The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-03-04
CHAPTER TX
MADEMOISELLE.

In the morning of the following day
we were engaged about a business
which troubled me no little. Had it
not been for Jerome I fear I had never
come through it at all with credit.
First, we repaired TO another house
which Jerome possessed in a more
fashionable quarter, and thither by his
directions came a fawning swarm Of
tailors, ~bootmakers, BARRIERS, wigmak-
ers; vendors Of silken hose and men
with laces, jaunty caps, perfumes-it
was a huge task, this making a gentle
man of meas Jerome phrased 1t.
l worried over 1t grievously in the
beginning, but at length sulIenly de-
livered myself into his hands. murmur-
ing an abject prayer for the salvation
OF my soul. That, at least. was not to
be remodeled by all their fashionable
concerning what I was to wear were
not for me to put a voice in. Verify.
I knew nothing and cared naught for
h cut Of a shoe my lord of Orleans
had made the style, nor did 1t matter
whether my coat was slashed with
crimson or braided with golden furbe-
lows. Like some wretch a-quivering
Of h palsy I heard the learned doc
tors wrangling over my medicine,
which they must needs hold my nose
to make me swallow. For all their
bases and twistings I Knew full well
they could carve no sprig of fashion
from so rough a block as I. Certes, I
must now have a squire to fasten his
new harness well upon me, for by my
word, 7 knew not n garment from the
other by the sight of it. Jerome went
off into fits Of laughter seeing me try
ing to struggle into things I could not
even guess the use of.
When the worst was over, late in
the afternoon, I felt like a play-actor,
a rnccn1 Gov ~ ~~~t ls,A --L r. A,-
life of him, could not recall one sylla-
bic of his speech, nor breathe because
Of his wig. Jerome surveyed me with
a half-critical, half-approving scrutiny.
until I essayed to buckle on my sword.
by my lady, sir, that dingy old cut
lass will never do for a drawing room.
AS we'll a miller's dusty>cap to cover
those glorious borrowed curls of thine;
we must get thee one shaped in the
mode" This quip exterminated my
patience.
ITO the foul TEND with all this ever
lasting style of thine. I know this
blade, have tested it on many fields,
and by all the gods at once I'll not re-
place 1t with a silly toy"
"A most %virtuous resolution. a most
godly oath, but my mettlesome friend.
I'll point out thy error"
To his insinuating argument, even
in this matter, at length I yielded; sur
rendered with the better grace perhaps
that he provided a most excellent
piece Of steel, which he said had seen
good service. l tried its temper, and
aside with some misdoubtings, casting
off an old friend to strap on a new.
He now added a touch of rouge here
and there, q black line to my brows
and in the corner of my eyes, stepping
back ever and anon to observe the ef-
foot II cpo11n1 = o,y wa -,
force submit. When the whole job was
finished, and I vas allowed to sit, 1
gained no comfort. My clothes were
too tight in some places. while IN eth
eTs i rocked about as loose as a wash
erwoman's arm in her scrubbing tub.
Jerome must now give me some les
sons in department, he called 1t. 1t was
but another name for a smirking and
allowing and a~-grimacing. what was
denominated the etiquette of the
court" Jerome sat himself contented
down, and put me through my PAGES
like some farrier showing off a foun7
dered nag. I more than half believed
he was all the while making game Of
me, yet l knew no better. At any rate
1t was the veriest nonsense.
After a series of rehearsa1s Jerome
withdrew to make himself ready, leav-
Ing me to practice my new acquire
ments Of gait, Of gesture. and of
oPCSSu. W1dl 1ldO ldhell IIS lAS USllST
part Of a laborious day he accom-
plished in a short half our Coming
back unannounced he caught me bow
Ing and scraping before q mirror, like
q man stricken with idiocy. I felt as
ashamed as though I had been detected
hiding In face of the enemy.
Jerome Knocked and tainted me in
to a fine rage, which he deity pacihed
in wonderment at himself. I should
never have known him for h plain
Jerome. Arrayed In much the same
character Of hnery which bedecke6 me.
I could give no accurate description of
his dress. except hat with glossy wig
and a bit of color In his cheeks he