New-York tribune., 1907-10-20
TIE Trials of the Cbaperon.
Youthful Spirits. Heedessness and Sometimes Defans
Make Her Duties ANYTHING But Agreeable:


The ideal chaperon must ever he CHEEKY and
equal TO any exertion. She must be worthy of the
trust OF careful mothers. Of which few still ex-
ist IN society. She must be dgnifed and permit
only the attentions of suitable young men TO the
girls under her wing.
Even armed with all these virtues worries arise
that make the popular chaperon vow that she
will never. never again undertake the position Of
'caretaker" for any party of young people.
The bachelors house party is the bette noire Of
almost every young married woman who has at
tempted to be the hostess and proteCtress of his
guests, even when fettered 10y her husbands
presence Such difficulties may arise from
disciplined guest of feminine gender that by
eternal vigilance she may scarcely be able 10 keep
the daEsel in question from playing careless
pranks. which. although laughed and possibly
encouraged by other reckless spirits. would, if re-
ported TO the world at large. seriously impair her
bid for social distinction ever after.
One Young matron, who undertook a week with
merry Long Island party, upon arrival with her
husband found that two of the girls she had OK
pected TO meet the train had taken the train
ahead Just for lark and had preceded her to
me house OF the bachelor host for the fun Of
surprising her. Fortunately, she had waited
over until later train upon their non-appearance
At the depot, but instead had detailed one of the
extra men guests 10 wait for them This unlucky
youth was the victim of a broken arm in q rail-
way accident that occurred the later train and
was besides delayed by this occurrence until al
Wllere no money could hire a conveyance to COM
plete the journey. The episode somewhat calrned
The madcaps, as they realized that had their
chaperon been similarly delayed they would have
brought comment of no desirable kind UPON Them
serves AS IT was. they got the serious rebuke that
they justly deserved, and upon the completion os
me visit their respective mothers We're told frankly
That they would not be chaperoned again b,, Mrs
B. The remainder of the week was unmarked ~,
unpleasant happenings until the very end vrhen
girls s~a,a
BY notes in disguised handwriting they invited the
party to a luncheon at a club some distance ayyav
bolA OF lle potters ieigned severe headaches when
me men, the other girls and q substitute cbaDe
ron departed in the automobiles The actual chan
eron' who had remained properly at homo IN cara
ioF tae InEaids. went 10 her room after luncheon
l" write some important letters that had been
awaiting some such opportunity On going later
70 tlelr respective she found thar The lir5s
had flown AT afternoon tea they reanneared eob
WIN youth from the neighborhood in TOW, ba,,
ing oeen on nuttng. The others came in from ,bei
5e, P ue'sIy @ eisguested at having been victimzed
1ey haa met many other friends on arriving at te
later tbst an ~ a. Was not until week or so
kLAs on meeting her recent host revealed tbe id,
sion of the of the two Girls T Fo 'IG ois- &
1o, gI etle many entertainments that this eligible
III dhe innocent picnic is another affair at which
tLe CHapefoh can be made miserable as +be -
cursions or explorations deux are frAonepiI t
pLo!oneed Ior etiquette. Also. If there is a sf,y oT
" rcd
Tor and provided with young man at eJ,er, G t go
for each unwilling one makes his escape 10 pre-,
- slniiee as soon as an excuse can be invented
Inc waIlnower at a dance is a proposition that
obdurate and nine out Of ten seldsbI ie men are
hlnS ana openly refuse requests from the hostess
favorite. unless she is known to be W eItB Bil @ not
fhe sirI s 9me eaNce Is grudgngly asked for and
shortest possible time. " Int
q one ne Of OF the chspgTon's most uncomfortable tasks
care Just before some event. with The excnsa ~ ~
girl turns out TO be attractive and well manneraS r
ne entire party gains by her presence but some
woods where dances were few and far between
The suppiiant pleaded sudden Illness Could ber
goVerness, who was the possessor of a good French
husband and she both so fond Of her and toot
ner ner every Place and the season had been so dHi
Ildt 10 lose this great pleasure meant much for
any ore young and keen for enjoyment Good
factory arrangements with the 5fretn ana fdtis-
VINO was only slightly known TO her being a new
guests Of the situation and got promises from ali
fb voI'T- T9g9 & 90 everytnlng they could to give
start came but no governess; a half hour Of wait
vduai WITH the roar i ~, keFg eIt-possessed indi-
and with no apology introduced herself On reacb
rated herself from the little crowd as soon M as sePa, pa
Laa oeeH asked by the men for dances. Between
dances she disappeared 20 the most remote cnrnerr
Of the veranda with her employers husband hoi5
iers with air OF injured Innocence cacuIafed 10
appeal 10 the cflivalry OF the men No strateev or
a
iold and the entire evening spoiled by an
anxiety as TO her next departure. The climax was
reached WREN she vanished after supper for several
.iances and was found smoking with several cal
,o% youths IN summer house overhanging Ghe
axe The return home fraught with dif1cul
aes as n,sdemoisee ma. preferred going the entire
oistaIce with Der employer in his auto instead oS
entering one OF the others and accompanying the
party as far as the chapeTon's house. ~
IN tne emo she had her comma de and
replies ~ ''4u "eiIaiie
The day after found a most unhappy chaperon.
t.fefy 9ncther In the community blamed her for the
events OF the evening before. Those with daugIo
ters blamed her for bringing such detrimentaI
person 10 the dance, and those with sons wera
sun more emphatic in their Remuneration The
Invalid mad recovered sufficiently 20 be spitefuI and
defended her protegee's conduct by saving IN was
the girls nationality that gave her such VivacIous
temperament and that she was proud and senst-
i've ahd resented meeting with condescension from
any one. The feud that arose from this enisoda
was OF long standing the Ignorance of the W.
and their disregard for even miner 20 non
Fennonaiiues in the coming and going OF made
inoisele ara the husband made 1t impossible 10 in
ciuoe the emplUyc IN the usual Invitations extended
70 any wei behaved young person in a like posi-
non. SO the peaceful little community took ione
10 recover from the intrusion. and the chaperon
mas eyer since been wary Of extending fayors
minor annoyance comes when one Of the men
TO LOOK SMART
AHnIFiH ala