East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-06-18
THE EVER BOYISH OLD BEAU

ings and she appreciates the experienced skill
with which he orders dinner. or hands her into
a taxicab. places her wrap around her
shoulders, stands at her side. ever watch
fur waiting for opportunity to DO the Sir Wal
ter Raleigh in her behalf.
Male youth of to-day scorns the attitude of
romantic devotion SO splendldly assumed by
the old beau. The boy of twenty or twenty
live would feel himself an absurd figure were
he to hover the object of his affection
with the tender, solicitous care that his older
rival can affect with such ease and grace. The
youth simply couldn't do it at all. with with
out ease or grace. 1t isn't in him. He wasn't
brought up that way. and he declares defiantly
that ne is glad of it, that he wouldn't want to
know how to carry himself does the older
fatterer of youth. When ne talks like that he
isn't quite truthful He would give a good deal
to be able to surround himself with the old
beau's atmosphere of magnetic charm, but it
can't be done.
He Il a Survival
That air of courtIy grace belongs to another
day. 1t was sort of survival, in the Victorian
period. OF polish and science of manners that
attained their greatest vogue in the days of
the third Napoleon The Old beau absorbed
what he has of it from his father. or perhaps
II was born in him. Much of that old time
polish was affectaton pure and simple and
that is why it did not endure, except in the
person of the old beau. 1t seems to fit him.
He is able to keep the romantic glamour where
other men would merely get a laugh as being
Involuntary comedians
Something of the theatric is part of the
old beau's stock in trade. He enters a room
with such an elaborate air of unobtrusveness
that he instantly makes himself conspicuous.
" hich is the effect he seeks As his woman
companion rises from the dinner table he
springs to his feet with an alert precision that
attracts attention. He does not pick UP her
wrap simply and without self-consciousness.
No. he manages somehow to do 1t with a
flourish and he gazes into her eyes for fleet
ing second as he places the covering over her
shoulders. That gaze. brief al il is, he tries
TO make expressive of all that youth would say
4: 1t could and of ali the sweet nothings that
poets have been trying to put into words for
some Thousands of years and haven't got quite
right yet.
And the old beau it must be said for him.
does manage to convey in that glance a thou
sand romantic thoughts to the brain of the
sweet young thing who smiles back him
Not to her heart. No. that isn't touched. but
she registers comprehension of what she thinks
he would like to say. It doesn't get to her
heart. for she knows very well 1t didn't
from his But she likes II Just the same and
it pleaBes her nightly tribute of fattery
from one who has seen much Of The world.
from one who knows much that he has be-
come an expert In beauty.
Her Fitting Thoughts.
The old beaus admirng glance sends little
warm waves Of gratified vanity tilrough her.
for she is happy to INK that she has been
catologued beautiful IN the willy old eyes
CT her companion. Yet even in that moment
OF pleased pride her thoughts turn to the man
she really for. wherever he may be-still
in France, perhaps. off somewhere fighting
the battle for the competence that Will permit
him tn come back and claim her. thus putting
an end to the interludes with the old beau.
When she does think Of the other man the
girl wishes for a moment that he had the easy
grace and the air Of knowledge of the world
that her older companion affects. but on sec
ond thoughts she rs not that she wishes
anything al all Of the sort She the youth
hard at work. schemng and planning for the
future - their future - and 1t comes to her
that there isn't time in this workadayf time
for both work and practice Of the coUrtly airs
The old beau means nothing Of reality in her
young life. Therefore she doesn't care whether
he is a success failure and she is fndif-
ferent as to how much time he wastes. but she
Is jealous Of the time Of the one TO whom she
ex poets to give her heart. That boys time
rs ans or lis going to mean. coal in the cellar
and beef in the ice box in the happy DAYS TO
come: the old besus time means extravagant
bills for dinner supper and she should
worry about the old beau's future. She Is
"a pable Of the thought that whatever
future may have belonged 10 the old beau's life
is behind him.
Kid EN- along is the sweet young things
motto when she considers her elderly admirers.
she sfOndly irnagines that she is getting
way with H. Except for the fstuous fools.
. nd OF thbse In the old besu's class,
she-is wrong. She does chaf her gray haired
sdmrer. but she doesn't do II .witli,,It his
knowing n. TIe - aui.e es well awasN of her
tactics she is herself
u is this ability 70 dissembie snd - accep;