The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-01-21

bets before it was to late.
Suddenly the Baron started to his feet
and uttered loud exclamation, which I
decline to translate His soul now most
clearly betrayed his passionateness but
there was rather more light than sweet
ness in his eyes as he glared round the
room in search Of the hapless American.
We all sprang to our feet too the
ladies' near the door rapidly retreated,
and the men looked at one another, half
amuzed, half-angry.
eff I knew who had poisoned the
mind of Madame, [ would 'dilaniate'
him-tear him in pieces, 'shrieked Baron.
''That viper of an American !''
cit was not the American % answered
the Count, coming quietly out of a re-
cess 81 told Madame what he had dis
covered.
The Baron so far forgot the perfect
ness of his manners and evident desire
to please as with his open palm to slap
the Count on the face. But in another
second he found himself in that physical
checkmate known as Chancery-he had
got his head under his rivals left arm,
who was holding it down to a convenient
level for the right hand to bob his nose
and there, before the Princess, in the
Sale DIES Danes, was being displayed a
scene from the British ring; chairs and
tables going everywhere, as the quadru-
pedal monster performed its erratlc rev
olutions, amid the screams Of women,
the shouts of men, the groans of the
maitre, and the indescribable cries OF
astonishment uttered by the whole staff
of the hotel, which had been gathered
together at the door by the first excla
nations of the Baron.
The Anglo-SaXon nationality having,
in spite of the principle of non-invention
separated the Latin and the Terton the
defeated combatant was assisted to his
room, and looked to by an English doc
tor who happened to be at the hotel, and
who reported that, with the exception of
q couple of broken teeth, nothing of
consequence was to be apprehended
beyond a further requisition of his ser
vices at a rencOunter of different char
acter, which, however, would not be
possible for somehttle time, owing to a
difficulty the patient had in seeing. And
the next morning we found that the mai
tire had given the Baron notice to quit
the Bon Vivant forthwith and SO we
saw no more Of the Baron MOnteggiana-
Tavernelle.
In ten days or so, the Count received
a letter from him dated at Florence. In
it the Baron demanded satisfaction, and
required the Count should meet him at
Florence, or If more convenient, at Rome
In reply, the latter expressed his read1-
ness for an interview, but positively de-
clined to fatigue himself with an unnec-
essary journey. The affair could very
well be settled in the place where it be-
gan. The letter was carefully and fully
directed. registered, and posted by the
Count himself.
In the ordinary course Of events, Oh
the farthest but fortnight passed
without any, and at length he received
the following, dated from Rome
''SIR: [ beg to acknowledge the
honor which you have done me by ad-
dressing letter to me at my house in
Florence and must apologize for my
to understand it Your name
is strange to me l WAS never in the
place from which you write L have not
been in Florence for several months;
and [ must conclude there is some mis-
take. It is possible that my name has
been assumed by a rascally valet who
robbed me last year of several private
papers and considerable sum of money
but whom [ could not conveniently pros
ecute.'
Then followed a description which
tailed exactly with the appearance OF
our Baron. It seems, that the letter,
being registered had been sent Oh to the
real Baron, at his residence in Rome,
instead of being delivered to the false
one at the address given by him at Flor
ence.
The Princess was, no doubt, over
whelmed with shame at finding that she
had been encouraging a valet instead Of
his master for she at once:admitted the
Count to the privilege of paying her
more attentions than ever { think, too
she really liked him. Anyhow, he had
proved himself substantially able to pro-
tect her and the scuffie with his rival
had IN no degree lessened him in her
esteem.
OF course, we were not behind the
scenes; and could only Judge of the
probable course Of events by such little
evidences as chance might throw in our
way but it was rumored that the mar
riage was TO take place from our hotel
before Lent.
s'The sooner the better" said MY wife
'Eif another man comes forward with
better prospects, she'll throw over the
Count, just as she did the Baron"
''But you see he wasn't Baron, my
dear" [ demonstrated mot a real one.
I mean, as the children say
''Well, and perhaps this IS not real
Count. -
E'Dear me what joke it would be if
he turned out to be somebody's butlerl
/ wish some Yankee would come and ask
him a little about has place. We want a
little life here just now"
That day we had another fresh face at
the table d'hote this time an English
mans: He was very taciturn, but liked
to look at the company and listen to the
and was much struck with
the Count. 1t occurred to me, too, that
the Count noticed him good deal, so
much so as to refuse some of the choicest