Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 33, Number 141, 5 July 1908 — Page 6

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THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUJf-TBLEGRAM, BTXXDAY, rfac, tertrrrrrT n nimniuuinimn n nniiii.iiHJiHiiiHiiiiMHiiiiuunniiMinuuiiu L'.LLL1 LIU J ' ' 1 JJJJJiTV? ? r r?r? o. P ZlJU (SlOtT L3 MRS. JACQUES FUTRELLE.b LSU il H HH U H H H U U U JL1 U " 'mi muni unu u a u u u h ,i u u nn imu miiuir inuiu iiei

Copyright lOOSbr Thomas HlMcKee. THE Chaperon tilted her charming chin, and for an. Instant hereyellds veiled an Inscrutable stare that had gone straight through, the young maaopposite as if he had been a newlytscrubbed pane of jglass. He wriggled a little uncomfortably as thetdids were raised and the stare was Joined by a tiny. flickering smile. He felt he knew that all his past sins were on parade, mercilessly dragged forth Into the light of day for minute inspection, and aJas, condemnation. So he squared his shoulders and smiled back a little sheepishly, but hopefully. , "Honestly, I am iin love this time," he said. "You always are for a month." "She's awfully pretty," he ventured. "She always is well,' two months." "And adorable." "Er two and a half' "You'H like her," hedeclarrfd. "I always do. That'swhy ltfeel so bad about it .when her month 13 up." "You don't atop to consider that I get the mitten." "Naturally, when, you asfc. for it." "You're awfully hard oni me." "Not as hard as' you are) on them." "Wont you grantvthat a fellow must cut hi3 teeth?" "AU those teeth!" : "And I assure youVthatil am never, for a mofeent, serious." "Really?" "They understand,that." "When the monthXis up?"' i He started afresh. ' "Eyesof Heaven's own blue " he raved. k "Lips like a red. red rose."! she laughed. "Hair -where sunbeams, er er er " he floundered hopelessly. "Try again. It's 'Usually,1 sun-kissed hair of rudtty gold." "That's it! ' "When did you meet this lastadorable one?" she asked. "I've known her all my life." "Oh! Boy and girl sweethearts and all that sort Of thing?" He Bhook his head doubtfully. "She slapped your face and you' gave 'her a horsebalr ring?" "I wish I had thought of a horse-hair ring," he mused. "And she neiser 6lapped my, face. She was always a nice little ,girl." "Went to Sunday-school together, ,and perhaps you rescued her dollie from a watery,' grave?" the Chaperon went on. ( "I never saw her dollie," yfae denied. The Ohaperon puckered henpretty brows, thought hard for a moment, then gaveit up. "What did happen?" "Oh, nothing. She lived ina big house with a big yard around it and, I lived next door In another tiig house with anotberbig yard around it " "And nothing happened?" He couldn't think of anything. "Something must have," she insisted. "Well, she used to swing in the hammock sometimes and I'd climb a tree in our yard to see her," lie explained. "And once -she came with her Mama to see us and I gave her an apple." "Did you kiss her? Did you pull her curls?" she persisted. He couldn't remember. "Oh, surely you didn't Just let her swing in the fcammock?" "Once," he explained, "once I tied a tin-can to a dogs tail." "And she said 'naughty, naughty?' " "No," he smiled. "She said, 'shoo!' And you Should have seen that dog run!" The Chaperon considered the matter seriously. "I like her," she declared. "I knew you would." "So I won't help you one little bit!" "Oh, come now!" he protested. "This is a real ease. Can't eat, can't sleep. Get restless and excited over nothing you know! Think' about her all the time. In fact, I'm done for this time." "Awful!" "If I stay in town she stays down country. If f go down country she comes to town." "Wise girl! She knows your reputation." "Now, that's not it. She's just out of the nuraery Ingenuous, innocent, and all that sort of thing. She simply looks by me, over me, beyond me! I'm not on the map for. her." "Ah, I see!" The Chaperon- smiled and looked fiistractingly wise. "I knew you'd see," he said. , "Now what do you lee?" "Why, you're done for." He tried to figure it out. "If she fell into your arms her time would be ttp in a month," explained the Chaperon. "No, it's honestly this time." "For the last time," she warned him. "Honestly," he promised. The hand nestled for a moment in his broad palm. "Well, here's hoping," she 6aid. He kissed the hand and released it to its owner. You're an angelT'.he declared. . The Chaperon excitedly -waved her handkerchief at the rapidly approaching automobile while her husband helped by violently chewing his cigar. They were on the front steps of a rambling little snuggery thrust away in a clump of trees with a grassy stretch reaching in every direction. On one side it bumped into a bed of rocks which led to a sandy beach; on the other it ran over two tennis courts and the first hole of a golf course, then trailed off into another and larger clump of trees, bringing up at a little stream with real fish in it. The whole place fairly breathed romance. It jras the Chaperon's last hope in desperate cases

