Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-01-13
RIGOLOT'S ORDEALS.


This week he and 1 have been staying
at Cumleigh Lodge, in Surrey. to
honor the pheasant preserves but We
have been doing something else besides
shoot, thanks to the ingenious spirit oi
Miss Ruth.
You recollect being informed that
Mr.. Cumleigh had fallen into bad odol
among society, owing to Miss Ruth's
eccentric proceedings. Having a 70.
mantle mania for testing the personal
courage of her adorers, this young lady
had played pranks upon certain well
connected gentlemen-notaby guards
man or two-and these pranks had
redounded more to Miss Ruth's per.
spicacity than to the glorification oi
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 from-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, L only half believed this; but
having great opinion of myself like
the rest of you, L hesitated to accept
Mr.. Cumleigh's invitation, and it was
only at the instant supphcation OF
Rigolot that / at length condescended
to accompany him. When we arrived,
Miss Ruth thanked me with a demure
little bow, for the honor L was dong
her fathers roof, and hoped that /
should not find the hospitality of it too
humble.
This was nonsense for less humble
place could not be found for advertis-
ing. Cumleigh Lodge is rich, luxuri
ous, 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 tastes in the matter of furni-
ture, but appeal to artistic upholster-
ers. Before L had spent clock round
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 Won befOre-would take leaf out of
a 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 a good
perfume.
The other morning, then, after a
satisfying breakfast of game pies, we
observed that the sky was weeping,
and as sport was difficult under the
circumstances, | strolled in the billirrd
room and began knocking the balls
about, waiting for Rigolot to join me.
L had scarcely been so engaged a
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
wrists, and scarlet rose stuck, as by
the merest accident, in her girdle. Lay
ing her finger on her lips she motioned
to me to follow her into the conserva-
tory adjoining the billiard room, and
there, when l had let fall the curtain,
she said a:
"Mr. Trefoil."
Miss Cumleigh."
"Your French friend is making vio-
lent love to me-"
81 do not wonder at it.
'1t's a matter of of taste; but /
should be careful before marrying a
Frenchman."
can authentic Viscount, / believe. "
go, foreign Viscounts ? And then /
have no faith in the courage of these
Frenchmen. They boast too much,
and would not give a 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
Rigolot ?"
Try him."
THAT is what 1 mean to do if you
will help me. There is ghost who is
said to haunt churchyvrd near here.
Do you think Monsieur Rigolot is
afraid of ghosts ?"
81 have little taste for them myself
but Frenchman may be above such
prejudice"
.And do you think that Monsieur
Rigolot would like to be awakened at
night by two armed burglars pointing
reyolyers in his face ?" asked Miss
Ruth, fixing her large eyes on me.
81 can only answer for myself, and
confess that a night so disturbed would
be most diagreeably noted in my
memory"
"Well, / think that will do then.
said the pleasant young lady gravely /;
"and tomorrow if he gets through the
two trials creditably, will tell him
that papa has received a telegram say
ing that his fortune is in jeopardy. 1
shall see then whether your friend cares
for me or Wy money"
l laughed, she laughed, and between
us we agreed to submit Rigolot to as
uncomfortable series of ordeals as i
have ever heard devised. So that
evening at dinner, just as the soup was
being removed, and before any of the
guests had time to draw on artificial
courage from wine, Ruth Cumleigh re-
marked quietly: Papa, it's tonight
the ghost pays yearly visit to Grave
hill Churchyard."
ssMy dear child, how can you say
such foolish things ?"
"Mademoisellee believes in ghosts
zen 2" inquired Rigolot, displaying his
white teeth on the other side of the
table.
'Tn undoubted ghosts, Monsieur
Rigolot, and this one has frightened
several people to death. I'm sure it
makes ones flesh creep to think of it.
Do you not believe in ghosts ?"
Rigolot's handsome face at once be-
came serious.
"Zere are more things in heaven
and earth zan we dream of, as your
says. Mademoiselle; L
cannot deny vat / know nozing about !;
but 1 care not for ghosts-I mock my
self of zem-for what can zey do to
me ?"
1.-The answer of sensible and brave
man. Mossheer Rigolot," exclaimed
Mr.. Cumleigh with approval, and the
other city men, their wives and mobile
incumbrances, concurred. But Ruth
calculated, smiling, as if skeptical.
"Well, should you dare to go and
stand in Gravehill Churchyard alone at
midnight. Monsieur RigolOt ?"