The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-04-10

great personality, possessing a genius
for color n effect, a keen eye for a
doubtful customer. and q ready tongue.
His show rooms were the meeting
place OF the elegant world who came TO
discuss sill n scandals. TO try on
dresses and opinions. or simply to ex-
anime new models and to talk of hats
with Behrens. 1N
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 1t, his female assistants were
plain of feature and modest, as though
to say N du Barry shall ever sprout
from here" In short, in an age when
modiste was the synonym of a hotbed
Of vice, Behrens made his establish
ment all propriety, 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 were the
best he could find. j
On the morning after De Sartines'
Interview with LaVenne, Madame de
Joyense, a woman of so. the ghost Of a
beauty, dressed in black, as IL in
mourning for her lost self, was seated
In thel silk room of Monsieur Behrens,
examining brocadcs. This lady, who
had gained a, great name for piety and
II TelIklOuS UDStTNdICebg was The WIG toI'
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 a footstool, while behind her.
motionless, dressed in a crimson livery,
four feet high and looking as IL carved
from ebony, stood Zapolite. her black
Though LabiIle had been excom-
municated by the ladies of Paris, his
former shop girl. strange to say, set the
fashions: women sneered at yet copied
her, and the sight Of Zamore behind
her carriage had set h fashion for
negroes. Their scarcity helped the
craze. f,s +
The history or zapolite was less the
history OF a 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 dc
Joyeuse had won him at cards.
Behrens' chief assistant was on his
knees before madame. holding the bro
cade this way and hat for h light
to strike It, when from the doorway
leading into the hat department, Mon
sieur BehreDs, himself appeared, fol-
lowed by a lady. ~ IA.
1t was Madame de Stenlis, a woman
of 80, yet looking scarcely rs, exquis-
iteIy dressed in a robe Of striped white
and lavender material, wearing a large
picture hat adorned with plumes OF
ostrich feathers, and bearing in her
hand, as was then the fashion, a tall
walking ear adorned with a bow OF
| ribbon. ,y.....' . he "a
rhe two ladies bowed one to the
nther 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 a fauteuil almost facing
the other and with command OF two
mirrors. a. a.Es .
Monsieur de Joyeuse is very we'll"
replied madame. with an edge on her
voice, for her female friends,s with that
Kindness of heart so distinctive OF the
sex. were never forgetful OF this In
curry, which was often the opening
gambit of a duel of tongues. r
"And as youthful as ever2' .
las youthful as ever. madame, and
happy in his youth All, q what
q great thing is youth! One can say
for il this, at least, II 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 g in that 1t has no
future? Before heaven, I think that
the union Of youth and g is the
I wisest, for Is II not the union Of a past
land a future? One gives the other
what the other a not got"
Madame de Stenlis' conversational
PHILOSOPHERS held more in them often
than the wit Of the listener could Crap
Pile with on the instant, for she was a
rapid speaker and she gave no points.
as a rule, that one could catch hold of.
MADAME dc Joyeuse, feeling the ridicule
OF the Others remark, and unable to
attack IL because of its cloud-like ma
ture, blinked her Eyes.
She was on the point OF replying at
last when a voice, bell like, ~golden-a
, woman's voice that, nee 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"
1.-THE Austrian" said Madame de
Stenlis and Madame de Joyeuse, as
Though they had been automatons
tongue tipped with the same word.
One could see that in a flash the pair
had forgotten their mutual differences
} in the recognition Of the presence of a
common enemy, and scarcely had they
spoken when h appeared, preceded by
an assistant who ANNOUNCED in a loud
voice, SO as to draw h attention of
Behrens, Madame la Baronne Lin
den"
1 Continued Next Weekly