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and certainly the case of Polly and Mr. Robert Harrington Pierce' was desperate. Only once during the winter had Polly allowed him to get within speaking distance and then, . in the buzzing crowd, there had only been space enough for the Ohaperon to poke her pretty nose. The Chaperon burst with delight as her signal was answered by a cobwebby thing thrust into the air. Polly was really there it was all over but the benediction. Mr. Pierce let go the wheel long enough to jerk his cap at them with a mild whoop. "It's awfully dear of you to invite me here," said Polly as she threw herself into the arms of the Chaperon. "The pleasure's all mine," replied the Chaperon tritely, but meaning every word of it. "I was just dying to drive," Polly rushed on v-ita a backward glance at the automobile. "Why didn't you let her drive?" demanded the Chaperon's husband, glaring at Mr. Pierce, and pressing the dainty hand held out to him with a little more fervor than was really necessary. "Oh, he was willing,". Polly hastened to say, "but I'm not familiar with that car." She favored Mr. Pierce with a look that set his heart thumping ridiculously, then turned to the Chaperon. "Oh, do you mind if I have my own bubble?" "Of course," she said, "but why don't you try that one? Perhaps Bob will " And Bob did. He abased himself, groveled in his generosity,. "Isn't he funny?" asked Polly, as the Chaperon whisked her up to her room. "Who? Bob?" "Yes. He thinks he's in love with me."

THE CHAPERON AROSE AND The Chaperon steadied herself and searched her soul for the right answer. "Really?" she compromised. It gave her at least another minute to decide which course to pursure. "Oh, come, now!" exclaimed Polly. "Don't pretend you don't know." They laughed into each other's eyes. It was the only way out. "He's such a dear boy," said the Chaperon. "He was a great left guard," declared Polly irrelevantly. "So he was," agreed the Chaperon. She didn't know anything about it. "We're awfully fond of him my husband and J." "I'm sure you are," mused Polly, "but you won't let him bother me, will you?" "Bother you?" repeated the Chaperon. "Yes. You see he thinks he's in love with me." Two white arms encircled the Chaperon's neck and two kisses were pressed upon her velvet cheeks. The blue eyes gazing into hers were a shade too Irresistible. "He would bother me,' Polly explained. Suddenly the Chaperon felt that way about it, too. So she return"! the kisses. "Don't worry, dearie. I won't let him," she promised. Mr. Pierce did not take Polly into dinner, neither was she at his left. His hostess sat there. He wanted to say things to her, but she was persistently looking the other way, so he dropped a remark to his neighbor on the right. Somehow he had a vague idea that he had once been engaged to her, but he wasn't sure. He didn't catch her answer it really didn't matter for he was counting the places down the other side of the table to where Polly sat. One three ten seats down. There she was stuck in between a pair of young upstarts, one of whom had taken the ball from Harvard's center for fifteen yards and was telling her so. He poured a compliment into the ear of the pretty girl at his right for revenge. "Oh, really!" she said. "You may talk to me like a human being. I'm one of your alumnae." He caught the twinkle in her eye and smiled back. "I don't know the answer," he replied. "I graduated from your school four years Li jj

