EIGHT
‘_ l—i
‘1
Above
marlrc.
By Maurice Duval.
(Spi‘cicll ('urri .vpumii‘nt‘r.)
l‘Anrs. Saturday.
ElilND an extremely interesting
beauty contest now being watched
with
Paris. the contestants being what might
be called the "hoppers of France.” is the
somewhat pathetic story of .1 lonely and
considerable attention in
gallant young King. {whose specter per-
yndcs the reminiscences of four of the
principal participants in the contest.
It would be entirely too ranch to say
that tho favor of the. King—4‘“ approbno
Lion—is tlle intangible prize in the com-
petition, but it is not exaggerating 9. any
that it is because of him somepretty
young women are engaging in what
might be called a battle of beautiful flap-
perhood. ..
The King is Boris. the youthful mon-
arch of Bulgaria. llis part in the con-
test was played almost four years ago.
when, occasionally, Boris—then in exile
.—rau into Paris incognito for a bit of
the relaxation denied him in Vienna. Bel-
grade and Budapest, where he spent most
of his time.
Very young, very engaging—almost
bashful-male proprietors and major
demos took a keen personal interest in
him. He was not adventurous. and was
always most discreet—quite well behaved
and. a great deal more solemn thnn
usuallyis a prince running at large in-
ccgnito in Paris.
His favorite restaurant was a little.
somewhat modest cafe in the Montmartre
—ths same cafe, it is said. which has
been given additional fame by being made
the background of a play successful both
in Paris and in America. Here the young
King—s Prince then, or a King refusing
to scceptdiis throne, spent an occasional
evening. glad of conversation with any
of the patrons who elected to occupy s
side of his table. His afternoons he spent
st the Botanical Gardens.
It is one of those bits 'of untold ro.
msncs. hidden everywhere in the odd
corners of Paris. as well Is in other
places—tint there should be a beauty
contest in progress to-dsy. between s
group of young women. There is a jewel
in the story of course. but tucking
owned the Jewel. it is no pearl or emer-
sld of ubulous price. or even s bizarre
gem with s history reaching hock to Ch.
modlflul. Is is instead a modest such
pin. set with a very small chrysolis. the
"on. Perfect and well cut. but. hardly
worth more in the msrhst'thnn s. Mndfil
g: h
is Mlle. Suzanne and, at the top. is
Mlle. Guerin. two of the young women who were
guests of King Boris at the little cafe in the Mont
Contest Now Being
Perhaps the story should
be told in its sequence.
The colorful little cafe was
patronized liberally by a
sprinkling of all classes from
the studios. workshops and
little theaters in the Mont-
martre. One might find there
whatever section of human-
ity he was especially inter-
ested in. a scholar. 3 states-
man, a distinguished for-
eigner, an artist's model. the artist
himself or a mannequin. And one
might become a part of his preferred
section or sit at table sipping his fa-
vorite drink and merely study the
panorama.
The young Prince preferred the
latter relaxation, enjoying its relief
no doubt from his more studious re»
flcctions during the afternoon at the
Botanical Gardens.
The story is—and it must be re-
laied «mly as a story that is persis-
tent in its perse- M.
stance of his reasoning, Boris enjoyed
the meal tremendoualy. One may imagine
merable questions about himself and en-
joyed, secretly. his bashfulness and rather
solemn consideration of events around
him. There is a room for dancing at this
cafe and Boris is known to be a moder-
at'ely good dancer. All young women of
the Montmnrtre are immoderately good
at this diversion. It does not run in the
record that they danced. but decidedly it
is possible.
There was. it is certified. an exchange
of names. the Prince remaining “M.
Boris." ,
Thus identified. the young women were:
Claudine—the Mlle. Sueur. who h' i
come from Pussy to find work and who
had been engaged by M. Plaudon. one of
the artists working on the great painting
for the Pantheon. to pose for his various
figures of Red Cross nurses. ambulance
drivers and other feminine helpers in the
war. She had n knack of wearing clothes.
