McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-04-03
THE TWO COUNTS.

Scene: A watering place on Crap
mel Beach. The lights from the great
"Governor House" stream down into
the water that comes swelling up,
swelling up with a short, musical
rythm. All back of the white-capped
waves that are rolling in is one dark
CLEAN; but the moon lifts her silver
the brilliant galaxy of stars-but hold!
I should speak of other stars-the llv-
ing beauties at the "Governor House"
on Grapnel Beach.
The hotel was illuminated from top
to base. Inside all was testivity and
joyful hum. Nursery maids in platoons
were marching up the stairs with ba-
bies' faces lying over their shoulders.
Babes and maids were almost tired out.
Musical instruments were being tuned
furlously. Now natural G would hop
out, anon gutteral fiat somewhere
down In the vicinity of trombone's
deepest bass, and then would come
squeaking row of fine fiddle tones, the
whole being suggestive of spirited hops
and small flirtatlons.
The "dear, delightful men stood
about in groups, some pursuing the dig
nihed employment OF sucking their
cane-tops, others admiring the respec-
tive neckties of their neighbors and
their own, and all of them looking with
eager eyes over to the place where their
beauties were expected to meet them.
The dancing had fairly begun-all
was fun and frolic. The young balloons
4 beg pardon. l meant men-slipped
out between dances to imbibe their
brandies and flavor precious breaths
with odoriferous tobacco, and the young
neutrality-suspicious. again, l mean ladies
-hirted with the sentimental Angus
fuses and the moonstruck Toms to their
hearts content.
Out upon the balcony with their arms
lovingly abort each others waists,
stood two young girls or rather two
clouds of muslin, gauze and laces with
wax-like faces and fiax-like hair on
top.
.sWhere is John, Letter" asked one
of them playing with the long ringlets
of her friend.
"Don't know, dear haven't seen him
for an hour or more. Oh, Minnie +!
do you think there is really a live
count coming to Grapnel? Do you
think so?''
ssThey say it is true?" replied the
other; ssall the girls are dying to see
him. Do you know that plain little
thingp"
"Certainly, dear.''
Well, "don't you think she affected to
care nothing about the runner; positive
sshe shouldn't Gale for all the counts,
she said-would think no more of a
count than of good Yankee farmer,
unless he behaved as well. Did you
ever hear of such nonsense!"
ssNever; I'm sure should die con-
tented if 1 could promenade with real
count, and as to Waiting with him,
Oh, Lettie, dear! wouldn't it be heav-
enly?"
ssYes, indeed" said Lettie. "For
my part 1 am determined he shall no.
tice me. I do hope that forlorn John
Gordon won't follow me about every
where
sJohn Gordon is itch, remember,
dear, and everybody is jealous of his
attention to you. Besides, he's hand
some, and / do believe he loves
YOU
ssOh, yes! there's no doubt but what
he loves me-but mercy! What is John
Gordon by the side of count! o,
Minnie! [ have such feelings some
times. I do believe was born to be a
great parsonage, somewhere. don't
like this dull American life where one
has to notice everybody. How delight
full it would be now to say on every side
my lord Oh, isn't it noble; isn't it
grand?"
'sYes, dear; but isn't the dew falling?
Hadn't we better 90 in?''
So they went in. And the trombones
groaned. the fddles squeaked, y b.
flutes made charming music; andthf {"
was sound as if the great hotel ys.F
keeping time in periodical shake, Art
even the ocean was dancing.
ssWell, Hallet, wasn't that talk
lightful, now?' {
"Wasn't it rich, by George! the RE-
swells. Is there count comingF
ssComing!-there's one here 3nl y.
here these two days, but the girls don't
know it. He's gentleman, too, and
no mistake-that plain, grave man in a
black suit-looks like an American
citizen more than anything else. He's
incog; wants to study manners here at
our great feeding places"
"Ah! so that is a COUNT Well, I
must say he's a fine, sensible-looking
fellow. He's paid considerable atten-
ton to that Miss Jennie Phillips, whom
Lettie Grovellen called that plain little
thing. presume she meant by that,
plain dressing, as she has one of the
sweetest faces ever saw"