The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-07-20
: CHApERON
BY JANE OSBORN.

| I'VE knOWn great udIy plet'y gins
in my life, but only two or three times
before have I seen a girl so exquisite
as Gwendoline. She had brown eyes
that reflected the golden light of the
sun, lashes that turned up like a
baby's-I am not very adept at de-
scription, but in every way Gwendo-
line was charming. Had she been a
little sturdier and fired with little
more girlish spirit she would have
been a goddess. But had she been
sturdier there would be no story to
tell, for it was because of Gwendo-
lines rather delicate health that we
fingered at the beach after Mrs. Pen
field had gone to open their home in
the mountains.
To me, of course, 1t didn't much
matter where | stayed, and an excuse
like that of chaperoning Gwendoline
was sufficient to make me stay three
weeks longer at the beach than is my
usual habit.
Now, Sophie Jones'" Mrs. Penfield
said, 81 know you are capable of the
task If you keep your mind on 1t. But
l want you to know at the outset that
Gwendoline usually attracts too much
attention. She Is much too indolent
to fall in love anyway, and if she were
| in mood for romance there are three
| or four very desirable affairs that she
| dropped in half-finished stage when
we came to the beach. For one, Tom
| Lowther will have all his fathers mil
| lions"
Gwendoline and | got along famous
| ly-barring, of course, the fact that
| She like most excessively pretty girls,
was almost entirely incomprehensible
| to me.
Every morning we would start off
somewhat after ten and walk along
| the seashore, Gwendoline finding APP
parently infinite delight in picking up
shells from the sand and later spend
ing hours in sorting them out under
| the shade of her beach parasol
/ mustn't forget Busoni-or Mr.. Hem
ri Busoni as we soon learned to cal!
him, though at first we, like the rest
of the people at the beach, simply
| thought of him as Busoni-Busoni and
his orchestra. Every one knew him.
In fact, he was one of the chief attrac-
tions at that resort He was more than
the usual boardwalk orchestra conduc-
tor. l had always known that Busoni
was Of finer clay and it was because
of my admiration for his work that l
had been especially glad to stay longer
at the beach with Gwendoline. But
Busoni was middle aged and, as the
women who rocked for hours on the
porch at our hotel all told us, he was
quite without a heart. Never had he
been seen with a woman.
Gwendoline likes music almost as
well as l do myself, and 1t was quite
by mutual consent that we daily went
to hear Busoni. 1t was during the
morning concert, when we were seated
r in our usual seats at one side of the
| auditorium in what | thought was
secluded corner, that he first noticed
us. After that number Busoni sent
his first violin to us. Every one in
| the audience was interested, and 1t
was quite clear to every one that Blu
soni had been struck by the girls
| beauty The messenger told us that
Busoni had sent him to ask us If we
wished to suggest the next number;
that he had often seen US and could
! not fail to see that we were lovers OF
music.
1t was dreadfully conspicuous and
every one at once knew why, for
Gwendoline was so irresistible.
Then Busoni asked to call and ]
consented. No, didn't forget Gwen
doline's mothers injunctions. | sim.
ply decided that l could take matters
binary admirer and clearly Gwendo.
line did not want to have me refuse
for her. He called more than once
and then one evening we went driving,
we three, in the twilight through the
grove of pine trees just northwest Of
the beach.
Meanwhile several letters had come
from the men at home. Then one from
Tom Lowther, who was IN be worth
millions, saying he was coming down
for the final answer that week end,
and the next mail brought one from
Gwendoline's mother, who had heard
Of Toms Intentions saying that she
was coming too.
Then Busoni telephoned to the hotel
He said he wished to call that eve.
ming. He had something important
to say. He must come When | tried
to make excuses he would not listen.
He would come anyway.
OF course, knew exactly what to
do as chaperon. In view Of the com.
ing of Gwendolines mother the next
day and of young Lowther, too, Gwen,
doline ought not to have to face the
decision of O proposal from Busoni.
Gwendolne laughed q queer little
whimsical laugh when ! told her that
| would see Busoni and make her
apologies, and then she went off to
bed And | went down to Busoni.
And then Busoni told me. Can you
imagine what? Busoni the genius,
the recluse-Busoni whom every won.
an at the beach would have adored--
Busoni there and then in tho little
private reception room of our hotel,
actually went down on his knees and
proposed to me-poor little middle
aged, blue-eyed me.
nmnpInIipn JtJ opparf Ton, I ,,,,