Saint Mary's beacon., 1916-06-29
CHAPERON

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I've known great many pretty girls
tin my life, but only two or three times
before have seen girl SO exquisite
as Gwendoline. She had brown eyes
that reflected the golden light Of the
sun. lashes that turned up like .
baby's--I am not very adept al do
scription, but in every way Gwendo-
line was charming Had she been q
little sturdIer and fired with little
more girlish spirit she would have
been 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 gone to open their home In
the mountains.
To me, OF course. II 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
Nov, Sophie jones'" Mrs. Penfieid
said. Il know you are capable OF the
task II you keep your mind on 1t. But
| 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 II she were
in q mood for romance there are three
or four very desirable affairs that che
dropped in a half-finlshed stage when
we came to the beach. For one. Tom
Lowther win have ali his fathers mil
lions
Gwendoline and ! got along famous
ly--barring, OF course. the fast that
she, like most excessively pretty girls.
was almost entirely incomprehensible
to me.
Every morning we would start on
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.
mustn't forget Busoni--or Mr.. Hen.
RI Busoni as we soon learned 10 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 attrac-
tions at that resort. He was more than
the usual boardwalk orchestra conduc.
tor. / had always known that Busoni
was OF finer clay and II was because
OF my admiration for his work that
had been especially glad to stay longer
at the beach with Gwendoline. But
Busoni was middle aged and, as the
women who rocked for hourR on the
porch at our hotel all told US. he was
quite without heart Never had he
been seen with a woman,
Gwendoline likes music almost as
well as / do myself, and II was quite
by mutual consent that We daily went
to hear Busoni II was during the
morning concert, when we wanc seated
ia our usual seats at one side OF the
auditorium in what thought was a
secluded corner. that he first noticed
us. After that number Busonl sent
his first violin TO u.s. Every one IN
the audience was interested, and II
was quite clear 10 every one that Blu
sohl had been struck by the girls
beauty. The messenger told us that
Bnsoni had sent him to ask us II we
wished to suggest tho next number;
that he had often seen US and could
not fail TO see that we were lovers OF
music.
II was dreadfully conspicuous and
every one at once knew why. for
Gwendoline was 80 irresistible.
Then Busoni asked to call and
consented No, didn't forget Gwen
doline's mothers injunctions. sim.
ply decided that could take matters
in my own hands. Busoni was no or.
dinary admirer and clearly 0wendo-
line did not want 10 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 to be worth
millions, saying he was coming down
for the final answer that week end,
and the next mail brought one from
Gwendoline'B mother, who had heard
of Toms Intentions, saying that she
was coming too.
Then I3usoni 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 10 face the
decision Of proposal from Bus0ni.
Gwendoline laughed a queer little
whimsical laugh when told her that
would see Busoni and make her
apologies. and then she went on TO
bed. And went down to Buaoni.
And then Busoni told me. Can you
imagine what2 Busoni the genius,
the recluse-B Busoni whom every won
an at the beach would have adored--
Busoni there and then In the little
private reception room OF our hotel.
actually went down ON his knees and
proposed to me-poor little middle
aged, blue-eyed me.
GwendoIine did accept Tom Low
ther and suppose in her way she ID
happy But sometimes wonder but
mol How absurd II is only because
love him so myself that | fancisd
every other woman at the beach made
an idol Of Busoni.
Copyright, 1915. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per syndlcate.i
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