The Somerset reporter., 1907-01-31
Sc Glya's 50
Cbaperon
BY Virginia Leila Wenfz
Copyright, 1906. by K. {. PARCELS

G
Mrs. James Dix WIS looking out
across the Rue de Rivoli at the morn
ings brightness of the Tuileries gar
dens when the boy in the hotel lift
brought her cablegran.
1t was message from her lord and
master in Chicago declaring that her
immediate presence was required. At
once all the brightness faded ont 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 "A whole month before my sing
ing lessons are finished. you know,
broke in Elya who was having her
tlaXen hair shampooed 10y IA 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 chaperon, of
course. dear she added. Now. who
can we get on such little notice."
There was silence for moment.
while the deft fingers of the hardress-
er ran through the flaXen hair with Il
soothing touch Then. Elya's girlish
voice sounded in delightful treble:
"Oh, mother. | know the very per.
son. She's terribly nice and awfully
ladylike' Qlya always emphasized her
adyerbs and used indiscriminate ones
at that, and she's an American. and
that's the best of all-ouch." In her
eagerness she'd turned her head a 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
Clemens. the goyerness to that little
English boy who died last week? Yes
she's looking for another engagement
that's true. And she certainly is IA
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 Clemmcns
secure tickets for that nights opera.
She sat in box in her young beauty
set off by a 5000 paqnin 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. ROBBED in some soft inexpensive
gray stuff. with 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 Il year, it
fell like gracious dew and fetched
sweet refreshment When the orches-
ira tells the mood Of Siegfred 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
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 it 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
the first time he had ever felt grateful
to her He would make his way to her
box Mt the end of the second act.
why. Mr. Demarest. I'm awfnlly
glad to see You I honestly am,
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
in her young untamed pffusiveneSs 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 jolly" 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 Clemmens.' he
began curiously. the last time | saw
you you wore your hair in two brads,
and | wrote poem and dedicated ii to
the curls at the end.
His voice and mouth were gray, but
there was smiling CLEAN in his eyes.
Miss Clemmens glanced rather blank
ly from beneath her heavy lashes at
this man we'll under forty
II think" she began with n calm
dignity BETTING her position-bn just
then. on the very second word of re
proval, a fash of understanding radiat-
ed over her tired. lovely face. You
surely you're not Prince Paul
THE very same princess"
Paul Demarest bowed very low
"But-but why Demarest - pursued
Miss Clemmeus, with puzzled uncer-
tainty.
"A grand-uncle over here without
any closer issue left me his money and
estates, providing I'd take his name in
al a