Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-01-23
$ Glya's =
Cbaperon
BY Virginia Leila Wenfs


Mrs. James Dix was looking ont
across the Rue de Rivoli at the morn
ings brightness OF the TuilerIes gar
dens when the boy In the hotel lift
brought her a cablegram.
II was a message from her lord and
master In Chicago declaring that her
immediate presence was required. At
once all the brightness faded out OF the
Tuileries, for the frivolous gayety of
Paris had been especially attractive TO
this portly, easy going. good natured
matron OF the west.
But, mother, you'll have to go alone.
It'll be whole month before my sing
ing lessons are finished, you know"
broke In Elya, who was having her
faxen hair shampooed by real Pari-
sian hairdresser.
Mrs. Dix clasped her ring bedecked
pudgy hands. She always clasped her
hands when she agreed about anything
You'll have to have a chaperon, of
course, dear" she added Now, who
can we get on such a little noticef"
There was silence for a moment.
while the deft fingers OF the hairdress-
er ran through the flaxen hair with
soothing touch. Then Elya's girlish
voice sounded in a delightful treble:
"Oh, mother! / know the very per-
son. She's terribly nice and awfully
ladylike" Elya always emphasized her
adverbs and used indiscriminate ones
at that, land she's an American, and
that's the best OF all-ouchm In her
eagerness she'd turned her head bit
too suddenly, and some soap had got In
her sapphire eyes.
"Oh, know who you mean,' helped
out Mrs. Dix, while her daughter strug-
gled with the soap. You mean Miss
Clemmens, the governess to that little
English boy who died last week? Yes.
she's looking for another engagement,
that's true. And she certainly is
lady"
So Miss Dorothy Clemmens of New
York was engaged to chaperon Elya
Dix for a month In Paris and then
bring her back to America.
To console herself for her mothers
departure, Elya had Miss Clemmens
secure tickets for that nights opera.
She sat In box In her young beauty
set OF by a $500 Paquin gown and Sc
renely allowed the audience to stare.
Already she was learning that the
mission Of the beauty is to support
modistes and TO be stared at Behind
her, robed In some soft, inexpensive
gray stun, with a narrow white lace
collar, sat her chaperon.
The opera was "Siegfried," the scher-
20 of Wagner's great symphony, as
Lavignac has called IT, Upon Miss
Clemmens' music parched soul Shed
not heard an opera for over n year. II
fell like gracious dew and fetched
sweet refreshment When the orches-
ira tells the mood Of Siegfried In the
second act, feeling the first fret Of
awakened passion, her eyes shone like
stars, her lips parted slightly. and just
at that juncture man in the audience
caught her perfect profile as she leaned
slightly forward.
That same look, downward and side
wise and smiling, That exquisite head
in its cloud of wavy dark hair! Paul
Demarest brushed away the years that
had blurred IL all. and then suddenly
he remembered. Yes, he remembered.
oh. It was so long ago. so many years
ago.
And she was in the same box with
that gay little butterfly. that American
fiirt, Elya Dix. Bless Elya Dix! 1t was
the first time he had ever felt grateful
TO her. He would make his way to her
box at the end OF the second act.
"Why, Mr.. Demarest. I'm awfully
glad TO see you Il honestly ami
Thought you'd forgotten me. And I'm
all alone now - mother sailed unex-
pectedly for home this morning-and
I'm all alone now" Elya greeted him
i'm her young untamed effusiveness as
he entered the box.
"All alone?" he questioned gravely.
"Well, there's Miss Clemmens here,
my chaperon. BY the way. she's an
American too. Miss Clemmens, Mr..
Demarest. You've heard mother speak
Of him. I'm sure. Oh. here come
Dickie Marston and Bob Sawyer
How terribly jollyw Elya reached out
her daintily gloved hand to greet two
newcomers.
They were of the aggressive type.
these two English chaps, and In few
seconds Demarest made his way TO
Miss Clemmens In the rear.
do you know, Miss Clemens" he
began curiously, 1.-The last time / saw
you you wore your hair in two braids,
and wrote poem and dedicated it to
the curls at the end"
His voice and mouth were grave, but
there was a smiling CLEAN i'm his eyes.
Miss Clemmens glanced rather blank
ly from beneath her heavy lashes at
this man well under forty.
IL think" she began, with calm
dignity beftting her postion-but just
then. on the very second word of re-
prevail. fash of understanding radiat-
ed over her tired, lovely face. you
surely you're not Prince PAUL."
"The very same-princcss."
Paul Demarest bowed very low.
"But-but why Demarest'- pursued