The Washington times., 1918-07-07

N2& s SD IF T,.n foster n.
exort tips and invent scandal. Tome
had a charming countenance, a voice
that urged her to MARBLE as she
hung up the washing. and an incon-
slant disposition. She enlivened the tedium
of her lot in VIro1ay CAisne) by love at.
fairs with Bazaud, the tailor's son, and
Dursnd, son of the tobacconist, after yield
ing her maiden heart to Lebobe with the
blond curls, who was heir to ali the stylish
hats and costumes in The Ladies' Para
disc. Then, when the poor girl was eigh-
teen. the concierge removed from Virolay
(Aisne) to extort tips and invent scandal
in Paris, and Tome attended free classes
for the stage. and called herself "Toine
Virofay." Virofsy (Aisne) scoffed that
"the theatres Of Paris could get along all
right without that Tome" and remarked
that she would have been wiser to- stick
to the washing
What became Of her progenitor is for
gotten, but Tome assembled from the loge
Of concierge to a sumptuous first floor,
and had manicured hands, and an automo-
bile. BY this time Bazaud, Durand and
Lebobe we're middle-aged men and reigned
in their fathers stead Bazaud had a wife
and offspring now, and Durand was a wild
over, and Lobobe, who had not married-it
was difficult, he explained, for one with all
those stylish hats and costumes at his COM
nand to credit disinterested affection--had
nothing left Of his curls but a bit of Auff
Cafe de la Marie, after their shops were
shut, Of the Partisan celebrity's priceless
sables," or the wonderful emeraIds that
had been presented to her By a prince,
each of the three stout provincial trades
men would nod at the newspaper weightily
and think of the epoch when he himself
had elated her by the gift of ribbon. Life
is droll!" said Bazaud, Durand and Lebobe.
Now, one Spring a theatrical rival of
TONES was moved to issue her autobiog-
raphy, and it promptly occurred to Tome
that the world should be favored with her
own. She mentioned the idea to the editor
Of La Voix, and he thought so well of IT.
that he proposed to run her work through
his journal with innumerable portraits
She wrung from him a contract such as his
most distinguished literary contributors
had never viewed even in their blithest
dreams; and there would have been no
drawback to her plan but for the fact that
she was as incapable Of writing an euto-
biography as Of constructing an aeroplane.
When few months had passed she re-
ceived a deferential note from the gentle
man inquiring at what date he might be
privileged to behold her masterpiece. And
not having done any of it, she invited him
to pay her visit. She said. You know a
most fascinating volume is in my mind,
but | need some one to spare me the
fatigue Of preparing it for print" The edi
tor was not one Of those high-minded edi-
tors who would perish rather than deceive
their readers-he wasn't an Anglo-Saxon.
He cared not a tinker's expletive who
wrote the costly manuscript so long as the
public accepted 1t as Tome Virohay's and
he got good value for his money. There
fore he replied in tones Of syrup, But per-
fectly, mademoiselle. 1t would be in the
highest degree absurd that you should con-
Germ your artistic head with details like
that. To put words on paper, there are pro-
fessional authors, and such things can be
employed for next to nothing
We'll, call one, as you go back" drawled
Tome, and tell him to be round in half an
hour"
And, returning to the office, the editor
found on his doorstep a poor poet. of the
name OF Gustave Tricotrin
1--WE are not buying poetry" said the
editor so waste no time in unpackiny
your wares! But I can put something n
your way that you will find more lucrative.
/ should not wonder If It proved to be
worth couple of hundred francs to yCT IL
you could do me a narrative Of about
eighty thousand words full Of snap
WhereupOn he proceeded to be confiden-
tiaI.
What an INSULT" said the young poet
:Iriously. You will not take my epic:
my sonnets or my odes at the rate for
shaving paper-tO gain the hospitality of
your rotten rag I must permit someone
10 steal the kudos for my brains, The
offer is an outrage" He said this to him
self. however; aloud he said, ct is ex-
tremely amiable of you, monsieur. to think
of me in the affair
So. after Tome had broken three ap-
pointments, he had the ,honor of an in
teryiew with her on the sumptuous first
floor.
Despite his resentment OF the circum-
stances. an interview with an illustrious
lady was by no means an unwelcome event
in the obscure bohemian's life. And thoUyh
Tome ordered authors as less eminent
people order cabs, it was not in her ma
ture to talk disagreeably to any goOd-
looking young man while he behaved