The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-03
The Euening Story
sophie Jones. Chaperon.
(By Jane Osborn. }

I've known a good many pretty
girls in my life, but only two or three
times before have l seen girl SO eN-
ouisite as Gwendoline. She had brown
ewes that reflected the golden light OF
tbe sun. lashes that turned up like
hahv,-I am not very adept at de-
scription, but in every way Gwendoline
was charming Had she been a little
sturdier and fired with little more
eirlish spirit she would nave peen
goddess. But had she been sturoleI
there would be no story to tell, for II
was because of Gwendoline's rather
delicate health that we fingered at the
beach after Mrs Penfield had gone to
open their home in the mountains
To me, of course, it didn't much
matter where / stayed, and an excuse
like that of chaperoning Gwendoilne
was sufficient to make me stay three
weeks longer at the beach than is my
usual habit.
Now, Sophie JONES'" Mrs. Penfield
said, II know you are capable OF the
ia ok if Won keep your mind on it But
l want you to know at the outset that
Gwendoline usually attracts too much
attention. She is much too incident TO
fall in love anyway, and II she were IN
| a mood for romance there are three or
four very desirable affairs that Sne
dropped in a half-finished stage when
we came to the beach. For one, Tom
Lowther will have all his fathers mil
lions. You can manage, if you are
careful, even better than l would, for
YOU are always SO Sedate yourself
Gwendoline and 1 got along fam
ously-barring, of course, the fact that
she, like most excessively pretty girls,
was almost entirely incomprehenslbie
to me- 1 couldn't help but feel that
the languor that was so prominent
| a trait of her manner was something
| of a fence-that her Incidence was,
perhaps, not so much a matter of ply
| steal delicacy as her mother had said.
| At any rate, 1 felt quite sure that
Gwendolinc was quite capable OF fall-
ing in love as much as any other young
person. that her assumed indifference
was simply veneer to ward off too
| insistent attempts at gaining her con-
! fidence. Sometimes, though not daily,
letters came from home. but her an
swers were few enough. Occasionally
| flowers were sent through the agency
of the nearest florist, and oftener
candy.
Usually her Indifference amazed me.
When 1 suggested. in accordance with
her mothers warnings, that we should
not attend any of the dances Gwendo-
| line merely smiled sweetly and said
/ that she was afraid that 1 would be
having a very pokey time. Just as if
had any desire to dance! She
seemed to realize the handicap that
existed in her own beauty.
! So 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 was
almost inclined to think my charge
still a child when she seemed so much
absorbed in these simple pleasures.
/ 1 mustn't forget Busoni-or Mr.
Henri Busoni as we soon learned &C
| h oh af IVA 70 he
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
i fractions at that resort. He was more
than the usual boardwalk orchestra
conductor. L had always known thai
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
the women who rocked for hours or
the porch at our hotel all told us, he
| was quite without a heart. Never had
he been seen with a woman. He loved
! the ocean-with somewhat the same
delight as Gwendoline 1 thought-and
often walked there when he was not
with his orchestra. But he was al
| ways alone. Still I never thought
when 1 began taking Gwendoline daily
to hear his music, that he would fal
| the general OdiI lIlAt MIS- rem
field had placed on all men.
i Gwendoline likes music almost a:
well as l do myself, and it was quite
by mutual consent that we daily weni
| to hear Busoni- 1t was during the
| morning concert, when We were seated
in our usual seats at one side of the
auditorium in what I thought was g
secluded corner, that he first noticed
us. We both observed it, and 1 didn'I
fail to see--for as chaperon 1 wa.
watchful of all Gwendoline's expires
sions-that she lowered those won.
4 derful dark lashes of hers, and ther
u looked dreamily off at the ocean,
7 know she had noticed Busoni's glance