Plandon declared. that more expert”
vernnce through enc‘ed models seemed to have lost. Mlle,
four yours. with Claudine was very joyous at her success.
its only available now four weeks old. and gayly minted
authorities being that she was earning as much as tweflty
the four young francs a day.
\\ women them- Mlle. Felix. also a model. only two
' , \ selves - that 80- months in the Quorter, but already suc-
ii‘ts ris sir tlrl into cessful among artists who liked to p93.
is: ‘ the cafe through tray schoolgirls. .‘tillc. Felix was very en-
! its vine colored thusinstic about her future and asked the
é '_ wall door and to stmhger—-.\l. Borisv-if he. bein: so 5:!-
» 4“ his favorite table (min and sedate. thought there could he
. ~an ..,.;....,JI rather early one anything amiss about her being a model
J
rather than :1 dress chefs errand girl.
for the dinner he SUZalanw—Mlle. Tiliv. “5.3) was s‘ndying
had not partnken in illi‘ 310159? 0? 3‘3
of before. scenic artist.~hlllc. Sammie ind d spiny‘i
A “aitcr took marvelous talent. one of the other girls
. his order. bring confided in M. ltoris. for-she: him: aniv
llzg him first his wine. Before the meal nuns and houses and things during her
itself was served a bevy of young girls-— last year at school. Her parents had
four of them, such bits of feminine china scraped up all they could I" give Mir 8
as during the day ornament the studios or course under the great 530318 painter.
the art sghools near by. chattered up to She hoped she would be able some day to
the table. They displayed confusion at the do sets for the opera—~the (‘omique at
presence of the stranger and then Boris least. -
noticed a handbag. a pair of gloves and :1 "Did M. Boris think the men artists
shawl or two that had been left in the ever would allow-s girl to work with them
other chairs around the table. He rash on those wonderful scenes they did for
129d he had occupied 3 table WthYl “1880 the Mseterlinck and the Bergerac plays?"
young women had reserved for them- And the fourth was Cecilio, Mlle.
selves and which they had left perhaps Guerin. from the Lorraine. She arrived
but a moment or two‘before. in Paris only that day and the little
The Prince rose and made embarrassed gathering of the four at the cafe was in
apologies. Reaching his hat and stick be her honor. She had found lodgings at
was about to bow himself away when his the same modest hotel which shelf red
waiter arrived with the flrs‘f courses of the other three—and so. that very 31?.
his dinner. The waiter was apologetic—- three young chums had become four.
there was no other table. it was hurriedly Mlle. Cecille did not know what she was
discovered, at which the Prince might‘eat going to do. She had to have employ.
his dinner or. if he remained at this ment. as her parents had up“: in the dev-
tnble. where the young women might all» «aerated district and their savings had
All others were occupied. been exhausted. One brother had goneto
Waiters at Montmartre cafes are re- work on the trams. Now that shg ha!
sourceful—and not at all backward. finished schoo]_!ts first stages—she. too.
"ComG‘lt is quickly nettled," tbls one must become a bmdwinner.
exclaimed with something of mischievous "It is delightful. M. Boris, you should
finality. "Monsieur will have his dinner give this banquet for our “"19 Cecilio
here and the mademoiselles will sit with here to-night. All of us together could
him. I present you to each other. not have purchased such an elaborate din-
Mademoiselles. may I have the pleasure nor for her." '
of presenting Monsieur? Monsieur. you Certainly. this m an occasion “1d ‘
are honored—I present ‘0 Y0“ “9‘ °“° company to interest any Prince—even one
mademoiselle. but four. Voila! It is done. with nCsardom confronting him. Almost
Monsieur dines and mademoisellles sit ‘ any one would have poudered the futurs
with him." . of these four bilthcsome youns women—a
With that the waiter deposited his ‘1; recently escaped schoolgirls, whole-
plates and brought on elm cm to some. ambitious. carefree and confident.
make an the the required. And s'lli'nt the beginning of whatever
The future Clary! Bulgurin was not to . drama; or tragedy life in Paris held in
be outdone by the resourcefulness of the store for them. ~
“"1“"- A canvass of their ages disclosed that
“If msdemolsslles will further honor all were in the after month: of their six-
me—perhaps they will permit me to be teenth birthdays. Th! future King m
their host It dinner?” himself‘llttle more than so.
