Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-02-21

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| officer stared in amazerneuf, D vel be
might, at FIRST thinking at 3 joke,
until he saw the ducal crest on the 1top
of the seal OF the note. He soon, how
ever, sufficiently recovered his self
possession to reply that he thanked the
Duke for his kindness, and would obey
his summons at the day and hour named
by him. Not the less, however, was he
host in wonder how the Duke had found
! him out, sand still more why he bad
chosen thus to honor him.
When the day fixed for the dinner had
arrived the officer appeared at Montagu
House, where the Duke received him
with every sign of courtesy and even
respect. And when he expressed his
surprise at being so honored, the Duke
took him quietly aside and told him,
with an air of great gravity and secrecy,
that he had particular reason FOR his
CONDUCT. . To tell you the plain TRUTH"
said his grace, "there is in my house a
lady who has often seen you, and who
haS becomes SO much interested in you
and your fortunes that she-sey much
wishes for a personal INTERVIEW.
with YOU, and l am anxious,
for reasons of my own, to fall
in with her wishes Upon my soul, she
is most worthy and excellent lady,
and l think between you and me, that
she looks upon You with no slight re-
gard" The poor officer on this began
TO feel a little alarmed; for he did not
like the idea Of being handed over to
the tender mercies Of a strange lady-a
married man, too, as he was, with chill
dren to boot. In his perplexity and dis
tress, therefore, he began to mutter his
fears that really there must be some
mistake" and added: "Some one or
other has been trying TO impose on your
grace, or else on me. The fact is that
have wife down in Yorkshire, and she
is the only person for whom care, or
ever did care, and l know of no lady
beside her who has right to feel any
keen interest in me-"
"Never mind" replied the good
natured Duke, "no harm shall happen
to you; only just follow me into the
next apartment, my good friend" And
with these words he led his guest into
sumptuous dining into which he
had no sooner entered than he saw his
own wife and his three rosy, countrified
children, for whom the Duke had sent
down into Yorkshire, and whom he had
brought up to the great metropolis to
meet him. At first he felt not only per-
picked, but alarmed; for were they his
wife and children, or only their ghosts
and wraiths? A closer inspection, how
ever, soon treasured him that the objects
of his love and affection were present
before him in the flesh; and before the
third course of the dinner was over the
party were as happy and merry as could
be.
The officer WAS invited and pressed to
stay the night at Montagu House. in
stead Of returning to his dingy and I'M
comfortable lodgings, and To spend a
day or two with his wife and children
there before going back home He did
so, and expressed his deep sense of graf
itude for the hospitality so kindly and so
shown to him.
A few mornings afterward, when he I
was packing up his traps preparatory to
his departure, the Duke called the poor /
officer into his study and presented him
with legal document which secured to |
him comfortable annuity for life, re-
marking at the same time that he need
really feel no hesitation in accepting it.
90 You must know" added his grace,
with smile, ~ am trying, though
rather late in life, perhaps, to do the
best | can with my money, Of which / |
have more than know what to do with;
and assure you that I should not have
done what have done in respect to
yourself if l had known how else, or
where else, could have found more !
pleasure and satisfaction from my out
lay"
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