Evening Star Newspaper, September 29, 1929, Page 113

P'I D M Rl' R 29, 1929. ON, D. €. S8 ; ver this,” casually remarked Mr. Bisbee. ; “Mrs. Lescaboura,”. he' began, pretty well and I thought, if you'd enjoy it, I'd get a taxi and take you to see Lincoin Park oz the stockyards or——" She ‘thanked him, saying: fnends are meeting me.” “The train had hardly stopped in the Chicago terminus when Mr. Bisbee got off: and: ran- fer- - ward to her car, -8he was among the last to- - alight, -and ‘as he walked with her toward the- gnwhewasudottheuwugmolmddmghet farewell. "l hope .you | understand how greatly I've enjoyed the pleas- ure of .your acquaintance.: I've taken .many a railroad journey, but I can t.mth(ully soy thn ] l never before had. the—-" { ' There, however, he lound hlmselt cut. s«hort i by the ‘arrival of .a gentiéman with a flower in . his buttonhole, who.came rushing up to her and bending-over, kissed her hand. He said:" I .hope your- highness had a pleasant jour- ney.” + Dazed as he was, there passed through Mr. - Bisbee's - mind echoes. of fajry tales read’ in - childhood whieh -t0id him what.a “your high- - ness” is.- 'And he had been calling her Mrs. Iae:boun“ Then he-saw her waiting. . She pro.ch , she smiled, holding out.her hand. < -by, and thank you again;” she said. ur Bisbee took the -hand, and like a man who shuts his eyes ‘and jumps trom me top of a skyscraper, bent and kissed it. “The pleasure is all mine.” He swallowed, and the sound of the ingurgitation' seemed to reverberate ‘ above the 'station noises. pleasure "is all mine—your highness.” ' ° ON the jourm-y from Chicago w his, home Mr._Bishee did not converse with other pusengers but sat pondering the unbelievable experience, and the more he turned it over in his mind, the more romantic it appeared. He was buf half aware of realities around him when, having left the train, he took a taxi home. In his earlier fancies he saw him- self alone with her, but as he neared his house the imagined scene was amended to include his wife and daughter: The cab stopped; -he got out, and with his bags and the precious bundle started toward the front porch. The front door stood open,” but the screen door was hooked and so he rang and was pres- ently admitted by ‘Ella, the Negro cook. “How-d'ye-do, Ella- Family out?”. - . “No, sub, Mist’ Bisbee, dey upstehs.” - He was glad -they ' were supstairs, - Iog it gave > him time to-unwrap the Indian souvenirs and “I'm, sorry but | not forgotten him. As she ap- - he arranged them on the parlor table as care- fully as if he had been dressing a show window in the store. After a time he heard them on the stairs. “I wish you'd let me know when to expect -you,* said his wife iri an_aggrieved tone. b thought you'd be home for dtnner and I ordered ° -too many chops.”” “What's all this?” demanded Pnunne catch- ing sight of the trophies. . ' “Indian things—a prmt somebody sent vyou.” Pauline picked up the bmcem and exumlned, it critically. . “Yeou don't expect me to wear-a mnmcle llke * this, do you?” “Yes, I do, when’ you know who it’s from.” - “‘Oh, come on out with it, ‘papa,” said Pauline. “Well,- what would you say, for instance, if I was to telt you it’s from a princess?” “Your poer father's been seeing too many movies,” interrupted - Mrs. Bisbee. “Oh, is that s0?” he retorted angrily. “Well, I tell .yourshe was a -princess, and a mlghty‘ good looking one, too!” “What kind of princess did she claim to be?” “She didn’t -elaiii anything about it! The Ambessador met her-at Chicago. He told me " * who she was; if you want to see what she looks" like’—he reached for his pocketbook and drew out the posteard: photograph—*here's her 'pic- - ture that she gave me. What do you say to that?” | “Lel's see,” said Mrs. Bisbee. “Her highness’ name,” he proclaimed, lifting his chest and thrusting his chin between the g points of his collar, “happens to be Princess Gabriella Lescaboura. That's her autograph on the picture.” “Who ever heard of such a name! * comment- _ed Mrs. Bisbee. “Wait a minute, mnmma!" ‘Pauline - had dropped to her knees beside the-table and was searching through the magazines on the lower shelf. “I wouldn't be surprised if it's so. I think she’s the very one I was reading about!”