The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-11-11

I Y.
head out of the window and called to the grand
coachman to stop The man looked at me very
wickedly, but l didn't / jumped out, and
never felt more pleased than when got hold of
/ Charley's arm and the fine carriage had driven
/ away empty.
Anything like the amazement of Charley and
Matilda, when they heard my adventure, never
saw. They couldn't make head nor tail of 1t any
more than myself. Only one thing was clear to
me-that | must get home and have something to
| eat, | was so faint with excitement and hunger.
/ We all made up our minds that it was mistake
/ of some kind. We went carefully through the
catalogue, but there was nothing more. Charley
proposed running into Mrs. Smithers' at No. 10
/ she sets up to be artistc), but Matilda said no,
not on any account-the thing was to keep our
own counsel.
Matilda was all for our going to the Duchess.
She said il didn't matter, mistake or no mistake.
She had asked me TO her house In my own proper
person and under my own proper name, and there
no imposition or forcing myself in on my side.
Charley said the same, and added that at all
! events il would be fun-sO went
Charley burst out laughing in the carriage-he
said his godfathers wife would get fit when she
heard that we had been to Cranberry House. But
/ | think he got nervous when we We're actually in
side. / know | felt ready to sink into the earth
when walked up the grand staircase through
/ lines of powdered footmen. 1t seemed to me so
utterly absurd
The first person | saw was Lord Snappington
near the door. He seemed like an old friend; and
presently Major Beaulieu joined US He seemed
! to know Charley very well, although Charley says
/ they haven't done more than nod these ten years ;
/ but he was very friendly, and asked Us To drive
down on his coach TO the Orleans next day. was
very pleased for Charley had been wishing to 60
/ and-so had /.
After time little Winton came up in a big fuss
and said the Duchess asking for me- and that
/ / was to 90 into the boudoir / didn't of course,
/ know where that was, but Lori SuappingtOn gave
me his arm and said he would take me there As
we walked along, ] heard "A great many people
! whispering together:
There She l., ON Lord Snappington's arm"
/ was dying To- know what II all meant and !
would have asked Lord 'Snappiugton then and
/ there only that Nlatilda's last words had been:
"Miud YOU ask no questions. just take every
/ thing a. il comes"
StiIl. / think would have said something, but
] iuet then we got into the bOudor, and there was
the same lady ] had seen i'm the morning, only
/ looking much grander, and with the most lovely
diamonds on her head. She had about twenty
other ladies AMI gentlemen with her, and she was
talking 10 "a Parsonage whom ! recognized at
once, and my knees knocked together with
fright
ooh here is Mrs Redcarr' cried the Duchess +;
/ ''now we have her, shall be all right
The certain Person put "a glass in his eye and
/ looked at me-
Fond OF swinging, Mrs. Redcar?" much in the
manner Charley would have said it,
/ And then every one began 20 laugh. | laughed
/ too, although had no idea why.
"Do YOU swing much ." the Parsonage went on
/ still surveying me through the glass earnestly.
/ ! hadn't swung since / was child, and
/ thought il very odd question, but, before | had
time To answer, the Duchess struck in.
MY swinging party comes of on the Goth, and
/ / have given directions To have a rose-colored
swing put up for Mrs. Redcar.'
/ There was "a general chorus of appreciation, and
/ really began 10 think had got among a set Of
lunaticS. Just then some music began in the next
room, and there was move toward IT, The Ger
| tain Person fingered a moment:
Duchess, shall certainly come to your swing
Ing party on the 10th for the pleasure of seeing
/ Mrs. Redcar i'm the rose-colored swing
/ He smiled pleasantly at me as he spoke, did
this Great Man, and strolled lazily out of the
boudoir When he was gone, every one crowded
round me I'm sure made twenty acquaintances
and had twenty invitations i'm many minutes.
/ All the rest of the evening was one whir of
pleasure Charley enjoyed it quite as much as l
did, and We both agreed that after all, good COM
pany Is nicer than and quite aS cheap any other.
In the middle of the night Charley awoke me 10y
another loud fit of laughter.
81 can't help il, Beauty he said; "but | can't
get over godfathcr'S wife when she hears of our
being on easy terms with the best in the land"
1t was most surprising. There certainly was no
| doubt on that point.
The next morning we had Just done breakfast.
when To our surprise Charley'S godfathers wife
drove up Matilda had just time to give Us a word
of caution when she came in all lace~ and ribbons,
made straight at me.
MY dear" she said and kissed me on both
checks chow. sly of YOU" and then she kissed me
Just then there came another knock at the door
and one of Charey's unclcs (a very great manu-
tacturer, with works at the East End an
nounced. He was good man, and liked him
but his face was extra long this morning. He took
Charley aud me aside.
as this true" he said, and he thrust a copy o
the UhHchGH Rcricjr into my hand pointing tC
this paragraph:
am clad 'o el readers fha The charming orig ma
~ Monsieur Hcnr Na->r' famous picture 70 Love IN
swing -fe fS FrcUclIW WpWsu. hui Eng
h born aud hIed-Nirs Be,ctr. wife ~ Captain fhari
E"tlclr. lu't of the lnh Regiment. and $50 II h
proud 90 lovely cuunrywomau. This puts end q.
c count stors which have been floating about mes
the piciul appeared. 10 Is the Duchess 81 Cruuhe
Monsieur M,sse's ola neu that fEs addition tt
The ranks ~ the Beauties Mrs. Retcar appears undor u'
Duchess wing she made her debut tc (rannerr
House soiree last night and was hugely admired.
So much for the truth Of report. After all then,
there was no harm in il; and although at first
didn't like sailing under false colors Matilda pee
suated me IL would he foolish 90 make a fuss.
had only To hold my tongue and let the fashiona-
bc world and the fashionable newspapers tell rs