The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-04-12

for them in the great kitchen, but when
John Gordon called them aside and
made them tempting offer, they, with
many grimaces and shrugs, pleaded an
engagement to the people below stairs.
''If you manage it we'll, I'll give you
fifteen dollars apiece, and you shall have
our tickets for tie grand supper to-
night"
"Ya'as," said the delighted foreign
elS, their eyes sparkling.
Hallet laid down the programme.
John Gordon went down 70 secure their
organs, IN case they should take row.
er's fancy to their new broadcloth, and
to prepare their wardrobes.
The fellows dressed quickly. They
looked like gentlemen. AS TO the use
of lorgnettes, finger-rings and perfumed
hanlkerchiefs, they needed no instruc-
tion, An intuitive grace made them
very conspicuous. John Gordon walked
toward Hallet with an air that said
"They beat us at our own game; they
are really handsome fellowsl"
"Let the lions loose" said Hallet;
''they have their cue" ard accordingly
the lions walked down STAIRS with an
exceedingly great swell. John Gordon
and Hallet watched them, and said to
each other, sit was capitally DONE"
Their incoming caused a sensation.
Decidedly they were the most distin-
guished.looking men in the room.
Here and there, carelessly, Gordon
and Hallet let drop hint. 1t made a
ripple-the ripple spread aud broke into
thousand lines. A whisper surged
from one end of the room to the other
two countsl Two counts, live ones,
handsome, with an air diStingle. Some
of the ladies did all but faint. Some of
them smiled quietly, quietly elevated
their glasses, and-wished the counts
would only smile on them. The counts
did smile; first here and then there.
Presently John Gordon and Hallet ap-
peared. All, they were immensely de-
lighted What shaking of handsl
"They know them," whispered Let
tie GrOvellen, with smile of ecstacy.
'tNow we shall be introduced.
So they were; so were the others; but
the two friends, Lettie and Minnie,
evidently made an impression. Actu-
ally they were promenading around the
hall-each leaning on the arm of a
count How modest and quiet they
tried to appearl How their hearts beat
and the blood surged to their silly brains
with triumphl The poor little muslin
clouds with waxen faces atop.
'Will you walk on re balcone, miss2''
asked the elder, in worse English than
we can write.
"Oh, with pleasure, with delightl''
exclaimed Lettie.
She would have given exactly the
same answer if he had asked her to &c
to Kamschatka. They walked out
there to the supreme envy of every lad 5
but very few who had happened to be
born with common sense, an endowment
more rare than genius.
II like you very muche," said Let
ties count. 81 so rich in my owl
countriel Tese diamongs coome from
my eztate; zey very bootiful diamongs
have so large houses and so large
goldl-all so large as you never zee il
zis coontriel''
Lettie's heart beat almost to suffoca.
tion-the little fooll
"Efe could only get one wife, sc
hansoome az you, should be perfectly
zublimel''
Lettie hung heavily upon his arm.
Meantime the other count was going
through the same farce in a perfect
agony of mutilated Saxon.
"Zspose I did AK you to be my one
leetle wife-you gay nor"
81 think should not, t" replied Let.
tie, in voice as soft as a zephyr, "iI
papa is willing, and l know he would
be-"
"Ahl ] now be charming, zublimel'
How delicate, Thought Lettie. "IIe
does not even attempt to kiss me, though
he might as well as not"
Didn't her eyes shine brighter than
the counts diamonds when they re-en.
tered the hallp Wasn't the bloom Oh
her face most brilliant2 Couldn't ev,
erybody see that she was as good as
married to the countp The same re.
marks will apply to Miss Minnie.
They leaned so closely against the
splendid coat.sleeves of their foreign
attachesl They looked up into theiI
faces with such bewitching confidence
''Isn't it most timel' asked John
Gordon, with an appalling wink.
81 should think So" replied HalleU,
as he felt for his watch-but the count
had it.
John Gordon and Hallet disappeared
with elongated faces that shortened as
they found themselves alone. Present
ly they entered the hall again, followed
by two stout servants, each bearing g
hand organ. Up they marched, to the
CONSERVATION of the company, directly
toward the two counts.
Conflisionl
"Here's shilling for you," said John
Gordon, roughly, to Lettie's escort
give us Still, so gently Do your best,
nowl"
With bow and a grin the count
loosened white arm from his own. and
doffing the green baize, he took the
shilling, buckled on the hand organ aHd
set up squeak.
For moment, as the two fellows
ground away, bobbing and grinning,
there was strange silence. The com
| Etl - e.