The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-02
Story Of a
Dress Model
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

mother was my real mother. Perhaps
1t was an indistinct memory OF other
scenes, when | was tiny girl, than
my shabby home that first put the
idea into my head.
The fancy that l was born lady
was enhanced when l became seven
teen years of age by being dressed
like one. My mother had by this time
forced me to earn money, and did so
by being a model for the showing of
OF clothes at department store. The
first costume l put on was stylish
morning dress. When / stepped be-
fore q mirror l was astonished.
But 1t was not until ! put on ball
that realized that l had been born
. gentlewoman. A member Of the firm
on seeing me in this costume asked me
about my antecedents, and when told
him that had been lowly born he said
that he didn't believe It, Some ances-
tor of yours" he said, was shining
light in an upper circle"
OF course all these matters tended to
confirm me In the belief that l had
been taken from my proper surround
ings, but there was no one to give me
any information about myself except
my mother and could not bring my
self to ask any questions.
One day 1 was informed that the
firm desired me to show an especially
artistic creation In a full dress gown
for the movies. declined at first.
! presume 1t was repulsion against
showing myself to the gaze of the
crowds as a model, but was offered
90 large an amount in payment that 1
consented. was photographed in a
garden amid multitude of beautiful
flowers.
My photographs had not been on ex-
hibition long when one day while at
my place Of employment | was sent
for, to go to the private Office OF the
head of the firm. On reaching 1t I
found beside my employer a young
man apparently the same age as my
self, and 1t seemed to me that he was
myself dressed in mems clothes. At
any rate his face was the very counter
part of mine. Taking from his pocket
a photograph he showed 1t to my en-
ployer. who In turn passed it to me. 1t
was the reproduction OF q full length
portrait of myself In full dress, though
/ did not remember to have ever worn
that particular costume.
What is this?" | asked, puzzled. II
have never been photographed in this
costume"
1T Is a photograph of portrait of
my mother when she was a girl 1
verify believe that you are her daugh-
ter, and if you are her daughter you
are my sister"
Then he began 10 question me as to
that had lived with woman who /
did not believe was my mother and
that she had forced me to earn my liv-
ing, which had done as dress model.
He told me that he had seen my pic
ture on the screen and had been struck
with my resemblance to the painting
of his mother. He, too, had lived with
a family with whom he had nothing in
common When he was fifteen years
old be had run away from these people,
but afterward they had found him and
taken him to his present home, where
he had been received by his grand
father and acknowledged as such. No
explanation had been made to him OF
his ha wing been placed with those who
had brought him up except that his
mother had married against her ia
Tiers win.
The young man insisted upon my 60
ing home with him to his grandfather.
had on a becoming street costume
and wore 1t to handsome dwelling,
where I was confronted by an srfsto-
cratic looking old gentleman who the
moment he saw noe showed an intense
interest In me He led me TO the por
trait the photograph of which | had
seen and after looking from me to it
and from 1t to me several times he
took me in his arms and kissed me,
Your mother" he said, was the
pride Of my heart. | designed her
for a marriage involving either great
wealth or a title, or both. She married
q struggling artist, and l cast her off.
What became of her / did not know
till your brother here was returned to
me not long ago from the family with
whom his mother had placed him. He
did not know, or at least he did not
tell me, that there was another child,
a girl, who was placed elsewhere.
These persons were undoubtedly paid
for the keep of the brother and the
sister, but | do not know by whom.
We will try TO confirm what I say.
and IL you are my daughters child
and / have no doubt that you are
your home will be with me in the flu
ture."
Ny supposed mother gave an account
Of my coming to her which tailed with
this. NY mother had died when I was
q baby. and my father had placed me
with my foster mother. paving her for
keeping me. He died just before be-
gan TO earn my own living. and his
ceased At his death my
brothers foster father found our grand
father and returned the boy to him
We were all happy at the clearing up
OF the mystery. though our grandfather
lived in continued regret at his treat