Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-04-10

great personality, possessing genius
for color and effect. keen eye for q
doubtful customer, and ready tongue.
His show rooms were the meeting
place of the elegant world who came to
discuss silk and scandals, to try on
dresses and opinions, or simply to sex-'
anime new models and to talk Of hats
with Behrens.
Behrens, great man that he was.
had risen TO the occasion. He had
spent 100000 francs on the decoration
and enlargement Of his premises, tall
footmen served chocolate to those re-
curing it, his female assistants were
plain of feature and modest, as though
to say, No du Barry shall ever sprout
| modiste was the synonym of hotbed
of vice, Behrens made his establish
ment all propricty, and 1t paid. His
customers, in fact were the only blot
on the fair name of his shop, and this
was not his fault. for they We're the
best he could find.
On the morning after De Sartines'
interview with Lavenne, Madame de
Joyeuse, woman of SO, the ghost of a
| beauty. dressed in black. as il in
mourning for her lost self was seated
| in the silk room of Monsieur Behrens,
examining brocadcs. This lady, who
had gained great name for piety and
! religious observances, was the wife of
| that young gentleman whom we have
already seen accosting Monsieur de
| Sartines at Versailles She was seated
| in a stiff, high backed armchair, her
feet on footstool while behind her.
| motionless dressed in crimson livery,
| four feet high and looking as if carved
| from ebony. stood Zapolite, her black
page boy.
Though Labille had been excom-
| municated by the ladies of Paris. his
/ fnrY,1ar chny, ryir GO m the
fashions: women sneered at yet copied
her. and the sight of Zamore behind
her carriage had set the fashion for
negroes. Their scarcity helped the
| craze
| The history of Zapolite was less the
history of human being than that OF
a toby jug or rare piece Of china, be-
| longing to this person and that In
| turn. 1t was said that Madame de
Joyeuse had won him at cards.
| Behrens' chief assistant was on his
knees before madame, holding the bro
cade this way and that for the light
TO strike 1t, when from the doorway
| leading into the hat department, Mon
sieur Behrens himself appeared, fol-
| lowed by a lady.
| 1t was Madame de Stenlis a woman
| Of 80, yet looking scarcely Is, exquis-
| itely dressed in robe of striped white
and lavender material, wearing large
| picture hat adorned with plu1nes Of
ostrich feathers, and bearing In her
hand, as was then the fashion, a tall
walking cane adorned with bow OF
| ribbon.
rhe two ladies bowed one to the
other and exchanged greetings while
| Behrens went to fetch the silk that
Madame de Stenlis wished to see.
| And how is dear Monsieur de JOY
euse?' asked the younger woman, TAX
| ing her seat on fauteuil almost facing
| the other and with command of two
| mirrors.
| Monsieur de Joyeuse is very well"
replied madame, with an edge on her
voice for her female friends, with that
kindness of heart so distinctive of the
1 sex, We're never forgetful of this in
quiry, which was often the opening
gambit OF duel OF tongues
sAnd as Youthful as ever"
"As youthful as ever madame, and
happy in his youth. All, madame, what
a great thing is youth! One can say
for it this. at least, 1t has no past
Now, Madame de Stenlis possessed
a past both political, social and moral.
of which more was guessed than known
That Is so,'' replied so. Yet have
you not often felt. madame, what a
dismal thing is age In that 1t has no
future? Before heaven. think that
wisest, for is 1t not the union of u past
and a future? One gives the other
what the other has not got
| Madame de Stenlis conversational
PHILOSOPHERS held more in them often
than the wit of the listener could Crap
pie with on the instant, for she was a
rapid speaker and she gave no points,
as rule. that one could catch hold OF.
Madame de Joyeuse, feeling the ridicule
of the others remark, and unable to
attack it because of its cloud-like ma
| ture, blinked her eyes.
She was on the point of replying at
last when voice, bell like, golden-a
woman's voice that. once heard. became
a treasure of the memory-came from
the adjoining room.
Thank you, but I wish to see Mon
sieur Behrens himself. He is in the
silk room? A thousand thanks"
THE Austrian, said Madame de
Stenlis and Madame de Joyeuse. as
though they had been automatons
tonguet tipped with the same word
One could see that in flash the pair
had forgotten their mutual differences
in the recognition of the presence of a
common enemy, and scarcely had they
spoken when she appeared, preceded by
an assistant who announced in loud
voice, SO as to draw the attention Of
Behrens, Madame la Baronne Lin
den"
L N.Y.