Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-11-07
count" SPLITZENTOFF.
Miss Dexters Ingenious Idea, and
What Game OF 1t.

The season at Scarborough was Mt its
height. The hotels were crowded, and
innkeepers and tradcsmen were doing a
roaring trade. Not only was there the
usual holiday-makers, Yorkshire manu-
facturers, sprigs of nobility, overworked
city men, with their wives and super
abundant families, but the cholera had
sent over goodly contingent of foreign
notabilities with high-sounding names,
and of more or less distinguished ap-
pearance. There were French Mar
quises and Counts, German Barons and
an Italian Duke; there was Russian
Prince, and there were dozens of He
brews of every nationality, rivaling
the sun in Oriental splendor." Many
of these personages were accompanied
by their wives and daughters, and most
of them were exceedingly affablc in
their demeanor, joining in whatever
amusements the place afforded, and
dancing away at the periodical assem-
blies with an energy which, if some
what misdirected was obviously we'll
meant. The Miss Mungos, from Brad
ford, and the Miss Shoddys, of Halifax,
grew quite sated with the adulation of
foreign noblemen, and if it had not
been for the advent of the brilliant
and fascinating Count Splitzcntoff
at the Regalia Hotel there is no know
ing but their affections might have re-
turned to the somewhat deserted Toms,
Dicks and Harrys of their native coun-
ty. But before the Counts superior at
fractions all minor consultations waned
into insigniiicance. He was young, ap-
parently about two or three and thirty;
he had lovely teeth and magnificent
black hair, he was evidently possessed
of untold wealth, wore little jewelry,
and drove an admirable mail phaeton
and pair of horses. With one consent,
therefore, tho maidens of Scarborough
fell down and worshiped him.
The Count was accessible, and speed
lily made n vast number of acquaint-
Ances. He was universally popular;
the women all liked him, and the men,
though not little jealous of his sue
cess, were forced to confess that he
drove very well, and played n remark
ably good game of billiards. He spoke
moderately good English, with a strong
foreign accent, and convcrsed fluently in
French with anyone who had suiii-
GENTLY mastered the intricacics of that
language. There were, of course, GER
tain enyious persons at Scarborough
who limited broadly that the fascinating
Count was no Count at all, but an in
dividual in very much humber sta
ton of life. The Baron Won Stufguzz,
for instance, insinuated that he had met
hin, hafnra in n fra ~, hlinor hoIl IL, V;anno
and that his duties there were of char
acter both menial and disreputable,
while the Marquis de Tombola Ferrara
said he was courier; but, as neither of
these gentlemen adduced any evidence
IN support of their assertions, they were
pretty universally disbelieved. More
over, as both the Baron and the Mar
quis-and, for the matter of that, quite
half of the most eminent personagcs in
the hotel-had very good reasons for
wishing that their own antecedents and
pretensions should not be too closely in
vestigated, they were content, as rule,
to act upon the excellent proverb which
regulates the conduct of those who live
in glass houses. So the Count in
creased in favor with all his acquaint-
ances, and became quite leader of the
social society. just when he was at the
zenith of his popularity, there arrived at
the Regalia Hotel an American gentle
man, accompanied by two young ladies.
The party attracted no little interest.
Ihe American was square, dried-up
looking man of fifty or thereabouts; he
had an abrupt. decisive manner, and
he gave his orders with an air of one
accustomed to be obeyed with prompt
ness and precision. His name, accord
ing to the visitors book, was julius X.
Dexter, and he had scarcely retired to
his private sitting-room before he was
recognized by the hotel gossips as one
OF the largest and most successful spec
nlators in Wall street. There was no
doubt at all about Mr.. Dexter's millions;
men looked upon him with awe and adj
miration, while needy scions of nobility
hung upon his lips, eager for the slight
est indication of the course of the mar
kets. The two young ladies rather
puzzled the company at the Regalia
Hotel. Mr.. Dexter was known to be
childless, and he had simply entered
his name in the visitors book as Julius
X. Dexter and party, New York" One
OF the girls was apparently very deli
cate; she always went to the Spa in a
bath-chair, closely wrapped up, and
wearing thick veil, the other being in
constant attendance. The second, who
was of a sufficiently attractive appear
ance, dressed plainly, but well, and
seemed to enjoy excellent health. Mr..
Dexter himself never alluded to them
except as CLARA" and "Annie;'' and
the male visitors grew prodigiously
anxious to make their acquaintance.
But week passed, and the foreign
noblemen, spring captains. tailors.
moaey'lenders and seedy hon0rables