Sylvia's Friend.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 78, 28 September 1907, Page 19

Sylvia's Friend.

Sylvia and I had forsaken Paris for ths joys of les bains de mer. It was mid-day ; the Diguo shimmered with elegantes, in the latest of Doucet frocks, and gilded boulevardiers, in attendance. "Wish there were street-oars on this old sea-front," said Sylvia briefly. ''I promised the little Marguerite to be on timo, and I'd hate to be late." "I'm coming as fast as. I can, Sylvia," I answered; "bufc we can't run, you know." . Sylvia, who .wore a white .pique coat and skirt, alternately , rau aild skipped Defore mo. '"I have to change my dollar piece, ' she said, importantly ; , "I want Marguerite should have. dozens of tarts." * 'Well, don't you,' Sy}via'," I said, significantly ; "remember when we had to have the doctor." » "Why, that's qujte a while ago, Auntie Lil," she said, scornfully, "before uiy birthday.". (It had tieen the previous fortnight). There had been a coolness of lato between Sylvia and her friend the, little Marguerite, and I welcomod the calumet of of peace. "There they are." I indicated the Marquise and her daughter on the steps of Werly's. / '* "Come right in," said Sylvia, after a hurried greeting, "Je vous remercie, Monsieur," to a bowing Frenchman, who hat in hand, held open the dooi. Werly's was crowded with a fashionable throng, but Sylvia, undaunted, gained the counter. "Are there plenty of eclairs for my friend?" she asked, affably, saluting Monsieur in his white cap and apron. "That is well. Sers-toi,. Marguerite" — with a lordly gesture. ' 'Tor me, 1 do not eat too many — to please; Auntie Lil," in an audible aside. The little Marguerite, looking a miniature Parisian of plump proportions, with small diamond earrings and a tiptilted nose, helped herself -without more ado; four eclairs, two petis-fours, and a glass of Madier» £efbro my horrified eyes; "Sylvia, under my supervision, contented herself with two tartlets and a glass pi water. "Not even iced," as she scornfully remarked. , Tjhe last, crumb flicked from her white batiste frock, Marguerite professed herself, \v|th a sigh, ready to proceed to the plage. . v . Sylvia, witli "an air, reported' £he total of eatables consumed to Mademoiselle, smilingly seated at the white-and^gilt desk in the corner, and paid for- the whole with the dollar out of her small chain purse. * "1 thank thee, Sylvia," said tho little Marguerite as we passed through the glass doors. "It is a pity thou hast the digestion so. feeble thou canst not-eat." "Oh ! I ea£ all I want— don't you trouble," said Sylvia, detecting patronage m tho ungrateful recipient of tarts. ''Je ne te compreiidc pas, Sylvia," said the litUs Marguerite with dignity, while I interposed hurriedly. Wo formed a circle on the plage in the shade of the tent, in tho fashion beloved of French family-parties, and were reinforced by the . Marquis, the chic Etlenne, Marguerite's cousin Casirair, «md M. Theodoie, a quite young uncle. The sun shone ; the water was tepid under tho golden haze of heat. "I shall sit hero," said Marguerite demurely, "and do my crochet." Sho produced a small piece of edging from a white silk bag. Sylvia eyed it with some scorn. "I sort of despise crochet," she said shortly; ''I shall shrimp." She cgst an inviting- eye on the company, divested herself of a pair of browj] si]!; stockings and shoes to match, and laid them with her parasol by ray eido. "Will you keep thuni, honey!" sha aaid, embracing &>« affectionately. Then with a sudden onburst, to the Marquis, "Ain't shs just too cunning !" she flung her arms, phrimping-net and all, round my heck, and departed seawards upholding, her remarkably fchort petticoats. "My! it's lovely!" sho called. "Como then — some one." Th,e blond Etienne was clearly the Borne one, but he turned a blase eyo upon tha sands. , "I will come," said the little Casimh suddenly, "if thou wilt hold my hand." Sylvia frowned. ,"C'est bien," she said briefly, "though thou art young to shrimp." Casimir's place next to the beau Etienne's was left empty ; the liitlo Marguerite with an. abstracted air shifted her seat to the vacant one. Sylvia, splashed soawards. "If there's a girl I've no use for it's a bold girl," she said angrily, looking back. But the ardour of the chaso grew upon her. GraspiAg the half reluctant Casimir by the hand she draw him beyond tho bathing-machines. "Will you come to the eslacado, Mademoiselle Marguerite?" Etienno asked languidly. "Tv permets, Maman?" The exemplary Marguerite rosg, folded her ciochciedging, and, with a backward glance at tho neglected Sylvia, departed across the plage. "Say, .Auntie Lil," cried Sylvia excitedly, reappearing presently flushed and wot ; "1 goitsu a lot of shrimps I'm going to rm;il to my Poppa." A Very few small mud-coloured objects wriggled amongst the seaweed and stones in her net. "Say, where's Marguerite?" Sho looked round. "And $1. JStienne?" In the distance on the wooden pier two figures were silhouottod against tho sky ; '.., Sylvia oank sombroly on the sands by my side, "Sorry I blew n. cent at Werly's," she murmured bitterly. "Sylvia," 1 roproved ; "that's, not very generous, m it?" "I don't care about th& old money, you'd better believe, Auntie Lil," cfio said gloomily; "but tho jittlo Margut'rite's too perfectly mean. What was (lie matter with waiting for me and Casiuiir?" •' '•Well, never mind, dearie," I said, \ "h«re they coraei"

