The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-04
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Sophie Jones, Chaperone.
BY JANE OSBORN.

lGopyrlght, 1915, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate) 3
I've known a good many pretty girls
tnimy life, but only two or three times
before have seen. q girl SO exquisite
as Gwendoline. She had brown eyes
that reflected the golden light Of the
sun, lashes that turned up like
baby's---1 am not very adept at de.
scription, but In every way Gwendo-
line was charming. Had she been
little sturdier and fired with a little
more girAs spirit she would have
been Ia goddess. But had she been
sturdier there would be no story to
tell, for 1t was because Of Gwendo-
lines rather delicate health that we
fingered at the beach after Mrs. Pen.
field had gonefto open their home in
the mountains.
Tome, of course, it didn't much mat.
terswhere i stayed, and an excuse like
that Of chaperoning Gwendoline was
sufficient to make me stsg three weeks
longer at the beach than is my usual
habit.
.Now, Sophie Jones'" Mrs. Penfield
said, II know you are capable Of the
task II you keep your mind on It. But
1want you to know at the outset that
> Gwendoline usually attracts too much
attention. She is much too indolent
total In love anyway, and IL she were
inSa mood for romance there are three
or four desirable affairs that she
dropped in a half.finished stage when
Welcame to the beach. For one. Tom
Lewther will have all his fathers mil.
lions. You can manage, II you are
careful, even better than would, for
you arc always so sedate yourself, b
Gwendoline and got along famous.
1y-barring. Of course, the fact that
she, like most excessively pretty girls,
was almost entirely incomprehensible
to me. I couldn't help but feel that
the 4lanuor that was SO! prominent a
trait of her manner was something OF
a fence-that her Incidence was, per.
haps. not SO much a matter Of physical
delicacy as her mother had said. At
anytrate, l felt quite sure that Gwen.
'doline was quite capable Of falling In
love much as any other young per.
son. that her assumed indifference was
simply o veneer to ward off too insist.
ent attempts at gaining her confidence.
Sometimes, though not daily, letters
came home, but her answers were few
enough. Occasionally flowers were,
sent through the agency, OF the near
est florist, and ofteneri candy.
Usually her indifference amazed me.
When u suggested, in accordance with
herimother's warnings, that we should
not attend any Of the dances Gwen.
doline lmerely. smiled sweetly and said
that she was afraid that, l would be
having a very pokey time. Just as
IL had any desire to dance! She
seemed to realize the handicap that
existed in her own beauty. ~
So every morning we would start
of somewhat after ten and walk along
the seashore. GwendolIne finding ap.
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. II
was almost inclined to think my
charge still a Child when she seemed
$50 much absorbed in these simple
pleasures.
Imustn't forget Busoni-ori Mr.. Hen.
ri Busoni as we soon learned to call
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 at.
fractions at that resort. He was more
than the usual boardwalk orchestra
conductor. ] had always known that
Busoni was Of inner clay and Il was