The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-02

! That day Evelyne did not seem quite
! so Wen as usual The children were
mlschtevous. Pierre ard Suzanne now
adored me / joined in all their games
and let them do Just whatever they
liked with me. I was their slave
You are spelling them, Mr.. Doug
lass, Evelyne would say reprOachfully.
/ They will be miserable when you re-
turn 70 America" Marcadian would add.
/ was annoyed that Marcadian con-
tinually mentioned my going away. l
was 10 sail the following week, and
was feeling baC enough about leaving
them without being reminded OF II Al
the time
II was a beautiful day for that time
Of the year, and Evelyne had decided
after the coffee and liquors to take a
walk along the Marine with the children.
Marcadian asked ne to go with them,
but I had formed the bad habit of tax
ing q nap after luncheon, so / epared
TO take a dOze on the sofa in the studio,
Just as I did every day.
l was lying on the sofa with closed
eyes. I was not asleep, 1 was I
doing, when Pierre and Suzanne q
back from their walk and tip-toed 20
my studio.
Ssh, Shr' they said, sitting their gay
little laugh. He's asleep"
Under my eyelids I saw their kitten
fish, ttnid movements They were up to
some mischief. They were looking out
TO see II they could not play some
Mardi Gras Joke like old Tape-a-fOeil-
did not move l pretended TO sleep
so as to let them enjoy their fun. It
was Suzanne who first sDied the mask,
with its long beard and thick wig Of
hair, which was on the table
"Oh! OH she exclaimed, covering her
mouth with her chubby hand 50 as TO
stife the sound Then with a half
timid movement she put il on and
walked about the studio on tip toe
Then she put It on little Pierre's face
and burst out laughing. 1 opened my
eyes slightly Sc as to watch their an
/ tics.
Then I saw the mask as I had not
seen II in the morning With Its beard
and long hair it recalled exactly my
face as II had been before Addison
Kingsley had applied the vttriol. There
was the same cut OF beard the color
Of the hair, slightly waved. with the
parting on the right side Of the head.
This Caricature Of my real face on little
Pierre was irresisdbly funny.
Let us put II on him." Suzanne wills
! pered, pointing to me.
Then very cautiously, holding their
breath and their laughter, they tip-toed
| quietly up to the SOFA / did not move.
With a great deal Of trouble, her small
hands trembling so, Suzanne placed the
mask over my burnt face.
| They stood OF at little distance 20
! see the effect when suddenly the studio
doc rOpened and Evelyne came in.
| Cdu6nA III THO at anu UtllSAlCu WIFI
( their joke, the children held up their
| fingers to their mother to be silent, and
whispered:
Hush, mamma He's asleep"
And I, to finish the joke and surprise
the children, raised myself on my elbow
/ and said:
Ssh Sh''
Then Pierre and Suzanne excitedly
danced around. singing gaily to their
| baby voices:
"C'est Mardi Gras. The mask. The
mask"
| But through the holes Of the mask I
/ saw Evelyne, with a sudden terror,
I stretch out her arms toward me I saw
| her wild eyes, her trembling lips. her
/ face as pale as the dead.
Then only DID realize the shock had
| given her l snatched off the mask
which recalled only toe yiYjdly my face