The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-25
RIGOLOT,s ORDEALs.

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 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 Ruth's
perspicacity than to the gloriication 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
me, I only half believed this but, hav-
ing great opinion of myself, like the
rest of you, I hesitated to accept Mr..
CumIeigh's invitation, and it was only
at the instant suppication of Rigolot
that I at length cendescended to ac-
company him. When we arrived, Miss
Ruth thanked me with demure little
bow for the honor I was doing her
fathers roof, and hoped that I
should not find the hospitality of it
too humble.
BILE place could not be found by adver-
urious, and vet tasteful for those who,
knowing little of the houses of city
plutocrats, pirate of the ostentatious
vulgarity of these abodes, forget that
men like Mr.. Cumleigh seldom consult
their own taste in the matter of furni-
ture, but appeal to artistic upholster-
ers. Before I had spent clock-round
at the Lodge1 could not help wishing
that some of the aristocracy, among
whom my acquaintances chiefly he-as
I think 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 a trife 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-
stancee, I strolled into the billiard
room and began knocking the balls
about, waiting for Rigolot to join me.
I had scarcely been SO engaged min
-
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 scarlet rose stuck, as
by the merest accident, in her girdle.
Iavine her finger on her lips, she mo-
toned me to folIowEher into the conserv-
atorY adjoining the bill1ard-room, and
there, when I had let fall the door cur
tain, she said
sMr. Trefoil.
IS Miss Cumleigh."
&c Your French friend IS making vlo-
lent love to me"
ssI do not wonder at it.
"It's a matter of taste !; but I should
he careful before marrying a French
man. -
se An authentic viscount, believe. II
go. foreign viscounts And then
have no faith in the courage of these
Frenchmen. They boast too much, and
I would not give q pin for man who
boasted and had no courage. He
would be sure to tyrannize and make
one wretched and ashamed of him.
What is your opinion, OF Monsieur
Rigelot ?"
"Try him."
ssT6at is what mean to do if you
will help me. There is a ghost who is
said to haunt a churchyard near here.
Do you think Monsieur Rigolot is afraid
of ghosts ?"
but Frenchman may be above such q
prejudice"
"And do you think Monsieur Rigolot
would like to be awoke at night by two
armed burglars pointing revolvers IN
his FACET asked Miss Ruth, fixing her
large eyes on me.
II can only answer for myself, and
confess that night SO disturbed would
be most disagreeably noted IN my
memory"
said the pleasant young lady gravely
s. and to-morrow. if he gets through the
two trials creditably, 1 will tell him
that papa has received telegram say
inc that his fortune is in jeopardy. ]
shall see then whether your friend cares
for me or my money.
I laughed, she laughed. and between
us we agreed to submit Rigolot to as
uncomfortable series of ordeals as
have ever heard devised. So that even
ing at dinner, just as the soup was being
removed, and before any of the guests
had time to draw an artificial courage
quietly: " Papa, tit's tonight the gnosT
pays his yearly visit to GraVeflH
Churchyard."