Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-02-02

By DOROTHEA HALE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

much of his time abroad, Paris being
his favorite place of residence. He
was frequent visitor at the opera and
the theaters. Indeed, they were his
world One night on the stage of the
Opera Comique he saw his fate. One
of the singers, Mile Clochette Verdier,
was the impersonation of modesty, of
decorum, of all that is gentle and fem
mime.
Ainsworth requested a theatrical
friend to take him behind the scenes
and introduce him to the lady. This
was duly granted, and Ainsworth
found Mile. Verdier the same shy,
unassuming creature she was on the
stage. She was rather petite and
dressed off-and usually on-the stage
in very simple attire, her hair especial
ly being plainly done. When Aims
worth looked at her admiringly her
eyes dropped to the floor and she stood
before him a living statue of limo
cence
At the end of 4 few months, dur
J Ing which AinSwOrth gave Mile. Yer
alier all of his time that she was
able to spare of her own to be with
him. he found himself desperately in
love with her and made her proposal
of marriage. 1t was accepted, and
Ainsworth was inordinately happy He
told his fiancee that it would not be
necessary for her to remain on the
stage-that his father was very rich
man.
AinSWorth senior was but twenty
| two years older than Ainsworth Junior,
but he had always been very liberal
with his son and had told the boy that
when he wished to marry he would
provide for him. 81 don't wish you to
be in hurry to get me out of the way,
Dick the parent had said. I'm good
for twenty or thirty years yet, but l
shall not trouble you because | still
live" When Clochette asked Dick if
his father would object to his marry
ing one on the stage Dick told her
that his father had come very near do
ing the same thing himself before he
married his mother
Dick wrote his father about his en-
| gagement, and his father replied SYM
! pathetically that if the description he
had received of the lady were correct
he would have no objection whatever
to the match and would provide for
the couple literally. The elder Aims
worth was widower. with no other
fay- l.,
settle half of his estate on his boy on
the day of his marriage. But" he
said in closing his letter, 81 must make
the acquaintance of your fiancee be-
fore giving my approval, and l am
! sorry to say | shall not be able to
cross the ocean for several months
yet"
This last part of his fathers letter
was the only part Of it that interfered
with Dicks comfort He was very
much in love and desired to be made
| happy at once. 1t troubled him that
his dear. modest little CIochette should
continue to be the target for the eyes
Of the young bloods Of Paris. He
would gladly have had her leave it at
once. but she declined to do SO until
they were married So Dick was
forced to wait till his father could
come over and all should be settled.
At last he received the welcome
news that Mr.. Ainsworth would sail
on certain date and go direct to
Paris on his arrival at Havre. Dick
waited for the day of arrival feverish-
| ly. He had no doubt Of his fathers
approval Of his ladylOve. Such unaf-
/ fected sweetness would charm any
man. Besides. Dick knew that his ia
Their had a keen insight into character,
especially Of women. He would at
once recognize Clochette's moral worth
would see how different she was
from many women on the stage
On the day of his fathers expected
arrival Dick received a telegram from
him inviting his son to sup with him
at cafe on the Champs Elysees. Mr..
AinsWorth would not arrive before 10
p. M. and his son was to go to the
cafe at II. At the appointed hour
Dick went to the cafe and asked for
his father. The proprietor announced
that NJ. Ainsworth had engaged q pri-
vate room, but that he had evidently
been detained. since he had not yet
arrived
Dick impatiently walked back and
forth for an hour, when a waiter step
ped up to him and babe him follow
him. He led the young man to an up
per story and. stopping at certain
door, threw it open.
The sight young Ainsworth beheld
startled him. Around a table on which
were the remains of a supper sat
company Of men and women all the
worse for wine. But this was only
the beginning Of what Dick saw. AT
one end sat his father, evidently the
host, while the browning feature Of
the scene was a woman dancing around
the festive board.
She was Mile. Clochette Verdier.
Father. Clochette" cried Dick,
aghast.
Tho 6opoar cfoppo6 I0olya6 from hor