CHAUFFEUR NO. 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2574, 7 August 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAUFFEUR NO. 1911.

(By Kathryn Jarboo.)

The real foundation of old John Clausso-n’s fortune was the copybook aphorism, “Good beginnings make good endings.” With this shibboleth he began and ended all his affairs, personal and public. His own beginning had been good—a “job” in the steel-works of an uncle in Pittsburgh. His end- — or his temporary station on route thereto —was sole ownership of the Premier Machine Works in Sail Francisco, with all the proprietary rights in the Purple Flier, “the most perfect automobile on the market —noiseless, odorless, smooth-running, mile-eating, shock-ab-sorbing.”

It was owing to his belief in this ancient aphorism that lie was forcing his son to work his way up from beginnings almost as small as his own had been. It is tine that the. younger Clausson had had a university education and-a few years abroad: but when lie returned to his native land yml tlie parental roof, he was informed that if he expected a share in the profits of the business, lie must understand it in its smallest details—from the beg uiling, in fact. “You know, John, that good beginnings—’ ’ The old man pulled down his waistcoat. while the younger lifted his ohm an inch or so above his collar, .lust how long the argument lasted need not lie recorded, but its outcome was that John Clausson, Jr., went into the Premier Machine Works. At the same time, if any one had told Ysobel Grey that Jack Clausson was working for a. living, she would have laughed the idea to scorn. Now, the Purple Flier was the most important output of the , Premier 'Works; and just at the time when .the young man’s progress had brought him and that machine into close connection, it occurred to the eld man that it would <ie an excellent idea to establish a public garage, where Purple Fliers, with competent, careful, courteous chauffeurs—so the prospectus stated — would always be ready for instant service. "When Jack Clausson was ordered to take his place in the school for chauffeurs in this public garage, he informed the foreman that he would see the whole concern in Halifax V first. The matter was taken up to the senior Clausson, who stood firm. “You tell the young jackanapes that false pride is as much out of place in my business as any other false material,” he answered. “No, you needn’t tell him that,’either,” he added, after, a moment’s consideration. “Send him up to me.” The elder obstinacy conquered tho younger. Jack Clausson returned to the garage, and, by the side of the veriest ignoramus- in the place, received the -.instruct ion that was meted out to all,: not only in the details of handling and running the .machines, but also in tho proper care and courtesies to bo offered to the riding public. ,

It so happened that the first call he had to answer was from the residence of Judge Grey,.-father of Ysobel. ~A.r-‘ rayed in his chauffeur's..-coat, which was buttoned veil over his chin, with his cap drawn low over his brows, and the widest goggles he could find covering his eyes, ho .drove..his car —a neat purple brougham picked out in paler shades of lavender- —up to the Greys’ front door. . Ysobel descended the steps alone andunchaperoned. Jack had never had tho pleasure of taking her anywhere alone and ini chaperoned before, and a certain joy shot from his heart to the hands that wore firmly fixed upon the wheel. The girl stood for . a moment on the sidewalk, contemplated the machine and its driver, then called back to some'one at the door: m«3hU& il I 1

“It really looks all- right, doesn’t it? Good-byol”. The afternoon .was fi led with a round of short calls at houses no less familiar- to Jack than to Miss Grey, but not once did the amusing side of the thing ‘enter liis mind—not for a socond did he stop raging aft tho fate that held him.

The sun had set, and a white fog was weaving its way through the street, when the purple brougham stopped once more in front of Judge Grey’s house. Externally as impassive as the course of instruction demanded, infernally hot with rage and cold with terror of recognition, Jack sat with eyes straight ahead and hands-ready for instant flight; but he could not be unconscious of the fact that Ysobel, having descended from the car, was still standing close to it -with one hand outstretched.

“You’ve been so satisfactory,” she said. “Won’t you tell me your—your number, so that I can ask for you again, and won’t you take this?”

In a voice that he did not recognize as liis own ho muttered “Sixteen eleven,” but ho held out no hand for the gratuity she was offering, tiff she repeated : “Please take this, won’t you?”

The appeal in her voice reached him, and almost instinctively ho acceded to n ,m request. Holding out his go.mit.teted palm, M permitted her to Jay a coin therein.

Tho I’ext day, and the next, and the next after that, No. Kill was summoned to Judge Grey’s. Apparently, there was an interminable amount of shopping to bo done during tho morning hours, and' Jack found himself wondering how any girl who hated cal s as much as Ysobel declared she did could find it necessary to make so many. She must have recommended the purple garage to her friends, too, for all the girls, in her set seemed to patronize it. Ono evening, a few days later, Jack was dining with the Greys, when Ysobel asked him if he would make ono of a party to go out to the hall-game the next afternoon. They were all counting on hisi going, she said, and she would expect him for luncheon at a quarter past one. Before he could answer, his every thought was arrested by the voice of the girl next to him.

