Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-03
RIGOL0T'S ORDEALS.

ni6ULUl y UnUEHLS.
You were told some weeks ago how my
French friend, Blaise Rigolot, became
enamored of the dowry of Miss Ruth
Cumleigh, and succeeded in intruding
himself upon her attention. This week
he and have been staying at Cumleigh
Lodge, in Surrey, to honor the pheasant
preserves; but we have been doing some
thing else besides shoot, thanks to the
ingenious spirit of Miss Ruth.
You reCOllect being informed that Mr.
Cumleigh lad fallen into bad odor among
society, owing to Miss Ruth's eccentric
proceedings. Having a romantic mania
for testing the personal courage of her
adOrers, this young lady had played
pranks upon certain well-connected gen
tlemen-notably guardsman or two
and these pranks had redounded more to
Miss Ruth's perspicacity than to the glo-
rifCation of her victims. To revenge
themselves, the well-COnneCted gentle
men who had been made to show the
white feather had spread the report that
Mr.. Cumleigh 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 having
a great opinion of myself, like the rest of
you, hesitated to accept Mr.. Cumleigh's
invitation, and it was only at the instant
supplicatiOn of Rigolot that l at length
condescended to accompany him. When
we arrived Miss Ruth thanked me with
a demure little bow for the honor | was
doing her fathers roof, and hoped that |
should not find the hospitality of it too
humble.
This was nonsense, for less hum
bic place could not be found by adver-
Using Cumleigh Lodge is rich, luxu-
rious and yet tasteful; for those who,
knowing little of the houses of city plu-
tocrats, pirate of the ostentatious vulgar
ity of these abodes, forget that men like
Mr.. Cumleigh seldom consult their own
tastes in the matter of furniture, but
appeal to artistic upholsterers. Before |
had spent a cock-round at the lodge 1
could nos help wishing that some of the
arlstocracy among whom my acquaint-
ances chiefly lie-as l think l was good
enough to explain to you before-would
take leaf out 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 salts
flying breakfast of game pies, we observed
that the sky was weeping, and, as sport
was difficult under the circumstances. I
strolied into the billiard-roOm and began
knocking the balls about, waiting for
Rigolot to join me. l had scarcely been
so engaged minute when Ruth Cumleigh
glided in with a gravity of purpose on
her pretty face. She was adorably fresh
dressed in buff costume or ecru linen,
with a velvet band and large medallion
round her neck, velvet bracelets round
her wrist, and scarlet rose stuck. as bv
the merest accident, in her girdle. Law
ing a finger on her lips she motioned to
me to follow her into the conservatory
adjoining the billiard-room, and there,
when I had let fall the door curtain, she
said:
Mr. Trefoil"
Miss Cumleigh"
"Your French friend is making violent
love to me"
/ do not wonder at it."
It's matter of taste; but l should
be careful before marrying a French
man.
An authentic Viscount, l believe"
ooh, foreign Viscounts And then 1
have no faith in the courage of these
Frenchmen. They boast too much, and
| would not give pin for man who
boosted and had no courage. He would
be sure to tyrannize and make one
wretched and ashamed of him. What is
your opinion of Monsieur Rigolot?"
Try him"
That is what / mean to do il you will
help me. There is a ghost who is said
TO haunt churchyard near here. Do
you think Monsieur Rigolot is afraid of
ghostsH"
" have little taste for them myself,
but Frenchman may be above such
prejudice"
And do you think Monsieur Rigolot
would like to be awoke at night by two
armed burglars pointing revolvers in his