Mademoisellss. it transpired. WW1‘1- It is Kile. Claudine. now one of the
Feeling sofa in numbers and. so is the most sought smi- of the models whose
situation with almost all young msdemoi- work is done mostly for American art-
selles from the studios or the art classes. 15:3. in Paris. who tells the res: of tho
having sppetitss far beyond their finan-
cial endowments. they took prompt ud-
vsnbsgo of the occasion for an unex-
pected feast.
Boris was I student of plants. Most
plants are young. , Ho amused himself.
perhaps, by initiating.n study of the
young plants thus inadvertently thrust
under his attention. Thstis one way of
putting it. Another would be: Born was
a Prinos. with on w future. clout
uhfrlvolous for s Prince. nevertheless he
enjoyed this W uissting with
four young woman who m s
most M world.
evening— «in time
(in Klimt-2:. the
over and over again:
3'80 was s most empathetic young
man. not at all and. but a little wistful.
And howns so earnest. He liked to.
laugh with 'us and soon was were trying”
ourbesttodnwfmmhlmnmsllyjoym
smile. Hownsso gnllnntnudthoughttul
hoputuslfstourhsssndwossidto
one another what a rim reception
he won giving us for “Walnut '_
'no inundhtmsslf by dnwfuiout of
" 01's: . 0f F a
lhgpeat or
{The Interesting Episode in the Lives. of Four
Charming Young Women of the Meat:
mariIe Which ReSultea in a Beauty
a Royal Jewel 7 as the Prize
that the young women asked him innu-'
' cl’rysolls, as you
story to all who come to her to hear if -
a." _ _ ..
O
Waged With
4
were little more than 16 he was much in-
terested.
“'Let me, prophesy for you, mademoi—
seiles.’ he said. 'You each will be suc-
cessful: you each will be happy. and you
each will be very beautiful!
“Then 'Cecille spoke up banteringly.
‘Now then, monsieur, you have got your
foot in it. Of course we will all be suc-
cessful and happy. We know that. It is
certain. But it is only you who are so
sure we shall all be beautiful. Now
then come! E hit
your skill at proph-
esy. Which of us
will be the rmost
beautiful? -
“He laughed. "That
I cannot say—~Parls
judged only from the
evidence before him;
not the prospect. I
can be no wiser than
be. But when the
time comes—let us
say when you all are
20. the age when
beauty is definitely
formed—l shalll be
glad to be your Paris
and decide between
you.’
“Susanne broke in
merrily: ‘And will
you give a golden
apple '-‘ flh )‘ourjudg-
L11 .- . sieur ‘ParisT
Parishes we
k‘ x him then—
smiiecl 5315152, 'I am
afraid a golden apple
might be beyond me
“you see. I am not
so certain of my lll'.
ture as the made-
nmisellcs.’ he re—
plied. ‘But i would
‘not be Paris and not
award a prize. Here
‘-—we will name the
prize now and I will
give it into your
keeping. Your part-
nership in its pos-
session will keep you
chums. perhsst, um
til the fateful day.‘
"With that he
drew from his tie
his stickpln—Just a
see. sir. set in hand
wrought gold. He
put it on the table between'us and said:
“One of you take it. and all of you keep it.
I shall look you up in four years and to
the most beautiful then I will perms-
nently award the souvenir.’
"Was it not droli? We accepted the
challenge with a great deal of laughter—
the kind of laughter young girls make.
Presently M. Boris rose and bade us good
night. He kissed our fingers delight-
fully. As he passed out the gate in the
wall he turned and lifted his hat and
waved it at us. -
“None of us ever has spoken to him
since. Susanne saw him once, three
years ago. on the Rue de in Pain. By
that” time we had seen his pictures in the
magazines so much that we knew who
lad been our host that night—Boris.
