The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-11-07
had not succeeded in attaining the OBJ.


produce the desired effect.
"Clara, my dear" remarked Mr..
Dexter one evening to the invalid, ''that
black whiskered Italian brigand-looking
chap who calls himself Count, wants
us to join in driving excursion some
where"
"Of course, you told him you'd do no
such thing" answered the young lady,
somewhat fretfully.
II said I'd ask you-not that ever
supposed you'd mix with the tagrag and
bobtaH lot Of people there are here"
$50 you're not going?" said the other
girl.
"Nothing, but / thought you might
like change in the monotony;" and
she rose and left the room.
Il wish to goodness some italian
brigand or nobleman would take fancy
to Annie" sighed the invalid. "Her
temper is really uncomfortable. Italian
Counts are generally on the lookout for
heiresses. Why can't you send her on
this expedition instead of mep Nobody
here knows that she hasn't got farth-
ing in the world. We might get rid of
her, and what blessing that would
be"
II am afraid you are getting I'M
charitable. 1t would, however, be
rather smart to let these hungry fellows
think she is an heiress. But if | take
her, what is to become of youP'
81 shall get on. The people are
amusing to look at, and Hannah will
take care of me. Besides, Annie posi-
lively irritates me, know she thinks
nursing such dreadful infiction."
"Have it your own way, my dear.
I'll tell the Count that we shall be de-
lighted"
So when the appointed day came Mr..
Dexter, accompanied by Miss Annie,
and duly mounted on moderately
well-appointed coach, was piloted by
the triumphant Count to well-known
show-place a dozen miles from Scar
borough.
Mr.. Dexter omitted to inform Count
Splitzentoff that the young lady under
his charge was not his niece at all, but
the daughter of defaulting clerk, who
had committed forgery and then blown
out his brains. Neither did he say that
she had not sixpence in the world, or
that he had allowed her to assume the
name of Dexter, owing to the disgrace
which had stained that of her father.
The excursion was, therefore, highly
enjoyable. The Count had asked the
Baron Won Stufguzz to join the party,
too, on the condition that he did not
make himself too agreeable to the
pseudo heiress; and the rich Miss Mum
go and her mother had been invited for
the Baron's amusement. So, after in
speeding some more or less interesting
ruins, the party paired off in the
grounds, the Count, of course, monopo-
lizing Miss Dexter, and the Baron Miss
Mungo, while Dexter was left to the ten
der mercies of the chaperon. The lat
ter gentleman had decidedly the worst
of the bargain, for Mrs. Mungo, who had
originally been Halifax mill girl, sub
iected him to cross-examination of the
most searching and irritating descrip-
ton about his fortune, his nieces, the
amount of money he intended to leave
them, and, in fact, all his most private
and personal affairs.
II hope you enjoyed yourself, my
DEAR" said Dexter to his protege, some
what grimly, when his torments were
over, and he found himself once more at
the Regalia.
Immensely" answered the young
lady, with much emphasis. 1.-THE
Count is simply charming, and he is so
well off; he has house in Paris, villa
in Cannes, and any amount of estates in
Lithuania and the Caucasus
"A house in Paris and villa at
Cannes, growled Dexter to himself, 81
must make further inquiries.
Miss Annie Dexter, once having in
serted the thin end of the wedge by
getting an introduction to Scarborough
society, gave her guardian no peace
until he allowed her to go to the ever
recurring balls, which were the almost
daily solace of the young men and
maidens at the various hotels. She had
no difficulty in getting Mrs. Mungo, or
some other affable matron, to look aft
er her, an arrangement which suited
Dexter and his niece to perfection, as
thereby they got rid of her for the
evening, and were left to their own de-
vices.
Everybody knowsw what Scarborough
hotel ball is. The guests of one hotel
ask those of another alternately. There
is usually gentleman who officiates as
master of the ceremonies, and intro
duces everybody, whether they like it
or not. Hence one sees young ladies of
title revolving with Hebrew money
lenders, ambitious mammas gushing
over their daughters PROJECTIONS to the
managers of Haymarket restaurants,
and respectable British merchants wor-
Shipping at the shrine of French ballet
dancers and demi-mondaines Miss
Alice Dexter was not a young lady of
very refined tastes, and this sort OF
thing suited her admirably. Her va
rious chaperons impressed upon the
company that she was the heiress to I'M
told wealth, and Dexter's millions made
such sensation that the young lady
had half dozen proposals in as many
days. She herself did nothing to en-
tighten her many adorers as to the real
state OF the case, as she was quite
shrewd enough to know that any such
statement would most materially de-
crease both their numbers and ardor.
On the contrary, as she generally bor-
rowed Miss Clara's dresses and dia-
monds, sometimes with and sometimes
without her leave, she did her best to
confirm the popular error.
After few weeks of this sort of life
the Counts attentions became so ex-
ceedingly marked that Annie began to
expect proposal daily. The Count,
however, was very wary gentleman,
and, before proceeding to extremities,
he determined to ascertain from her
uncle what the young lady's prospects
really were. He accordingly wrote him,
begging the favor of 81 few minutes
conversation in his private room. The
American, of course, knew pretty well
what was coming, but, not being over
confident in his own abilities to deal
with an ardent lover, he took his niece's
advice as to the course he ought to pur-
sue.
"That Polish Count, swindler, courier,
or whatever he may be, means to pro-
pose for Annie. What am | to say2''