. - Pauline had drawn from the pile of maga- - zines a thin one, the cover- of which bore the title Chit-Chat. . “Yes, here it is!” with new eyes. papa!” “Read it, read it,” he invited nonchalantly. ** ‘The beautiful Princess Lescaboura, who has been passing the Winter at Santa Barbara, will She looked at him as if .“'Well, what do you know about soon sail Ior Europe und those in the know' "— “She’s sailing a week from Saturday,” he B interjected. - - E “‘—And 'those in the "know will be inter-' - ested to learn- whether she rejoins her noble husband either at us chateau on the Cote d’Azur or at the Lido, for which spectacular resort he last year exhibited a2 marked pref- erence.'” “Perfectly correct, perrecuy correct,” Mr. Bisbee. “‘The prince and princess,”” Pauline con- tinued, “‘are kncwn by those au courant with society in the smart resorts. of Europe as an emancipated pair. If, as Dame Rumor has it, the Lido attracted the dashing young noble- man bccause of the presence there of a svelte young danseusc not unknown to the Parisian stage, it must not be supposed that his princess repined. She had, as always, a legion of admirers. “‘It may be only a coincidence that the grounds of Mon Plaisir, the_delightful villa which the princess occupied at Santa Barbara, adjoin the Beggs estate, but the fact remains that within a fortnight after her highness’ arrival, the ever-watchful Vida Beggs, who is said to be six years older than her attractive polo-playing husband, dragged him off to durance vile in Honolulu, where, according to report, he sulked the Winter away.’” Mr. Bisbez stopped walking. “It's a pack of lies!” he cried. He turned to Pauline. “I'm surprised your mother’d let you touch such a paper! Give it here!” He made a swift flank movement upon her, snatchad the paper, tore it to shreds, and dashed the pieces upon the floor. said EVER before had Mrs. Bisbee known him to commit an act even remotely ap- proaching violence; for a moment she stood gazing at him, her reddish-brown eyes shining like a pair of glass marbles, then suddenly she burst into a shrick. “You're in love with her! with her!” She began to weep loudly, and holding her handkerchief to her eyes moved tragically to- ward the door. He gazed after hor stupefied as she started up the stairs, then, turning to Pauline, he sighed. “Your mamma must be crazy. Nobody on earth’s more respectable than me, and the princess was as perfect a lady as I ever hope to meet. The very most I did was to kiss her hand when I—" “Papa,” she broke in, taking hold of his lapels and looking gravely into his eyes, “I think it's the most romantic affair I ever heard of!” She took up the bracelet and put it on. “It’s really handsome in a barbaric way,” she said, “and the stones are lovely with this blue dress. Papa, I want you to know I'm glad this woman came into your life.” “Now, lookit, Pauline,” he protested, “she didn’t! You mustn’t say such things! I won't——"" But there he was interrupted by the sound of steps and voices on the porch, and the ring- ing of the doorbell. “It's the boys to take me to the party,” Pauline said in a low voice. “Lordy, the front door was open!" he whis- pered back. Finding the bedroom door locked agalnst him when he went upstairs, Mr. Bisbee took his bags to the spare room and:passed the night there, noer did he encounter his wife and dauflhrhtbemom!ng,!ortheymnotup when he left the house. You're in love It was his habit to lunch daily mh a group . hls husiness {riends at a large round table the men's cafe of the New Marvyn Honse, and when a liftle after noontime he entered eafe he was warmly greeted. There was usual lull while every one -was ordenna, then as conversation was resumed, Mr. Bisbee lw.rdt.heloghomvoloeotouusrklelddred ing lim across the table. -~ © UWell, W. P.,” he said, vhhamvlhcgfln “tell us all about your m ahe Mr. Bisbee was.stunned. . - “As a.matter of fact, theres m!.h!n( 'o iell Bbe Just—- gg.g 58 “She just showercd you wnh expenslve )ew- elry. from what I hear,” Gus.broke in.. . . “She didn't do anything of the kind., She sent- a little silver brwelet 0 my d‘uchter that's all.” A -general. laugh followed, and Mr. Bisbee was -enormously relieved vhcn, as it dled down, the subject was changed. : Through the remainder o: 4he mul he h’ied - to.talk coherently, and when lumheon was over he managed to lenve the hotel at Gus Markle'’s side. . o “Where'd you find out all that stuff?” he . asked-in what was intended to be an offhand ““‘Oh,” said Gus, “a lmle blrd told me" Mr. Bisbee had some thought. of asking him . not o mention the matter further, ‘but he decided against it; if Gus found out it bothered him, he'd keep it up.. After dinner he mustered up his conngc. and, witheut rancor, told Stella and Pauline how the story had spread; whereupon they . both began to talk rapidly, each declaring.that. . it couldn’t be her fault. From his unraveling of what they said, he gathered that his wife, in her anguish, had left the need to' confide in some one and that Pauline had merely ex- hibited her bracelet at the party last night. “That must be how Mr. Markle found out,” she said. “I showed it to his brother.” y “Really, Pauline,” put in Mrs. Bisbee self- righteously, - “I'm surprised at you gossiping about your papa like that.” “Well, I didn't tell 'em much nnyway. T just 8 mentioned about his meeting her and kisstng her hand, and I kind of laughed and ‘said papa was getting to be quite a sheik.” ° 4 “Kissing her hand?” eried Mrs. Bisbes. “I didn't know about his kissing her hand.” - “Oh, gosh!” He bent over, resting his . fore- head “in his hands. ' “Heére- I've. worked .all this time—it'll be 26 years the tenth of next September—to build up ‘a° pame in" this city as-an honest merchant and a good -family- man - —why, a fellow said there was.talk of running me for mayor—and now this kind - ol' [ story p gets around! Oh, goch!” BY JULIAN STREET HEN three weeks had gone by he felt some- what encouraged; things were on the whole improving at hom2, and his fear that the gossip might hurt his business was apparently unfounded; sales had, upon the contrary, in- creased, owing to the purchase of presents " for the Murchison wedding, now 10 days off. Then, from what appcared to be a clearing sky, there crashed a devastating bolt. Late onc afternoon, as Mr. Bisbce was puts ting his desk in order before going home, Char- ley, white-faced and nervous, appeared in his office. “They got you in Chit-Chat!” he exclaimed, and flung the paper on the desk. Dizzily Mr. Bisbee starcd at the marked pas- sage: “. . . Her highness’ tastc for bizarre asso- ciations was amusingly exampled in an in- timacy she formed on her railroad journey eastward. This time the man was a jeweler~ hailing from a Midwestern city; gossip has it. that expensive gifts changed hands, and that on reaching home he had difficulty in explain- ing his share in the transaction to his wife. It may be safely predicted that the princess will encount.er no such embarrassment. Always she returns’ with new trophies of the chase. ‘The prince is used to it. “Meanwhile, the little jeweler, having been i carrizd through the heavens in the lady's flam- . ing chariot, is said to wear above his heart : a photograph bearing a tcender inscription, and has become a seven days’ wonder to his fellow townsiolk.” “I