Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-02-05
THE PIERRETTE
AND THE PEER

AMI aEI FEER.
The Pierette was just beginning to
sing her song as the Peer slipped into a
vacant chair in the back row, and when
she ended it with a saucy little flourish
and a coquettish gesture, obviously spon-
taneous, exquisitely piquant, which
reused the audience to enthusiasm and
surprised the peer. he stroked his mus
tache and frowned slightly
At the conclusion of the performance
he moved to the foot of the stairway by
which the performers descended from
their concert stand, and when the Pier
cite tripped down the steps, he advanced
| towards her and raised his hat.
Good evening"" he said.
The Pierette gave little guilty start.
Good gracous!" she exclaimed, step
ping down--'is it your"
Yes said the Peer, Il believe so.
Permit me to congratulate you. You
have charming voice"
"Oh, thanks she murmured perfume
torily It's. of course, very good of
you, but" she stopped short and threw
quick, furtive glance round her.
The Peer laughed gently.
"What-an escort 2" he hazarded II
really trust not-for / ventured to hope
| that you might honor me by accepting
mine-at any rate, for this evening .
The Pierette caught the slight inflec.
ton of irony in his tone, and her brows
drew together
IF you intend to be horrd-" she be
gan.
Il don't" the peer fastened to inter
rupt her. But, pardon me, may | ask
where we are going?"
we'll was going home" she replied
with indecsion.
Surprising" suggested the Peer. eve
stroll to the end of the pier and sit down
on one of those sheltered seats yonder?"
IF you insist" she pouted
Il do said the Peer pointing to a
small embrasure as he spoke
| The Pierette cast quick glance be-
hind her and sat down. Her companion
laughed softly.
Yes he remarked, as though N-sln-
swering her unuttered thought Il. too.
thought / heard footstep behind us
but can perceive no one
How did you find out vel was
here" she demanded abruptly.
! Chance" said the Peer. waving his
cigar vaguely in the air to indicate en-
tire responsibility in the matter 1T
Is also rather select place. Youno
ladies of fair social position who run
away from home to become itineran+
yocalists would instinctively choose such
a place IN preference to more plebeian
haunts."
Il don't see" she said. why You
l mt i In E,,,l -.
Is OF anyone's to try to interfere in my
affairs like this!"
The explanation of that, too he re-
marked after an instant's pause. lis
simple. When ] pointed out to Your
good parents that marriage between
YOU and my remarkably pig headed son
Charlie was out of the question, Charlie
being penniless. and myself'--he sighed
being next door to it-they quite fell
in with my views, and, as you are aware,
brought some pressure to bear upon YOU
Toto persuade you to bestow your
heart and hand elsewhere
"On curate!" said the Pierette, with
a contemptuous toss of the head. Now.
candidly, do You think | am the sort of
| girl to marry curate -
"Candidly," he answered II do not
unless, that is, he were of a verv ad
vanced type. At the same time. it
scarcely occurs to me that You are the
sort of girl to marry a penniless Law.
man, either. Moreover, l considered it
necessary that Charlie should we'd a
rich woman. | found an American heir
ess. | brought her tmetaphorically) to
his feet; and mctaphorically. of
course-spurned her. Why? Because he
had made up his mind, or what serves
him for mind, to marry someone else =
Are you surprised?' demanded the
Pierette, with a defiant glance
NO." he said slowly The only quail
Iity that Charlie appears to have inher-
tied from me is fastidious sense of
the beautiful"
Dear boy!" murmued the Pierrette
in parenthesis.
Il commanded him." went on the
Peer, ito marry the heiress-he left my
roof"
The Pierrette nodded gleefully
| Yes she said; Il know"
NO doubt" said the Peer drylv. "He
left my house fortnight ago. A few
days ago, however, l gathered from
your father that YOU too, had fled from
home, leaving behind you an explana-
tory note to say that YOU had decided
TO Join a PierrUt concert party for the
summer, and begging your parents not
| TO trouble themselves about you further
In this particular, / am glad to be able
to inform YOU that they have endeavored
conscientiously to carry out your
wishes"
The Pierrette bit her lip
When | heard that you had left home
TO join a Pierrot troupe something in
the nature of an inspiration seized me.
Charlie | exclaimed, has gone with her
They have probably eloped""
"A perceived my error while YOU were
singing that delightful song of yours
inst now. noticed that you wore no
wedding ring"
And YOU congratulated yourself on
the discovery" she flashed "You think
I'm not good enough to marry your
sou!"
On the contrary" smiled the Peer. II