The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1913-05-16
Elya's Chaperon
And a Meeting That Revived
the Past.
By VIRGINIA LEILA VENT.


across the Rue lie i.ivoi at the morn
,ng's brightness OF the Tuileries gar
lens when the boy IN the hotel lift
brought her Il cabegram.
| 1t WAS Il message from her lord and
master in Chicago declaring that her
immediate presence was required. At
Tuileries. Cor the frivolous gayety Of
Paris had been especially attractive to
this portly, easy going. good natnred
matron OF the west
But, mother. you'll have to go alone.
/ It'll he n whole month before my sing
ing lessons are finished, you know"
broke in Elya. who was having her
tiaxen hair sIampooeh by Il real Pari-
sian hairdresser.
Mrs. Dix claspetl her ring bedecked,
pudgy hands She always clasped her
hands when she agreed about anything.
you'll have to have a chaperon. OF
course, dear" she added "Now. who
can we get on such II little notice."
There was silence for moment.
while the deft fingers Of the hairdress-
err ran through the fiaxen hair with Il
soothing touch. Then Elya's girlsh
voice sounded In delightful treble:
"Oh. mother. | know he very per
son. She's terribly nice and awfully
| ladylike" lElya always emphasized her
adverbs and used indisrriminate ones
at that. "nnd she's an American. and
that's the best OF all-ouch" In her
en- gerness she'd turned her head a bit
too suddenly. and some soap had got In
her sapphire eyes.
/ ooh. know who you mean" helped
ont Mrs. Dix, while her daughter strug-
gled with the soap. "You mean Miss
Clemmens, the governess to that little
English hoy who died last week? Yes:
she's looking for another engagement.
that's true. And she certainly is a
lady"
| SO Miss Dorothy Ciemmens OF New
York was engaged to chaperon Elya
Dix for n 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 n box In her young beauty
, set of by Il 5000 Paquin gown and Sc
renely allowed the audience to stare.
Already she was learning that the
mission OF the beauty is to support
modistes and to he stared at Behind
her, rohed In some soft. inexpensive
gray stun, with n narrow white lace
collar, sat her chnperon.
The opera was "Siegfried." the scher-
10 Of Wagner's great symphony. as
Lavignac has called it. Upon Miss
Clemmens' music parclled soul (she'd
not heard an opera for over year, 1t
fell like gracious dew and fetched Il
sweet refreshment When the orches-
ira tells the mood of Siegfriei in the
second act feeling the first fret OF
awakened passion. her eyes shone like
stars. her lips parted slightly, and Just
ut that juncture n man in the audience
caught her perfect profile as she leaned
slightly forward
That same look. downward and side
wise and smiling: that exquisite bend
I'm It's cloud of wavy dark hair! Paul
Demarest brushed away the years that
had blurred it ALL and then suddenly
he remembered. Yes. he remembered.
Oh, 1t was so long ago. so many years
ago.
And she WAS in the same box with
that gay little butterfly. that American
iirt, Elya Dix. Bless Elya Dix! 1t
was the first time he had ever felt
grateful to her. He wonld 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.
Thought you'd forgotten me. And I'm
all alone now-mnthpr sailed unex-
pecteily for home this m"rning-and
I'm all alone now" Elya greeted him
in her yolng unframed effuSiveness as
he entered the box.
IAN alone?" he questioned gravely
.Well, there's Miss Clemmens here.
my cl,aperon. by the way. she's an
American too. Miss Clemmens. MIR.
Demarest. You've heard mother speak
of him. I'm sure. oh. here come
Dickie Marston and Bob Sawyer!
How terribly jolly" Elya reached out
her daintily 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 Clernmens In the rear.
"Do you know. Miss Clemmens." ne
began c,,riously. 1.-THE last time | saw
you You wore your hair In two braids.
and l wrote a poem and dedicated 1t to
the curls Mt tie end.
His voice and mouth were grave. hut
there was a smiling CLEAN In his eyes.
Miss clemmens glanced rather blank
~ from beneath her heavy lAshes at
this man we'll under forty.
81 think" she began. with calm
dignity befitting her positionhut just
then. on the very second word OF re-