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ago," she explained. So he had been engaged to her. "Sorry I can't keep girls in school," he apologized. "School would be rather crowded, wouldn't it?" She ran her eye down the opposite side of the table and let it rest on Polly for an admiring instant. "Freshman?" she inquired. "Hope so," he laughed. "How long?" "All winter." She stared at him incredulously. "Don't come a cropper yourself," she advised. "Not if I can help it," he answered fervently. It was a year to the fish, it was fifteen before the dinner was over. He caught the Chaperon's eye as she arose. "Treason!"' he said accusingly. "Yes, I've gone over to the other side." He couldn't believe it. "She doesn't want to be bothered," the Chaperon explained, "and she's such a dear, innocent little thing, Bob, she don't know the first rule of the game." "It isn't a game this time." "I'm afraid you'll have to show me." He said things Inwardly. He had been drifting too long. Everything had been too easy. Now the field was against him and he was on his mettle. It was evident in "the manner in which he smoked his cigarette, and when the Chaperon's husband opened the door he was through it and away. There was no stopping him. "Polly," he asked, "what kind of jewels do you

SHOOK OUT HER LACY SKIRTS. "Rubies," she replied promptly. . "What's the game?" "Come outside and I'll tell you." The Chaperon stood directly in their pathway. Here was the beginning of the end. Her heart suddenly misgave her. "He's an awful flirt," she whispered warnlngly into Polly's ear as she pretended to put back a stray curl. "Don't tell him about me," Polly -whispered back. The Chaperon stood for a full minute trying to adjust herself. She would have whistled her astonishment but she didn't know how to whistle. Mr. Pierce rushed down an obscure pathway that wound in and out of trees and underbrush until he came upon a little clearing by the stream the one with the real fish in it. In the turnings of the path he had caught a tantalizing glimpse of a big, flopping hat with a red scarf on it, and a collapsed khaki figure patiently holding out over the water a rather bent and knotty stick from which dangled a cord. "Polly!" he called softly. The figure did not move. Pretty Polly!" he said louder, but with a note of tenderness that would have moved the spMnx. The cord wiggled and a gentle zephyr seemed to stir the brim of the hat. "Polly want a cracker?" he asked irreverently, for she was laughing at him. He threw aside a tennis racquet and started to fling himself down beside her. "Oh-h!" she exclaimed. "You'll spoil yourself. And you are such a picture in that blue shirt and those flannels!" He eyed her severely. "There are pictures and pictures," he reminded her, and down he came. "Look at yourself!" "I'm roughing it," she replied complacently. "See how beautifully muddy I am in spots?" He noted the spots, a few stray specks, and settled himself comfortaoly. "Fishing?" he inquired. "Um," she assented. "What for?" "Fish." "Oh!" he was silent for as long as a minute.