\ sudden, unexpected cry from Sylvia rent the air. ' "If she's not the limit !" Sho bounded to her stockingless feet. "Why, Auntie Lil, it's my very own pink sunshade !" The offending couple wero advancing across tho plage ; the little Marguerite mincingly picked her way amongst the rainbow-hucd infants on the sands, while the elegant Etienno hsld over her head Sylvia's most cherished, much befrilled pink silk parasol. Before I could so much as rise she had reached his side. "C'est a moi, Monsieur, ca !" she said indignantly, and seized it from his hand. Then, turning, with tho utmost dignity, she strode towards our circle. "Sylvia dear," I murmured choiringly, "I'm very sorry ; I didn't see him take it ; but, 100k — see what a splendid castle Casimir is building." With the air of an outraged soveieign, Sylvia closed the parasol and replaced her brown shoes and stockings. ' Etisnne's mother, a well-known Parisian elegante, joined our croup. "Ciel, what heat!" she ejaculated, sinking on to v chair. "Etienne, do not thou go in the sun, mon cheri." "Non, Maman." Sylvia' 3 lip curled. "Must be made of candy," she said audibly. Casimir's fort progressed and attracted admirers among the French children all round. "Que c'est beau! Qu'il est enorme!" rewarded tho efforts of tho damp but indefatigable builder; Sylvia went with the tide. "Yes, he's bright at building I don't say," aha conceded. "Dis done, Casimir, it will want a flag on the top of the tower. "Oh! Auntie Lil, a handkerfich— and oh ! say," with a flash of inspiration to the admiring crowd, "we'll make a procession round and round till Casimir's quite through, and then we'll put the flag on top. Sea? See here, I want a stick." M. Theodore's cane being converted into a flagstaff, the procession was formed, with Sylvia and an excited Gaston at its head ; la potito Marguerite, with Etienne as a partner, a bad second behind her, and the rest of the French children forming an animated chorus. Casirair worked intrepidly ; moat, drawbridge, portcullis, windows, battlemouts, the chateau-fort lacked nothing, and its topmost turret rose proudly, wanting but its flagstaff. The procession halted. "My! It beats the Dutch!" Sylvia said breathlossly. "One/ two, three cheers for Casimir's chateau." La petite Marguerite, who disliked secondary roles, sprang to the front. In her hand she held Etisnne's stick with a rival handkerchief attached ; before Sylvia could interfere, and before her friend's very eyes, sho darted forward and planted the victorious flag on the summit of the tower. "Casimir, ths time-server, ejaculated & faint "Vive Marguerite !" His triumph was short-lived. There was a scream from Sylvia, a flash, and la petite Marguerite, white batiste and all, lay face downwards in the water-filled moat. And with a, "That for your old castle!" Sylvia demolished it about the prostrate Casi. mir's head. "Ah ! c'est dono un vrai diable que cot enfant," and Etienne's mother seized him by the hand. "Never — never again — tv entends — dost thou play with this little American ill-bred and savage. Confusion reigned supremo. The now weeping Marguerite was extricated from the sandy moat, and Casimir from under his castle. M. Theodore and the Marquis laughed till the tears ran .down their cheeks, while Sylvia ctood defiant on the ruins of the chateau-fort. "Auntie LiV she said scorntully, "of all the mean, low-down, treacherous things, la petite Marguerite's 'the worst — and I thought she was my friend ! I would not have her n6w — net for the Stars and Stripes, nor all tho Land o.f Glory!"— Mrs. George Norman, in the Westminster Gazette.