A DOUBLE LIFE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 27 June 1891, Page 103

A DOUBLE LIFE.

Clairette is a young/cwme de ballet in New York, whose history is stranger than fiction. She was seventeen when she and her younger sister were left orphans. She has now developed into a dazzingly beautiful woman, a little above medium height, with a figure in perfect proportion, and such hands and feet as those of which artists dream. The wavy hair is dark brown, and her splendid dark eyes are full of passionate fire. She is a veritable Juno. In truth, from the time of her going on the stage, ten years ago, she commanded good salaries, and educated her sister in the strictest mannei at one of the fashionable schools in the city.

• The elegant principal of the seminary, however, knew Clairette only as a stately, dignified widow, with soft, waving, grey hair that parted demurely in the middle and shone like a silver halo above the beautiful face. Clairette was always gowned in elegant mourning upon the occasion of her visits, and she was understood by the people of the establishment to be a fortunate young woman whose husband had left her a vast estate out west.

Clarette's sister knew how Clairette earned her living, but she was kept from knowing some rather scandalous things that appeared now and then about her, by being ignorant of her stage name and never being allowed to go to the theatre with which that name was identified. The woman’s shielding love and unselfishness to the young giil all these years would form the theme of a beautiful story. Now that the girl has married one of the swells of the Pour Bundled, and is one of the most beautiful ami courted young matrons in New York society Clairette conies in her widow’s weeds ami demure gray wig to her mansion and le ceives witii her sister every Sunday afternoon. The young husband knows all about her short comings, but he adoies his wife, and feels too much affectionate gratitude towaid her generous sister to prove her identity with the <ianwiixr. Everybody loves that beautiful widowed sister of Mis Blanks. At these receptions she is an authority ami a most decorous and God-fearing matron in the upper ten. She has even discussed her disreputable other self with sticklish matrons. tine afternoon the following good story in connection with her professional character was letailed in her presence. It appeared that she was the innocent cause of the rupluie of an engagement, which happened in thiswise. The "ent out a shop ping one day and puiehased on Eiftli Avenue his love’s favourite lloweis, some splendid Puritan roses. I’roin thence he sauntered to an

emporium famous for its specialty—ladies’ silk lingerie. There he putchased some very charming long robes, loose ami delicate ns a cloud in a summer sky, and much bernllled about the neck and wrists. To these he added a number of exquisite, daintily-tinted flashings, some low neck things, ami many line silken hose. When lie reached Ids apaitments the two boxes had been sent and placed on his bed by his valet, ami he sat him down and wrote two notes, one to his sweetheait and one to the famous leader of the ballet Mademoiselle Clairette.

In some way the things got mixed, ami, although the actress thought it perfectly natuial that he should want his

‘ dearest love ’ to wear these Puritan roses, ‘ so like herself,’ the Ajneee was decidedly stunned to receive the other parcel with a questionable letter, and the contents of a decidedly unconventional character. There was a Hare up and a parting, and the bonne histoire went the rounds of society, to be unconsciously recounted to the dancer herself when masquerading to the delusion of the hunt ton.