Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24

TEE de Pegouros claimed but
dash Of French blood. New
Workers. when Fourteenth Street
was still farm land, when their
home on Eleventh Street was
hevond the city's limits. the de Pegourd
men had married German. Dutcn, Eng
lsh and Austrian wives. However. this
dash of French blood had given the
family the vivacity and elegance, for
which they were noted, although five
generations had not as much as seen
France, They had the French chic. the
French Il don't know what" and SOFT
tang in their speech that made them
piouant. Jealous tongues argued that 1t
was unnatural for the de Pegourds to
conserve foreign accent. after SO many
generations in New York; and they
pointed out friends Of theirs, whose
parents were German. Dutch Italian
and even Russian. who spoke American
as she is spoken by everybody. What!
said they. "Marcelle and Andree have
both graduated from American colleges.
Where GO they get the 2.2izi stu'f?
Their father. Joseph de Pegourd. had
inherited a small embroidery factory
that had been in the family for four
generations Careful and conservative
thanks. too, to that dash Of French
blood, the factory was still success.
Even the war had not succeeded IN
ysnking the Staid business out Of its rut.
The home Of the de Pegourds, too,
had not undergone many changes. The
broad. carved oak beds, the marQuetry
Of the tables and chests of drawers. the
old. high-backed chairs and the gilded
mirrors crowned with angels holding
torches in their chubby hands would
have been the delight of antique dealers.
Because Of the Il don't know what
in her. Marcelle married young and
married well. although she was by no
means the most beautiful OF her set.
PlGsiY, petite, black-eyed. full-hpped.
and of a clear complexion. she had al
lowed George Smith. young banker. to
carry her of, two weeks after they had
first met, at tea party given by the
Twins who had had their eye upon
the young man for their own daughter.
The Twins had invited Marcelle de
Pegourd, college chum Of their daugh-
tiers. because she was French. because
she had a de" before her name, be-
cause of her vivacity. because she gave
style and added color wherever she
went. They never thought she would
obscure Ethel. their beautiful daughter,
and capture George Smith. His eyes,
however. riveted themselves on Marcelle
the moment she entered the room. A
fash Of red in mass Of gray, and red
won.
Andree de Pegourd found life little
more difficult after her sisters exploit;
the Twins. the Bronsons and the Stur-
gises were shy of inviting her. Her
brother-in-law's relatives and social set
opened new doors and flights into new
realms-only the people were dull,
frightfully dull And Ancree was a de
Beautiful? Wen. no. No more beau
tiful than her sister Marcelle. But she
had a charm all her own: an oval,
creamy white face. large, dancing eyes.
fringed with black velvet. Beautiful?
No-but charming.
ONE evening Father de Pegourd, on
sitting down 20 table, announced
that he had an important letter to read
after dinner. The most he would say
about that letter, to the repeated ques-
ticnings Of Andree. was that 1t was
written by second cousin in France.
Marcelle and her husband arrived
after dinner that evening Andree eyed
her critically. She was wearing new
dress. new hat and new coat. Their
car was still snorting outside. Andree
read her sisters thoughts and knew
that Marcelle felt that she had come
home: that her home was still with the
de Pegourds.
What is al the mystery" the older
daughter asked, as she took Of her hat.
What mystery" Andree questioned,
looking playfuIly at her father.
Joseph de Pegourd pulled out letter
from q wallet.
1T is from Nine de Pegourd In
Lyon. a second cousin. Her son, whose
photograph she has sent--voiia!
Monster de Pegourd went on TO ex-
plain that this cousin wanted his adj
vice for her son, who desired to come
TO America and abandon the military
career she had planned for him. They
were looking at the picture Of gallant
young man. in high riding boots,
dressed in smart uniform: the picture
Of a dark-eyed. curly-mustached man
of their own blood And he wore a
uniform. gallant, beautiful uniform.
Their dash Of French blood responded.
Marcelle sighed and looked at her
gray-suited. handsome. ciean-shaven
Young husband. Andree had always
been lucky. Somehow, things always
turned out better for her than for her
sister She would marry the dashing
cousin. It was certain.
That uniform brought TO Marcelle