Round Like a Goblet

Like ants to a honey pot, the feckless of Europe flocked last week to Enghien-les-Bains, just outside Paris. There, in the white casino above the quiet lake, twelve beauties were competing for the title Miss Europe. At the first showing two were missing: bumped by Egyptian royalty from the Cairo-Paris plane, Miss Italy still sat in Rome; Miss Austria just hadn't appeared.

On a dais at the end of the long, red-draped, cream-colored restaurant sat the judges: Jean-Gabriel Domergue, Paris painter of nudes and titles; the slick-haired Belgian impresario, Jean-Jacques Fortis; and, peering recklessly through enormous horn-rimmed glasses, Marilyn Buferd, Miss America of 1946. They were face to face with an international incident. The Stockholms-Tidningen had just demanded the elimination of platinum blonde Miss Sweden on two grounds: 1) she had once been elected Miss China in a Stockholm cabaret contest, and 2) she wasn't a miss; she was a missus, married to an Italian. Rebutted Miss Sweden: "I was elected Miss China in 1941 at Stockholm's biggest vaudeville house, which is named 'China.' " But the judges disqualified Miss Sweden anyway--on count No. 2.

Most popular of the contestants swaying among the klieg-lighted diners was pert Jacqueline Donny of France, displaying a smartly cut bathing suit and a perfectly round navel. When the votes were in, Miss France was provisional winner. Observed Miss America '46, putting away her glasses: "Miss France won by a navel."

A few days later Miss France cinched the title when she met and defeated the belated Miss Italy and an ersatz Miss Austria whipped up at the last minute from a Paris fashion house. Miss Italy walked off with a consolation prize: a gallant proposal of marriage from her indignant impresario. She accepted.

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