The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-04-24
THE WRONG GARD
hat will YOU have. sir ~

THE WRONG GARD.
What will you have. sirs
"Give me a fillet of beef, with musf
rooms, Lyonnais potatoes, and gree
pear
Away went the waiter, but returned il
three minutes.
There are no mushrooms. sir-onl,
one plate"
"Well, bring me one plate-how man.
do you suppose l WANT"
But. sir. Monsieur Delavignes-a yer,
old customer-ordered me to save hin
some mushrooms every day, and he ha
not yet dined.''
"Never mind Monsieur Delavignes;
must have the mushrooms can't din'
without them" .,
| ut is impossible, sir"
"Very well, give me the potatoes and
peas to-day, and lay IN larger supply o.
mushrooms tomorrow"
Yes, sir"
The order. minus the fungie, being exc
cuted, Monsieur Rendeau Hillare proceed
ed to demolish his meal, inwardly wish
| ing that Delavignes-whoever he might
be-was little less partial to mushrooms
-'Waiter"
"Sirg"
Bring me a bottle of Haut Sauterne.' >
The waiter made a gesture Of comic an
ger.
"Sacre, how unfortunate, Monsieur De
lavignes used the last we had in the house
yesterday. We had but a half dozen"
docs this mysterious Delavignes drink
six bottles of wine at dinnerg"
mo, sir; he had three friends with him
Is there any other wine you would like ="
"Madoc will do"
The wine was brought and the waiter
began searching about the table among
the dishes.
"what do you wantr' demanded Rem
dcau Hillaire.
pardon, sir, there is fork missing-a
private fork, belonging to gentleman
who dimes here. Il has been given some
one by mistake, to-day, and I must find il
before Monsieur Delavignes-"
"Confound him! Does he own the
whole restaurant. What sort of a man is
he, that he reserves the last dish of mush-
rooms, drinks up all the Haute Sautene,
and keeps private fork ?"
He is rich, sir, and very eccentric"
"I should say-so Is that the fork ?"
And the young man showed the one he
yer, richly chased with u coat Of arms and
"That is it. sir; pardon me, will give
you another"
Much vexed at this last unconscious
piece of rivalry between himself and Del
avignes, Rendeau Hillaire completed his
dinner in silence. paid for it, and left the
restaurant, merely saying as he went out !:
"Waitcr, has Monsieur Delavignes used
up all the toothpicks? If not, will take
one"
Sauntering out from the place, the young
man perceived an elegant carriage drive
up, and ON glancing at it he discovered
the same coat of arms on its panels as
that engraved on the fork Having by
this time conceived almost a dislike for
Monsieur Delavignes, he hastened away,
without looking at the occupant Of the
vehicle, and bent his steps toward the ho-
tel where Madam Fleurdoree, the reigning
beauty of the day, resided.
Rendeau Hillaire had for some months
cherished a secret passion for this fair lady
and had, with much difficulty, succeeded
in procuring an introduction to her. since
most undivided.
But she seemed to regard him cOldly,
and rumor whispered that she had friend
who possessed her entire affections. Who
that friend was, rumOr did not see fit TO
say:
Madame Flcurdoree was at home, and
was happy to see Monsieur Rendea Hill
aire. She chatted Pleasantly with him,
about the opera, the gay season, and sim
liar topics, but carefully avoided anything
which could lead the conversation into q
more serious or tender path.
This required some tact, for the young
man missed no opportunity for pressing
his suit, and ere he had been twenty min
utes i'm her company, was verging, in spite
Of her, on the forbidden subject. Gsf-
There was only one thing to OdO-change
the conversation, which she did, abruptly.
Are you fond of flowers, Monsieur Rem
deau Hillaireg''
.Extravagantly. My smoking-room is a
perfect conservatory"
Are not these camellias beautiful They
are of very rare cOlOrs."
The charming widow handed him a
large bouquet of camellias, which had
ornamental the mantel, in delicate vase
of Sevres ware.
They are, indeed, lovely. What gar
den are they fromy have seen none like
them in Paris
II do not know where they were procur-
ed They were given me this morning, by
a connoisseur in such things Monsieur
Delavignes,"
Rendeau Hillaire started.
81 have heard of the gentleman" he
said
After this his visit was tame. He was
almost frightened by the persistency with
which fate threw that mysterious person
age across his path, and left the presence
of the fair widow much earlier than nc
had intended, although not until he had
gained her promise to accompany him TO
Q grand masque ball, to be given at the
house of a mutual friend
The night of this ball arrived, without
any further contretemps between Rendeau
Hillaire and his unknown rival, and the
former found Madame Fleurdoree quite
charming, in her pink domino. The salon
of Count Vendiron, where the ball was
given, was crowded, and everybody agreed
that there had not been more brilliant
fete in all Paris for year.
At four O'Clock in the morning Rendeau
Hillaire and his fair partner prepared to
depart, after having greatly enjoyed the
occasion, but as they passed down the
great stairway, somewhat unpleasant oc-
currence took place, which rather marred
their pleasure.
A tall man lin Spanish msjo's costume,
closely masked, opposed himself before
them, and in voice more or less affected
by wine. demanded why they were going
50 early.
Il do not know you, sir" said Rendeau
Hillsire, sternly; -let me pass If you
II am appointed" !" said the majo, with
an unsteady gesture, .'by my friend, Count
Veudiron, 10 see that no cne leaves at an
unreasonable hour He has commission
ed me to stop all who try TO pasA and Il
they refused, to exact q KISS from each