The true northerner., 1874-12-11
RIGOLOT,S ORDEALS.

You were told some weeks ago how
my French friend, Blaise Rigolot, be-
came enamored of the dowry of Miss
Ruth Cumleigh, and succeeded in in
truding himself upon her attention.
This week he and have been staying
at Cumleigh Ledge, in Surrey, to
honor the pheasant preserves but we
have been doing something else besides
shooting. thanks to the ingenious spirit
of Miss Ruth.
You recollect being informed that
Mr.. Cumleigh had fallen into bad odor
among society, owing to Miss Ruth's
eccentric proceedings. Having a ro-
mantle mania for testing the personal
courage of her adorers, this young lady
had played pranks upon certain we'll
connected gentlemen notably
guardsman or two-and these pranks
had redounded more to Miss Ruths
perspicacity than to the glorifcation of
her victims. To revenge themselves,
the well-connected gentlemen who had
been made to show the white feather
had spread the report that Mr.. Cum
leigh was diSgracefully bad form-a
person of whose antecedents nothing
was known, and must have made his
fortune by modes of which no right
thinking mind could approve. AS for
me, only half believed this +; but, hav-
ing great opinion of myself, like the
rest of you, hesitated to accept Mr..
CumIeigh's invitation, and it was only
at the instant supplication of Rigolot
that / at length cendescended to ac-
company him. When we arrived, Miss
Ruth thanked me with a demure little
bow for the honor / was doing her
fathers roof, and hoped that 1
should not find the hospitality of it
too humble.
This was nonsense, for less hum
BILE place could not be found by adver-
tising. Cumleigh Lodge is rich, lux
urious, and yet tasteful for those who,
knowing little of the houses of city
plutocrats, prate of the ostentatious
vulgarity of these abodes, forget that
men like Mr.. Cumleigh seldom consult
their own taste III the matter of tuTni-
ture, but appeal to artistic upholster-
ers. Before | had spent a clock-roHnd
at the Lodge / could not help wishing
that some of the aristocracy, among
whom my acquaintances chiefly lie-as
think | was good enough to explain
to you before-would take leaf ont of
this city mans book. The only thing
to complain OF was that among the
other guests invited were trifle too
many fellow city men strongly perfumed
with gold. But, after all, gold is good
perfume.
The other morning, then, after sat-
isfying breakfast of game pies, we OBJ
served that the sky was weeping, and as
sport was difficult under the circum-
stances, / strolled into the billiard
room and began knocking the balls
about, waiting for Rigolot TO join me.
/ had scarcely been so engaged a min
ute when Ruth Cumleigh glided in
with the gravity of purpose in her
pretty face. She was adorably fresh
dressed in buff costume or ecru linen,
with velvet band and large medallion
round her neck, velvet bracelets round
her wrist, and a scarlet rose stuck, as
by the merest accident, in her girdle.
Laying her finger on her lips, she mo-
toned me to follow,her into the conserv-
atory adjoining the billIard-room and
there, when had let fall the door cur
tain, she said
Mr.. Trefoil."
Miss Cumleigh."
Your French friend is making vio-
lent love to me. :"
4" do not wonder at IL.
" It's a matter of taste but I should
be careful before marrying French.
man.
An authentic viscount, ] believe. II
go, foreign viscounts And then
have no faith IN the courage of these
Frenchmen. Tney boast too much, and
1 would not give pin for a man who
boasted and had no courage. He
would be sure 10 tyrannize and make
one wretcbed and ashamed OF him.