wrote most of your own lines. If you did, they’d have to remodel the theater and put in couches.”
“The young lady from Detroit wants me to make a speech. Maybe she’ll call on you later.”
“It would be a tough spot, following you, with the audience completely laughed out.”
Jimmy was not to be held off any longer. He got up, took a swallow of wine and began:
“Girls and boys, I don’t have to tell you that this is the happiest day of my life. You all know what I think of Brownie and how happy I am over she and I finally being married, but to complete our happiness we wanted you good pals with us to share our happiness.
“Brownie and I have been sweethearts a long time and I consider her one of the finest characters I have ever met and consider myself lucky in winning such a fine character. If there was more characters like Brownie in the world, we would all be better off and especially show business.
“There may be those who are jealous of Brownie on account of being the outstanding star in her line of work, but I have never yet met the man or woman in our profession who did not love her after they became acquainted or had a word to say against her personally, though if they did, they would not dare say it around me. Brownie is one of the great personalities of show business and if any performer ever richly deserved their success in show business, that person is Brownie.
“Personally I guess I have been lucky or at least a great many people seems to think so anyway. A man can never get to the top in this or any other profession without they call him lucky and speak of them derogatory behind their back.
“They think their remarks will not reach your ears, but I happen to know of things that have been said about me by certain people who claim to be my closest pals, and I am not referring to anybody here as I know you are my real pals and there is nobody here who would talk about me behind my back, though Dorothy has been razzing me a little, but I realize she is just kidding and I guess I ought to be able to stand a little kidding as I do plenty of it myself.
“I hope Brownie and I will be lucky enough to troupe together this season or at least she will be in a success so the both of us can be here in New York. I don’t know much yet about my next troupe, but I guess if I was a sensation in Silly Billy, with what they gave me—”
After ten or twelve minutes more of it, Josie King turned on a record.
“I’m going into my dance,” she said.
And she gave an exhibition of tap dancing that was easily as entertaining as the act it rudely interrupted.
Dinner was over, the tables were taken out and the four girls retired to the bedroom to renew their makeups.
Ruth held the others back after Brownie had joined the men.
“Does anyone know their honeymoon plans?” she asked.
“I don’t believe they have any,” said Dorothy.
“Well,” said Ruth, “don’t you think we ought to break up the party so they can be alone?”
“For the novelty, do you mean?”
“If they wanted to be alone, they didn’t have to have a party,” said Josie. “But regardless of what they want, I’m going home to bed. I rehearsed all night and four hours today and I’ve got to rehearse all day tomorrow. Besides, this isn’t so hot that I can’t bear to tear myself away.”
Jimmy protested that it was early, only nine o’clock, but the rest, including Ben, the host, were all for adjournment.
Dorothy and Josie kissed the bride good night. The bride kissed Ruth, and Jimmy tried to, but she eluded him.
“You were sweet to come,” said Brownie. “Tell Alice how sorry I am that she couldn’t be with us, and I hope she’ll get well soon.”
Dorothy and Josie and Wallie and Ben got in one taxi; Ed and Ruth in another after declining Jimmy’s offer to take them home. They saw the bride and groom start off in Jimmy’s car.
Ruth would have given a great deal to accompany them, invisibly, for a few blocks. She would have been surprised, and annoyed, at Jimmy’s first remark.
“Alice’s sister is cute-looking, but dumber than Alice.”
“I didn’t talk to her much.”
“Neither did I, only while we were dancing. She’s got no personality.”
There was a silence. Then Brownie found her husband’s hand.
“Jim,” she said, “you were
