The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1916-07-26
CHAPERON
BY JANE OSBORN.

IN my IRE Dut only Two Ut lhItt llults
before have ! seen girl SO exquisite
as Gwendoline. She hal 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-
scTiption, but in every way Gwendo-
line WAS charming Had she been a
little sturdier and fired with a little
more girlish spirit she would have
been a goddess. But had she been
sturdler there would be no story to
tell. for II was because OF Gwendo-
lines rather delicate health that we
fingered at the beach after Mrs. Pen
field had gone to omen their home in
the mountains.
To me. OF course. It didn't much
matter where | stayed. and an excuse
like that OF chaperoning GwendUl line
WAS sufficient to make me stay three
weeks longer at the beach than is my
usual habit.
Now. Sophie Jones'" Mrs Penheld
said. Il know you are capable of the
task II you 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 indolent
TO fall in love anyway, and II she were
In Il mood for romance there are three
~ four very desirable affairs that she
dropped in a half-hnished stage when
we came to the beach. For one. Tom
Lowther will have all his fathers mil
lions.
Gwendoline and got along famous
y-bsrring, of course, the fact that
she. like most excessively pretty girls,
MAS almost entirely incomprehensible
to me-
Every morning we would start on
somewhat after ten and walk along
the sesshore. Gwendoline finding ap-
psrently 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 to call
MIN, though at first we. like the rest
VI 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-
tons at that resort. He was more than
the usual boardwalk orchestra conduc-
tor. | 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 heart. Never had he
been seen with a woman.
Gwendoline likes music almost as
well as | do myself. and It was quite
by mutual consent that We daily went
to hear Busoni. II was during the
morning concert. when we were seated
In our usual seats at one side OF the
auditorium In what | thought was a
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 II we
wished to suggest the next number;
that he had often seen US and could
not fall 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
doIine's mothers injunctions. | sim
ply decided that could take matters
In my own hands. Busoni was no or
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 to be worth
millions. saying he was coming down
for the Anal 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.