Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1913-03-21
Elya'S ChaperOn
And a Meeting That Revived
the Past.
By VIRGINIA LEILA VENT.

lngs brightness OF the Iullefles gar
dens when the boy in the hotel lift
brought her cablegram.
II was a message from her lord and
master in Chicago declaring that her
immediate presence was required. At
once all the brightness faded out Of the
Tuileries, for the frivolous gayety Of
Paris had been especially attractive TO
this portly, easy going. good natured
matron OF the west
But, mother. yOu'll have to go alone
It'll be whole month before my sing
ing lessons are finished, you know"
broke In Elya, who was having her
Haxen hair shampooed by real Pari.
sian hairdresser.
Mrs. Dix clasped her ring bedecked
pudgy hands She always clasped her
hands when she agreed about anything
you'll have to have chaperon, Of
course. dear" she added. "Now, who
can we get on such a little notlceT
There was silence for moment
while the deft fingers Of the hairdress-
er ran through the haxen hair with a
soothing touch. Then Elya's girish
voice sounded in a delightful treble:
"Oh, mother. know the very per.
son! She's terribly nice and awfully
ladyllke" (Elya always emphasized her
adyerbs and used indiscriminate ones
at thaD, "and she's an American, and
that's the best Of all-ouch!" In her
eagerness she'd turned her head a bit
too suddenly, and some soap had got in
her sapphire eyes
"Oh, know who you mean," helped
out Mrs. Dix, while her daughter strug.
gled with the soap. you mean Miss
Clemmens, the governess TO that little
English boy who died last week? Yes;
she's looking for another engagement,
that's true, And she certainly Is
lady"
so Miss Dorothy Clemmens of New
York was engaged to chaperon Elya
Dix for month In Paris and then
bring her back TO America.
To console herself for her mothers
departure Elya had Miss Clemmens
secure tickets for that nights opera.
She sat in box In her young beauty
set off by 5000 Paquin gown and Sc
renely allowed the audience to stare.
Already she was learning that the
mission of the beauty is to support
modlstes and TO be stared at Behind
her. robed In some soft, inexpensive
gray stuff. with narrow white lace
collar, sat her chaperon.
The opera was "Slegfrled," the scher-
20 Of Wagner's great symphony, as
Lavignac has called It. Upon Miss
Clemmens' music parched soul shed
not heard an opera for over n year. II
fell like gracious dew and fetched a
sweet refreshment When the orches-
ira tells the mood Of Siegfried In the
second act feeling the first fret Of
awakened passion, her eyes shone like
stars, her lips parted slightly. and just
at that juncture Il man In the audience
caught her perfect profile as she leaned
slightly forward
That same look, downward and side
wise and smiling: that exquisite head
In It's cloud of wavy dark HART Paul
Demarest brushed away the years that
had blurred 1t all, and then suddenly
he remembered Yes. he remembered.
Oh. II was so long ago, so many years
ago!
And she was In the same box with
that gay little butterfly, that American
hlrt, Elya Dix. Bless Elya Dix! 1t
was the first time he had ever fell
grateful to her He would make his
way to her box at the end of the sec
ond act.
why, Mr.. Demarest! I'm awfully
glad to see you'll honestly am!
you'd forgotten me- And I'm
all alone now-mother sailed unex
pectedly for home this morning-and
I'm all alone now" Elya greeted him
In her young untamed effusiveness as
he entered the box.
"All alone1" he questioned gravely.
"Well. there's Miss Clemmens here,
my chaperon. BY the way, she's an
American too. Miss Clemmens, Mr.
Demarest. You've heard mother speak
Of him, I'm sure, Oh, here come
nickie Marston and Bob Sawyerl
How terribly jollyw Elya reached out
her dalntily gloved hand to greet two
newcomers.
They were OF the aggressive type.
these two English chaps, and In few
seconds Demarest made his way to
Miss Clemmeus In the rear
40 You know. Miss Clemmens" he
began curiouSly. "the last time l saw
You you wore your hair In two hraids,
and wrote poem and dedicated II to
the curls at tie end"
His voice and mouth were grave, but
there was smiling CLEAN In his eyes.
Miss Clemmens glanced rather blank
ly from beneath her heavy lashes at
this man well under forty.
II think" she began. with a calm
dignity behttiug her posltlon-but Just
then, on the very second word Of re.
proyal, fash of understanding radlat-
cd over her tired. lovely face. You
surely you're not Prince PaulT
ss'rha varV Sana- -nrincess