I knew I couldn't banish this person from my life--she was too long established with herself. Secondly, I wanted to use all my training and art to improve and perfect her impersonation so that she would--if she must exist--come up to my standards and be a credit to my work as a fashion adviser and makeup expert. That way, I felt, I could perhaps justify to myself a situation that previously I would have found quite anacceptable.

We went to work the following morning and I insisted that she take the whole course I give my girls, even down to gymnasium work early in the day in black leotard and tights. Then the usual mannequin training in walking.. turning, descending steps, how to remove a coat or stole in order to display for the audience both that garment and the dress underneath. Putting on and taking off gloves and the whole routine of fashion salon work. We walked miles window shopping while I taught her what good fash- ion was and how to recognize it. Browsed through count- less French and German glossy magazines and spent hours just sitting in so-called smart places watching the female scene and picking out the women who were really chic from the great mass who merely thought they were. Roma loved all this and tried hard and patiently. For our the- ory work we went deligently through social etiquette, wardrobe planning, and health maintenance. When a sc- hool course in elementary hairdressing and wig care (at which) she rapidly became proficient, manicure and of course, ordinary and illusion make-up on which she had a practice session everyday. Finally in order that she k could learn and appreciate all facets of a woman's life, I made her suffer my lectures on feminine hygienel

After three months, I stopped and took an inventory of achievement and I must confess that the improvement in Roma was quite spectacular. A fact which was roundly confirmed when I arranged for her to be hostess as a little cocktail party attended by all her special confidential friends. None of whom had seen her since I took her in my charge.

It seemed a waste that having herself been groomed she should not assist me in my work at the charm school and so I took her in on this firstly, for receptionist and clerical duties and later as my stooge for demonstrations

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