“It really will be heaps of fun, because we’re going in those new purple cars, and perhaps we’ll have a. chance to see Ysobel’s chauffeur. She’s quite crazy about him, really, Mr Clausson. She told me- that at last she had' found perfection, a man who was absolutely perfect in the place he occupied. We’ve done nothing but call up the garage, but wo never can get him. I suppose, , of course, .she'll have him to-morrow.” Next* morning, when Jack Clausson readied the garage, he told the foreman that lie intended to take tho afternoon off. He was informed that it was quite impossible, because Mass Gre/ had engaged him for the afternoon, specifically asking for No. 1(511. Jack’s demand that she should be told that No. 1 (511 was sick or dead was so insistent that tlic foreman finally consented to telephone to tho judge’s house something to that effect. Miss Grey, strangely incredulous, replied that she was very nervous- about public autos, especially in a crowd such as there would be at- the hall-grounds; that she couldn’t think of going unless she could have the driver she had found so trustworthy, and that the entire order for six cars would he off unless she could have him. In the mind of the foreman, and in Jack's own mind, there was only one thing to ho done. Young Mr Clausson despatched a note to Miss Grey, saying that ho could not join her party, because his father was sending him out oi town for the afternoon on important business. Then he resigned himself to his afternoon of torture, and to the quizzing inspection of which he had been warned.

That evening he went up to see Miss Grey, and found the entire party gathered in her library, so that there was no chance for a word a’one with her. After he had received many condolences over missing tho game, ho sat listening to The arguments of the baseball enthusiasts.

“Bully good catch of Jackson’s! It settled the game 1” exclaimed some one.

“It was Hanlon’s run to third that won the gamo!” retorted Jack.

No sooner had the words left his lips than he realized just what lie had done., The wave of’ color that swept across Ysobel’s face, the parted lips, the slowly falling lids and lashes, told him that he had sinned past all reparation. What could she think ’save that be had gone to the game either alone er in other company ? The cold fingers that touched his for a single second when lie said good night, the frigid tone that answered him, added nothing to liis dismay. He knew that there would be no return ,to her regard save through absolute confession, and he doubted if any words of his would prove to ho the key.

The following morning he reported at .the garage merely from force of habit. He was determined to end his misery at once, to tell his father that all tho Claiisson millions would 'not induce him to continue tho disgusting farce another day—another hour. But lie was'- met with an order to go at once to Judge Grey’s, with tho announcement that —as usual —-Miss Grey had telephoned for No. 1611. To Ysobel, descending the steps, ho could have grovelled on the sidewalk; but in response^,to her quiet order to go out through the park to tho beach he'turned an obedient wheel, and threaded his way through the busy streets with, all his wonted skid. Out through tho park they went, along Che shaded boulevard that edged the ocean beach, and back over tho hills to her home! His own heart was beating so, that he did not notice the s’ighfc tronib-

ling of her voice when she said: “That

will ho all, good morning”; nor did he notice that, for the first time, she was omitting her customary golden offering, But when he reached the garage, he opened the door of the brougham and glanced inside —rule fifteen of t-lic manual of instruction —and then he saw tho bunch of violets that she had been wearing. They had not fallen carelessly to tho floor, but had been laid carefully on •tho dark-purplo broadcloth of the seat. For only an instant, he looked at them. Thrusting them into the pocket of his coat, he strode to the telephone. “Is that 3 T ou, Ys —Miss'Grey?” he demanded as soon as he had his number. “Will you bo at home for a little while? I want so much to see you. There’s something I must toll you—something I must say to you.” To his amazement, came tho words, faint hut still clear enough to. admit of no doubt:

“But why didn’t you say it in the park this morning, Jack?” An hour later ho was asking Ysobel for the hundredth time just how long she had known, just when she had discovered that he was he. That other things had been asked and answered during the hour would have been understood by the meanest observer, because, oblivious to all observers, they were sitting side by side on a couch in Judge Grey’s library, and both her hands were iu one of his.

“Why, only last night, you dear old stupid!” she answered. “Wasn't I certain that 3*oll wouldn’t go to the game with anyone but'me? And it was so funny! You know, I’ve always been nervous about those things, and I’ve never Cared to ride with any one but you; and I just hated myself when 1 found I had the same feeling of safety with a miserable hired chauffeur. I cou’dn’t help wanting to go out with him, either, and I couldn’t understand that. Then when you spoke about the hall-game, and I knew you’d been the 1 ':- —why, of course, I understood overything, don't you see?” He ought to have been able to rx-e all tho hidden mysteries of her brain, because his eyes were very close to hers ; but he made no audible answer, for liis lips were otherwise engaged.

That afternoon Jack Clausson and Ysobel Grey might have been seen speeding over the park grounds ior a second time in the same day. ’I his time, however, they were not in one of the purple broughams provided for public use ; but in Jack’s own car he having informed the foreman of tin- garage that even old ClaussonV chauffeurs were entitled to a day off sometimes.