The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-24

'uch u dreadful infection
"IIave 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 a moderately
wellappoin.ed coach, was piloted by
The triumphant Count to a well-known
,how-place a dozen miles from Scarbor-
ough.
Me. 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 a sixpence in the
world, or that he had allowed her to
use the name of Dexter, owing to the
disgrace which had stained that of her
father. The excursion was, therefore,
highly enjoyable. The Count had ask
ed the Baron Won Stufguzz to join the
party too, on the condition, of course,
that he did not make himself too agree
able to the pseudo-he -heiress and the
rich Miss Mrngo and her mother had
been invited for the Baron's amuse.
ment So, after inspecting some more
or less interesting ruins, the party
paired off in the grounds, the Count,of
course, monopolizing Miss Dexter, and
the Baron Miss Mungo, while Dexter
was left to the tender mercies of the
chaperon. The latter gentleman had
decidedly the worst of the bargain, for
Mrs. Mungo, who had been originally
a Halifax mill girl, subjected him
to cross. examination of the most
searching and irritating description
about himself, his fortune, his nieces,
the amount of money he intended to
leave them, and, in fact, all his most
private and personal affairs.
81 hope you enjoyed yourself, my
DEAR" said Dexter to his protage, 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. "The
Count is simply charming, and he is so
well off he has house in Paris, a
villa in Cannes and any amount of
estates in Lithuania and the Caucas-
us.
"a house in Paris and villa
at Cannes !" growled Dexter TO him
self. l must make further inqui-
ries."
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 60 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. Nun
go. or some other affable matron, tc
look after her, an arrangement which
suited Dexter and his niece to perfec
ton, as thereby they got rid of her fol
the eveniug,and were left to their own
devices.
Everybody knows what a Scarbor
ough hotel ball is. The guests of ont
hotel ask those of another alternately
There is usually gentleman who Off
ciates as master of ceremonies, and in
PRODUCES everybody, whether they lik'
it or not. Hence one sees young ladie
of title revolving with Hebrew money
lenders, ambitious mammas gushing
over their daughters perfections to tn
managers Of Haymarket restaurants
and respectable British merchants wor
Shipping at the shrine of French bale
dancers and demi-mondaines. Mis-
Alice Dexter was not young lady o
very refined tastes, and this sort o
thing suited her admirably. Her var
ious chaperons impressed upon tn
company that she was the heiress o
untold wealth, and Dexter's million
made such sensation that the younI
lady hal half a dozen proposals in a
many days, She herself did nothing
to enlighten her many adorers as t
the real state of the case, as she wa
quite shrewd enough to know that an
such statement would most material
decrease both their numbers and ardol
On the contrary, as she generally boz
rowed Miss Clara's dresses and dia
monds, sometimes with and sometime
without her leave, she did her best t
confirm the popular error.
| After few weeks of this sort of lif
the Counts attentions became so e,
ceedingly marked that Annie began t
expect proposal daily. The Coun
however, was very wary gentleman
and, before proceeding to extremitie
he determined to ascertain from he
uncle what the young lady's prospect
really were. He accordingly wrot
him, begging the favor of few mil
utes' conversation in his private room
The American, Of course knew VIII;
was coming, but, not being overconi
dent in his own abilities to deal wit
an ardent lover, he took his niece
, advice as the course he ought to pu
sue.
"That Polish Count, swindler, CO
rier, or whatever he may be, means
propose for Annie. What am to say
he began.
"Oh, let him have her,by all means
"But l don't believe he will unless
thinks she is an heiress, and don't i
tend to perjure myself on her account
p though, of course, / shall give h
something when she marries."
: "That is little awkward" said Mi
Clara, musing, ave must think
over. Have you made any inquiri
about him 7"
"Yes, and / have no reason to b
, lieve that he is not the man he repl
sents himself to be. He is well know
r both at Paris and Cannes. And yet
: believe he is fraud T.
"That is quite possible but if
really be Count Splitzentoff, dol
T see why Annie should not mar
him."
"But he thinks she is worth a n,
I lion
d "Let him think so T.
81 am not going to tell the man
n pack of lies
l. 81 don't want you to- said the in,
r lid, ~ith unusual animation. "Atte
N to me. When Splitzentoff propos
It you must positively refuse to hear of