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"May I inquire what kind of fish?" For answer she jerked the stick and a wriggling. writhing thing slapped out. "Isn't it a beauty?" she demanded. It was. He helped her get it off the hook. It took an Incredibly long time, as she was holding it. "Yes, I think it will rain " she remarked, glancing overhead with a look of resignation. He crushed his Urs together and slid the fish into her palm. "Thanks,'' she murmured. "Awfully good of you." "Don't mention it." He slipped his fingers along the knotted stick and down the cord, while the corners of his mouth twitched dangerously "Why, you don't know to fish," he declared. "You can t catch those fish with a smelting hook." She pushed a tin pail toward him, and waved her hand at the contents. He couldn't keep his face straight, and when she shook a rigid forefinger at him he extravagantly kissed the hand on which it grew. "I've another hand here," she told him, putting It forth frankly. He kissed that, too, and imprisoned both. "Polly, I love you." "Nonsense! " "I adore you." "Fiddlesticks!" "Will you ?" "No." "Er my father wants you in the family."Rubbish!" "My mother does, too." . "I do " "I'll trouble you for my pole, please." She captured the stick and dipped the hook into the water. Time wore on, a century or more. "Polly," he pleaded. The cord wiggled again and the zephyr stirred the hat brim. "You're such a humbug. Bob," she laughed. "Come, be my friend. I think you'd make an awfully good friend." "I'd make a better ' "Sh-h-h-h!" she warned. "You'll scare away tho fish. He stayed hushed for ten seconds. "I have here," he began in a different tone, "a little souvenir.' He paused; she actually looked at him. "I think it will interest you. The colors are perfect, the gold is er gold. The setting is some new wrinkle of Tiffany's, but he says it's all right and it's priceless, because you are sure to like it. Behold!" In his upturned palm lay a ring set with a ruby, encircled by diamonds. Polly drew her breath in with a gasp. "Beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Perfectly exquisite! Isn't it a darling?" She picked it up between a dainty thumb and forefinger. "Souvenir of what?" "Of our engagement." She stared at him in astonishment. "Will you ?" He didn't finish. He was gently sliding down the bank. Of course it was an accident; she afterwards settled with her conscience as to just how much of a push it took to make an accident. As he went he grasped her hand the hand that held the ring. "Give me a pull," he suggested, suspended at length, and considerable length it was, down the bank. She refused to pull. "Let go my hand," she commanded. He tried to kiss it, but it was the length of his arm away. "If you don't pull I will," he warned. Slie wiggled her fingers a little. "Here goes!" "Oh, I dropped the ring!" she exclaimed tragically. It had lodged by a little root. He tried to reach it. "No matter," he said. "It isn't good for anything." "That beautiful ring! Don't dare move one little bit for you'll make it go into the water." He felt a gentle tug and climbed back up the bank. "Hold my hand and I'll get it," she instructed. "Careful now!" He braced himself at the edge while she went over. She gained a footing half way and reached the other half. She held her breath and when her finger touched the ring she dug it through the soil. She was on the bank in a jiffy, breathless but victorious. "You have made me very happy," he said gently. Her eyes asked a question. "You are wearing my ring," he explained. She thrust it into his hand and choked In exasperation. He decided to say something and then changed his mind. The ring nestled in his palm, gleaming impertinently. Suddenly he Jerked his arm toward the water and something splashed a few feet away. IJe picked up the tennis racquet and began swinging it aimlessly. "Where is that ring?" she demanded. He nodded toward the stream. "I wouldn't " she choked over the words "I just wouldn't marry such a high-tempered man for anything in the world!' She picked up the stick and the pall of fish and stalked off through the bushes leaving him standing there aimlessly swinging the tennis racquet. The Chaperon gathered up her furbelows and sat down upon a little bench that wa3 snugly tucked away in a hedge and sighed. She calmly watched Mr. Pierce striding back and forth before her; calmly listened to what he was saying little incoherent dabs of sentences and calmly saw him flick off the heads of all her pansies with a disreputable, knotty stick. When the last bloom had gone she sighed again. -What's that about fish in the sea?" she in