Czar of the Bulgarians. Each one of us
felt a maternal interest in him. We felt
like sisters to his two sisters, and we got
to speaking of the old King. the one who
was senf away, as “Paps Ferdinand: I
sswhimoncaontthnodelsPsintoo.
sndlslm‘ostwontuptohuntossinbout
his son Boris. ’
“We hsvs~kept the stickpin. And now
wsurotwenty.sllofus.sndn little
more. and still we are chums. The stick-
pin has bound‘us together through all
\
changes cigar-tune. It teatime to award V
it. PrincePsris is s King nowsnd could
not—even if he has remembered that
night in the little cuts inths Montana-fro.
8c tbs other Paris, the city. will have to
act 1m. . .
“But tell me; “ Il'sisur-ouow that you
have heard a! lshout.it——-" mic. Clau-
dine invariably asks this “anon when
she concludes. "don'tyyu think that per
m2
-0“ ‘
s
remembers the evening well; and there
in the vine covered wall is the very gate-
way out of which Prince Boris disap-
peared just after he turned to wave
adieu: with his hat to the four little
women. What more evidence is required?
There is just one little rub in the pres-
ent situation. There could be no note-
worthy contest between just four young
women when there are so many with do
cided claims in Paris. So the four chums
have agreed to let all the others in—only
they must be the French edition of what
is known in America as the flapper. '
For all four have become, just as count-
less others of their age have become.
dapper-s in all senses of the word—French
hoppers. . A new and interesting develop-
ment in Franceiwhich will make another
story for these pages. '
.“If one of us wins the prize." says Mlle.
Claudine. “we shall be happy. If there
is another young women more beautiful
than any one of us. then we shall feel we
did not live up to the prophecy of Prince
Boris and the four of us together will re-
sign thetis pin to the one who is more
Above is Mlle. Clsu-
dino and. n! the left. is
King Boris us he appears
fir-day. M the top is the
beautiful Kile. Felix—
the rest of the contestants
and their “Paris."
favored. But we shall
remain chums just the
same.”
The rest is quickly tel-f.
Suzanne, who was to be a
scenic artist, has become a
celebrated star of the
French cinema—she is to
France what Pickford is :5
America. Mlle. Guerin has a studio on
Montparnasse and does beautiful sketches
in ”dry point which sell very readily t:
dealers who put hand wrought gold
frames around them and mark them with
almost forbidding prices. She poses now
and then. but for the most distinguished
artists only.
Mlle. Felix does portraits of young
women. Also she assists the most mo-
cessfnl of the older portraitists, who so
often need an intelligent model to pass
for the “ensemble" of their subjects—that
is, to pose in the dress being worn by the
subject and to adopt the posture the a:
fist desires at sittings when the ports..-
ist would rather work from a model this
the subject herself. “So few women
know how to pose for a portrait without
being self-conscious in their poise,” those
artists declare They know Mlle. Felts to
discreet as well as will and W
' h skill at wearing clot es.
wiltt was these four who. in conspiracy
between them, first introduced the “I.
and nonchalsnco of the flower ‘9 ‘4
Montmartre.
HE human view of waspslscems to
' be lacking in breadth. pecan-s
they!!! givenlto sting“ us we
all to do justice to their virtues. Ono
scientist who has givenmuch study to
the matter says that the main doctrines
of’tho wasp no. “If nuy wasp will not
work"neithernhall he out"; and “Every
wssp' :tolsbornocordingtohiscspocityr
Ind roosi’ vsoocording‘ ' ’vtohisnsedsinu
Wasps are at all times particularly 103‘
of honey. Indeed they have a very am
tooth for sugar in any form. Toward the
end of summer. therefore. as be keeper!
well know, the, will force the: wt! 11:;
V ‘ robbers an arty
gymtxosormud as the! «I W
of their winged nelghbon' honey.
7 no drones of the nos, “:11: M31
scanner-mu... m“.
the community. The! class tho .
of their can with amplify d8!!!”-
Norwalk Chronicler