Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-13

able gift that yielded to impulse and sat
down at my desk to write them the card Of
thanks which felt that courtesy demanded
Of me. After this / ceased to be surprised
when I was the recipient OF various toslct
articles, but took them calmly as "por-
quisites of Office" But 1 was wary of writ
ing any more notes of thanks. for before
the week was ended daintlly printed cir
cular came by mail from the chemists em-
bodying my note Of thanks And when re-
quests came from all these donors of I'M
solicited gifts from the membership list of
the Nota Bene 1 began to learn caution.
Calling up Mrs. Parsons on the telephone
told her of the dilemma I'm which they had
placed me. for II did not seem courteous to
refuse. and / had sense enough To know il
would not do to send them the list.
Mercy mel j should say not. she said.
'You would be in hot water at once. There
one shall give the lists outside of the mem
bership. The president may give few
away to other women. using great discre-
ton: but II is risky thing to do
Yet IL seems so dscourteous in me to fs-
fuse polite request like the one had this
morning from Blank Brothers" l am
swered.
BLANK Brothers are all right" was the
response. But the minute you begin
there is no stopping. Write them that
you are more than sorry. and wouii,
personally, be willing to do them any favor
in your power: but that this is club mat
ter, and you could not give 6r loan the
list without the consent of your executive
board That's a digniied way out \ way
l was forced to accept. Every president or
a large club knows how to sympathizs
with me there.
When the appointed time came for
to go to Florines | made an elaborate
toilet donning my beautiful carnation
evening gown. l went alone. not caring
to have the conditions of the sitting known
to my club friends.
In the reception room al Florine's / met
The cpunt / did know until long
ward that the great photographers atten-
ton had been called to me by the illustrious
foreigner his lifelong friend. He came for
ward with both hands extended, appearing
to be genuinely surprised.
so the American rose-in-bloom comes to
re great, re wonderful Florine?' he began.
1T is well, tres bien. Eef | may have re
honour to present you, mon Florine' and
dragged the artist forward. 1T is re great
Madame Henuing of ze woman's club, presi-
dent" And he bowed low and kissed my
hand. strange feeling of repulsion mixed
with the attraction he held for me and L
half wished had not come. But 1t passed.
as 1t always did after a momentary twinge
of dislike for the foreigner.
IF madame would permit the count to
come to the gallery with us?" ventured
Florine hesitatingly. His taste may sup
plement my own and together may give
the nadames beauty such setting as It
deserves
The count kissed my hand with fervor
as ] consented, carelessy might any
dEUeueu woman OF the world. but L could
not suppress lingering wonder IL my be-
ing shut away in the studio for a long hour
with these two Frenchmen was exactly en-
regle The question. however. was not
w ould Joe like it?' but DO they think il
quite correct? Would they approve It i'm
their own wives?" They gave no evidence,
If they did not, and devoted themselves to
studying my best points and discussing
poses and lights and shadows az n had
been hired model. When II was all over
ana dozen negatives had been made the
count turned to me and smiled again.
L shall demand fee for services" he
declared. II have worked worked, worked
all morning. shall-what you call it,
take toll? shall have the prettiest picture
Oh Ia Belle Americane-eh, Fiorine?"
with madame's consent" the artist re-
phed, looking away from us Madame
shaii have as many as she wishes for her
own, to do what she desires with them"
Anthem, ees 1t too much to hope?" and
me count again bent low over my hand
comment?"
/ smiled. but did not answer I preferred
library.
Toward the end of March the Count de
Beauvais left for the east. and suddenly life
became tame and fiat. Why 1 wofslere,
do not American men master the art of
making themselves agreeable to women? 1
missed the little attentions. the morning
punch of violets, the box parties at various
theaterS, the constant adulation which had
become part of my daily life. plunged
more enthusiastically into club affairs than
ever before, arranging a series of musicales
which added both to our social popularity
and our club treasury. / saw little of my
children, and only occasionally discussed
household matters with my mother.
ut isn't at all necessary. told myself
''She is a much better housekeeper than 1
am, and knows ten times better how to
bring up children. That is her meter; be-
Ing leading clubwoman is mne-for the
present, at least AS for Joe. well, / hope
he is enjoying life as well as | ana con-
tingency l might have doubted had he taken
the trouble to write oftener and more at
length, or had j taken the trouble to read
his letters the second time.
To be sure there were certain committee
meetings which l could have well spared,
for was not interested deeply i'm education
1t pertained to the public school Mu-
nicipal affairs and legislative work had its
charms, since through those committees 1
must appear before councils and assembly
men, as president of the Nota Bene. which
I made a point of doing in becoming attire.
For felt II part of my mission to con-
vince the unthinking world that the up-to-
date clubwoman is not necessarily trump.
My studies the art of dressing In those
days would have done credit to costumer.
(To be continued tomorrow