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quired at last. Mr. Pierce stopped and ran his flngerstflngerinly. lovingly, down the stick. The Chapero thought he had decided to give up. "I've quit fishing," he replied. She stared at hira with the tiny flickering smite about the altogether charming mouth. "I believe it is honestly this time." she said. "Poor old Bob!' He sat down suddenly and enthusiastically kiss M her nand. At last some one believed in him. "Oh. now, really!'" a voice cooed from -somewhere behind the hedge. Mr. Pierce and the Chaperon looked quickly at each other. A distinct gigsle bounded. Mr. Pierce grinned sheepishly and the ' Chaperon dore head first Into her handkerchief. ' Somebody's husband could kick up a row If he wanted to." the voice went on. The Chaperon's shoulders shook visibly. "Polly!" Mr. Pierce called softly. No answer. "Pretty Polly!" he called again In the tone tia would have moved the sphinx. "Will you marry me?" "Of course not." "I d go around the world on my knees for you! The giggle merged into a repressed chuckle. "Polly, lr I should fling myself in the ooeaa you'd be sorry!" "Oh, splash!" came the answer. The Chaperon emerged from the handkerchief. "If I'm in the way ? shs suggested. The chuckle ended in a silvery p-al of laughter which strangely enough was accompanied by a deep bass. The Chaperon aro3e, shook out her lacy skirts, adjusted her parasol at a fetching angle and smiled sweetly at the hedge. "It my husband will kindly give me his wan." she suggested in honeyed tones, "we will leave you two to adjust your little misunderstanding. Mr. Pierce flicked at the pansles as he watched the couple paunter off down the path. "Polly, 1 love you!" he whispered softly. But the voice behind the hedge reaaained perfectly silent.

A collapsed khaki ngure, surmounted by a big . flopping hat with a red scarf on it was the only thing visible along the stretch of sandy beach. Half a dosen anchored boats of varying sizes bobbed at a little distance upon the water, and occasionally a tiny speck appeared upon the horizon, that, coming nearer, would develop Into a sailboat, skimming frautlcally but purposelessly toward the southwest. Sometimes it vould be northeast, but then the movement was sluggish and the boat never came toward the beach. On the sand was a book and a pair of marine glasses that had been in constant use the greater part of the afternoon. Underneath the hat was unrepressed longing, some exasperation and a great deal of uneasiness. The wind tore at the hat. the curls, and sent nervous shivers over the khaki figure. Finally Polly picked up the book and glasses and dug briskly through the sand and up a flight of steps to the rocky pathway above. Her heart was in her mouth as she crossed the grassy stretch to the house. The Chaperon was playing bridge. "Where's Bob?' she questioned casually. "Oh. sailing," Polly replied. She tried to nuke the tone frivolous, but the voice shook a bit. "It's a great day for sailing," remarked the Chaperon, with an indifferent glance outside. Polly sneaked into the hall and sat down upon a settee, where she deliberately put herself Into a temper, got just as angry as she possibly could for bothering over something that wasn't of the least consequence. At last she went boldly up to her room, shook down her curls and began to get into a linen gown. A panic seized her. She climbed back into the khaki, bundled up her curls under the big hat and started for the beach. The sound of the waves breaking upon the rocks gave her a tight little feeling in her throat. She ran into Mr. Pierce at a turn in the pathway. "How dare you frighten us so?" she demanded coldly. He looked at her in astonishment. "What's the matter?' he inquired. "Oh, nothing," she returned, with her chin la the air, "except that you've been out four hours on this horribly windy caj and have scared everybody to death.' "Everybody?" he asked, looking about for the uneasy 'ones. Then a great light dawned upon him. "Polly," he breathed. "Dear Polly!" She gave him a look that suggested twenty degrees below zero, turned and Btarted up the path. "I wonder ' he began. She deigned to turn and look at him. He held out his hand and In the upturned palm was a ring set with a ruby encircled with diamonds. "Another one?' she inquired with uplifted brows. He shook his head and smiled. "I thought you threw that cway?" He shook his head again. "Won't you ?" he coaxed. "Oh, give it here," she Bald suddenly. She thust out her hand. It touched his, wholly alive and highly charged, took the ring, stuck It on her finger the proper finger and walked away. "Oh, I say!' he exclaimed. "Haven't you forgotten something?" The hat brim shook violently. He started after cer and the went faster. She cut across the grass running. He was gaining although she could run. She made for a side entrance, ran up a few stairs and slammed the door with a little click following that suggested a key being turned. Mr. Pierce pauced on the landing, then sat down and fanned himself vigorously with his hat. They were engaged!

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