The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-28
DER ALTE CHAPERON.


then they often make mistakes like that.
Kangaroos can't jump like women when
the women are jumping at conclusions.
You see, the trouble was that Coils
Beattie-Collie they called him when
they wanted to be funny-did not have
much TO say. He used to lie about the
hotel veranda in big steamer chair and
read novels. He wore yachting suit
and cap and a silk shirt. He did not
look bit salt, because the skin of his
face was as white and as smooth as a
baby's. So they laughed at him for
wearing yachting suit. All the other
fellows wore them, because il was
yachting port upon the sound, and pretty
much every one went in for sailing,
which was about all there was to do al
the place. Collie went sailing once or
twice when some generous fellow took
pity on him and invited him. Then the
women laughed at him more, and in
strange German called him Der Alte
Chaperon-the Old Chaperon-because
he always went down into the cabin.
stretched himself on locker and fell
asleep. They said he was afraid the
spray would spoil his complexion.
Collie didn't seem to know that he
was being laughed at. If he did know
it he did not mind it. He never said
anything, but went on reading novels.
German novels, too; and he read them
in the original. 1t was most exaspera-
ting. What business had man at a gay,
active summer resort to wear nautical
toggery, have skin like queens baby
and read German novels? Once some
one said to him:
Come and play game of billiards"
THANK you" he replied. ''it's little
too much for me you know"
He certainly was a fool-and lazy
one, too. They tried him on several
things, bat he lay IN the steamer chair
and read German. And there were at
least six beautiful girls in the hotel.
And every one Of them had been piqued
into trying to interest him. But he Just
staid In the steamer chair and read Ger
man. or went to sleep in the cabin of the
yacht,
He didn't get seasick. They remern-
bered that after he was gone. as one Of
his good qualities. They had him cut
one day when it blew fresh and there
was lively sea on, bat he went 10 sleep
like rocked infant He certainly was
the most torpid man hat ever lived
Never mind" sad Mrs. Bisbee one
morning, "Miss Silvers is coming here
next week. Perhaps she'll wake him
up
''You don't mean Matte Silvers, do
your exclaimed Gertie Greer.
Eyes, do"
"Oh, DEAR
And Gerties mouth went down at the
corners
whats the msttsr with Matte Sill
yers~ inquired Ethel Brisket-
"Oh, nothing" answered Gertie, de-
iectedly; +oniy | was at a place where
she was once"
well, what Of it, demanded Sybil |
vsne. that tall. white girl, you reInen-
Der.
well sighed Gsr;ie. every man IN |
the house dropped right down at her |
feet"
"Oh. my: Is she 50 very wonderfulT
asked Ethel
"Oh, nothing muct replied Gertie;
jus, the nost bez7 = WOMAN / eva
saw, and with two little millions in her
own night
There was a painful silence and al /
the Young women locked GUM GsTtis
vas not girl 70 b s7eezed At. and she
zsed her miTrer. Her dsjectioa was on
nous The girls gzzed azIiously a. Ms
Bisbee.
81 don't want 70 5e disagreeable. +" she
aid smoothly. but I'm afraid IT'S tue
What's her style asked 5ybdL
brown" replied Mrs. Bisbee. senten-
iouslr.
Brown