though yowd betier see it before you go home,” Charley said. “That’s right. Much obliged.” There was a croak in Mr. Bisbee's throat as he swallowed. When Mr. Bisbee entered his house that evening, he fcund Stella awaiting for him in the hall, a copy of Chit-Chat in her hand. “I know, I know,” he exclaimed wearily, waving her off and sinking into a chair. He heard Pauline come skipping up the steps and the slam of the screen door. “I guess you've heard the news?” she said brightly, looking from one parent to the other. “Isn’t it great!” “What you say?” were - going mad. : “Except the Murchiscns” she said, “we're the first people in this town to be mentioned in Chit-Chat. Do you realize that? It isn't going to be the Murchisons and the Rathbones any more—it's going to be the Murchisons and the Bisbecs.” She sang a bugle-like “ta-ta!” and, raising her arms, swung grandly around the room, stopping in front of her amazed father. “Say, papa, can I borrow the princess’ phctograph? The girls are dying to see it.” “My gosh!” he cried. “I should say you can't!” and observing his wife’s eyes fastened upon him, he hurriedly added: “Anyhow, I guess I wouldn’t hardly know where to look for it.” The last statement was perhnps excunhle as a defensive measure. The photograph, as he well knew, was in the pigskin pockethook, and the pocketbook was exactly where Chit- Chat said it was, and it was in the same place $ next morning: when, after having -telephoned P Charley Doelger-of his.purpose, he heasled for the law offices of Rathbone, Ewing -& Todd. 3 * Having ‘told -his story to Mr. Rathbone, hé Mr. Bisbee felt as if he -hondedhlmaeopyotmemletym .of the law. The attorney. shook: his' head ; - ~.“You can't get damages,” he nl "n:ey : dldn't mention you by name.”... .. .. - ¢ S manies . “Everybody- knows it means me.’L. PR A - “Yes, but you can’t touch them. : Tbcy lill people right and left, but keep within the letter .‘ ‘In any case it is extremely doubts “ful that you could prove damage. *In ‘point of " N - % _ltmchuhynoe)(«mmo _outtobeu&hunmdthm;(ofm fact I shouldn't be ‘surprised . if :this :turied '~ 'nemmmmbymmormq‘ la '8 secretary: k-7 : =~ “Mr, Bisbee's office wants him on the:phone,” : - - shenld mdnrmmmmnpu instrument ‘toward ‘him. - @ s o “TeNO iy o LG " . “You better come: Mt over . hexe. w,.r. e i They'te loounl for presenu m-m o cited voice. * bridesmaids.” 1 mysel! Mr. Doelger.”. “Hang" on- to "them, - chu'ley——lll be l’fiht i over.” He sped to the store and having entered a8 T the rear, advanced to the: counter ‘at. which - .- hu'ley was exmutnt dltmond bu pllm to ool . “I'll walt - upon un and lflu l(urchbon Charley - stepped aside. “Have you found what you desire?” .As ut . Bisbee addressed the mother,:he was aware ot thie daughter’s keen eyes, taking. him el “I rather like this one, Alice,” Mrs. . Murchi- ] son, with a bar pin in her lnnd answered him - 4 indirectly. . V8 huar g f “I don’t, " said her daughur “Bar pins are old stuff. E “Mr. Doelger,” sald ur Bisbee, "wm m kindly step to the vaults and get our new line of J. & G. gold mesh busmdunnyeuen ~ Bring them to the .private office, please.” And - j explaining to the ‘ladies, “You can examine them more comfortably there,” he Ted" the way . to t.he back of the ston. A'r the office door he nood n.slde and bowed them in, and as he followed, benn > i . “Unusually fine weather we're—" He stopped abruptly. There on the desk’ where he had tossed it on his réturn from Mr. Rath- bone’s office, was the copy of Chit-Chat. . “Yes,” he sald,” waving an arm toward ‘the window, “just look at that sunlight out there.” As he spoke, hcmsednflflywthedeskmd sitting on the edge of it, between them and the paper, reached back with one hnnd and ched t; under the blotting pad. - Charley came with the tuyq - “You ought' also get those new cican«e Continued on Twentiet: Page -