The Lamar register., 1909-11-03
Pf0oidonf.
ALINE AND
THE ENEMY


BY M. L. CIR A U L T

nad Just received letter bidding her
come home, and she did not want to
leave Paris yet.
She did not want to leave Paris yet
because she knew only the Paris that
works. that studies. that thinks, and
now she wanted to learn the fiippant,
the naughty. the gay Paris. She want,
edges. she wanted-to have an ad,
venture. an experience! She would
be ashamed to go back to America
without. All her friends, having
been abroad for little while, could
speak knowingly of the wickedness of
Frenchmen. Even squirting and
freckled Bertha Tucker had something
to say about it. Aline was neither
freckled nor squirting. she had lived
almost two years in the Latin Quarter,
had gone alone everywhere, and moth
ing had ever happened to her. Why
was that? Whose fault was It?
It is no fault of Mother Nature, lit
tie Aline. Ask the verdict of the old.
spotted mirror in front of which you
are now standing. The old mirror
Will tell you 1t never reflected pref
tier picture than you make in your
olive silk petticoat. your pink dress
ing-sack, and the blonde disorder of
your curls. You have not passed un-
noticed in the streets. little Aline-
men have often looked at you with
admiring eyes. but you have not seen
them because you were above them,
In the air. with your Art and with
your hopes.
well, II l must leave Paris, will
first have a good time" said Aline to
herself after a short meditation. AS
beginning I shall go to Cousin Ma
mics. 1t is her day at home; there
will be little music and plenty of
people. / have not seen anybody for
so long. the first man I meet will go
to my head. 1t will be great fun!
must try to look my best"
And In a jiffy the olive silk petit
COAT and the pink dressing sack were
OF; swiftly she Strengthened up her
curls, adjusted and tied several dain-
ty pieces of French lingerie, and
slipped on her new Paquin gown.
Then came the question OF the hat
Would she put on a large-brimmcd
hat. picturesque and uncomfortable.
or her smart little Reboux toque?
The option was for the little Reboux
toque. which soon found itself in the
street with the Paquin gown. Once
out. Aline beckoned to the first cab
lettering along. She meant to have
walk in the Champs Elysees. and
she told the cabman to stop at place
de la Concorde at any corner"
The cabman made her repeat twice.
place de la Concorde at any corner"
then. when he realized they were not
going to any definite address. he said.
'All right" but he winked with n
wink that meant: 81 know. This IL
a young lady who does not want to
be found out. know" and with
vigorous pull of the rein and a
loud crack of the whip he started his
horse In the desired direction.
Allne. who under ordinary circum-
stances would not have noticed the
cabman's facial expression. grasped
all the meaning OF the wink She was
in for fun" and II amused her TO
think her simple afternoon outing.
which was going to end in a cup Of tea
at Cousin Mamie's. could look to any
body, even to n cabman, like n mys-
terious AFFAIR.
As the cab ratified along Aline's
spirits rose. and by the time she
to almost anything.
While paying the cabman Aiinc
caught sight of Masculine Form
standing on the curbstone, watching
her, and she thought to herself. May
be there is my adventure!" She could
not have said what the Masculine
Form was like except that he was
well built, well groomed-in fact, the
very type Aline could afford to have
an adventure with. So. in picking up
her skirts before starting to walk she
slanted a glance in the direction of
the Masculine Form. who happened to
start walking up the Champs Elysees
too,
Instinctively Aline was dispieased
(women are SO fickle). and she won
dered. How can he be SO mistaken
about me?"
However, she soon reasoned out
that one cannot expect an expert
ence" without a little trouble. and she
bravely decided to stand any amount
of II for the sake of the adventure.
Therefore she determined to look per-
fectly natural. and she composed her
poise as best she could to that effect.
On she went quietly. with rustling of
silk and a whin of fresh violets about
her, but for the first time in her life
Aline was conscious of herself and IL
seemed to her as though everybody
would notice IT.
The Masculine Form kept at a re-
spectful distance up to the Petit Pal
ais. There Aline had to stop. 1t was
Horse-Show week. and the place.
crowded with long stands of carriages,
was difficult to cross.
The stopping was unfortunate. It
gave an advantage to the Enemy, who
soon stood quite close to Aline, a lit
tie to the side. Impulsively Aline
turned her head to the right, which
was enough to reveal her uncomfort-
able state of mind to the Masculine
Form-if the Masculine Form cared
to notice 1t.
Well. he did care. and he did notice
1t. Strange to say. he followed Aline
ku,,t-u ea.n har f... H.