Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-16
A BOARDING HOUSE ENGAGE
MENT.

10 the LEES. Will d ldi SC SeLAl PNN1AN
garden at the back and a glimpse OF
the sea in front The house had what
might be called superior" air. Mrs.
Harrington Williams herself was the
widow Of country parson OF good
family. From him she derived an
u..usually valuable COLLECTION Of pic
lures, furniture, and household effects
generally, including quantity Of old
fashioned plate, bearing the Harring-
ton Williams crest, and pair Of mas
sive silver candelabra, which, on
special occasions, gave her dining
room a distinguished air, beyond the
ordinary style of boarding houses.
Although, however, the house was
nearly always full, and the guests
mostly of a good paying class, the
business did not return large profit.
The expenses Of an establishment Of
this kind, especially when conducted
with such liberality as Mrs. Williams,
are necessarily high. Added to this,
Mrs. Williams was encdmbered by
three daughters, the youngest OF whom
was now Is, and neither she nor the
young ladies had much notion of
economy. After three or four years,
therefore, at Virginia house, Mrs.
Williams position had begun to cause
her some anxiety.
The Misses Williams were stylish,
good looking girls. They added i'm
mensely TO the attractions Of Virginia
house, ana secured an unfailing sup
ply of bachelor boarders Of a peculiar
ly profitable kind. In the course of a
season they would have half dozen
promising hirtations among them; but
somehow they had never yet got be-
yond Irritation. This was disap-
pointment TO Mrs. Williams, who,
when she condesceRded to start a
boarding house, had been greatly in
nuenced by the prospect Of finding an
opening in life FOR her girls; and the
disappointment was especially keen in
the case of Miss Bertha, the eldest,
and in point of looks, at feast, the
flower Of the flock Bertha, indeed,
had made one conquest. When
Messrs. FIley and Tapeham were pro
fesslonally engaged in the settlement
Of the Rev Harrington Williams af-
fairs, Mr.. Frank Bartlett, their man
aging man. had been smitten by Miss
Williams charms, and had subse-
queatly, on two occasions, spent his
summer holiday at Virginia house.
But though a good looking fellow and
"a promising solicitor, Bartlett was far
from being an eligible partner in the
eyes either of Miss Williams or her
mother. There were obvious reasons
for encouraging him up to a certain
point, but the young lady took good
care that point was never passed.
Some ht.l8 excitement was cOnse-
qucntly caused among the WIlliamses
when, toward the end of August, a
letter was received, dated from "a first
rate West end club, inquirlng whether
accommodation could be at once pro-
cured for Mr.. Stuart Romney- Romney
and one servant. An answer in the
affirmative was promptly dispatched,
and couple of days later the three
Misses Williams, from the shelter of
n vrnIent curtain at an upper VIM
dow, bcheld MIR. Stuart Romney Rom
ncy drive up, accompanied by "A high
Unexpected man servant and an enOr'
nous pile Of luggage. The new ar
rival turned out to be a gentleman,
like man of 32 or 80, with keen, dark
eyes, and fairly good features, rather
spoiled by low forehead, across
which his hair was brushed flat. His
manners were at first somewhat dis
tant and reserved. This, however,
were off on closer acquaintance, and
after few days he was unanimously
voted II decided acquisition TO the
house.
From the first there was naturally
good deal Of speculation rs to who
Mr.. Romney Romney was. 1t hap
pcncd that there were then stay ing at
Virginia house two maiden LADIES
named Horncastle, sisters of pros
porous banker in the west Of England
Miss lIorncastle, being not only
wealthy, bnt coming of a country
family on her riother's side; was look
ed up to as rather an authority on
questions Of social status. In consul
tatlon with her sister, Emilia, she had
discovered the possibility Of their new
acquaintance connection with a Ger
tain family Of Derbyshire Romneys
MIR. Romuey komncy's answers to a
few questions delicately quito him on
the subject confirmed tins theory: and
when, after this, Mr.. Williams report
cd that her new guests dressing and
travelling paraphernalia were not only
iavlshly mounted in silver, but en-
blazoncd with deerhouud'S head and
the motto "i'riScd fdeS, the matter
was settled beyond much doubt. Miss
Horncastle was particularly gracious
to the now conner and i'll his honor
the two old ladies even went so far as
to display from time to time various
inStallments of their family jewelry,
hitherto reserved from the gaze Of all
but select circle of female friends
upstairs.
But the most satisfactory thing was
that from the first Mr.. Romney Rom
ney paid obvious attention to Miss
Williams. 1t was at once noticed that
he generally COutrivcd 10 have Bertha
for partner at lawn-teuniS, and that
more frequently t.an not he was at
her side when no walked with the
ladies upon the Lees of an afternoon
or evening, or when muse was going
on in the drawing after dinner.
Aud il was quite certain TIA. these at
tentiouS met with no Encouragement
from any lutIAtt.
About a week after Mr.. Romney-
Romnoy's arrival, Mr. Frank Bartlett
came down for his annual holiday.
Within the last few weeks Bartlett
had been admitted to partnership in
the firm of Flley & Tapehsm. and he
NV arrived with some hope of Undue
ing Bertha 10 share his improved lot.
1t did rot, however, take HIM long 10
discover the state of the case. Had
he been wanting in the natural readi-
n"sS of man III his condition to de
tcct rival, lie wou;& have been
quickly enlightened by the changed
demeanor of Miss Williams and her
family Hitherto he had at least been
treated with considerable friendlineSs,
now. no doubt, partly 10 the inoppor-
tu-e time of his arrival, he found
h nsel received with marked cold
SESS.
1t Was natural, therefore, that lr.
Bartlett should not take very cordial
ly to Mr.. Romney Romney. This,
however, was not due solely 10 jeal
ousy. Before hs had been many hours
in Folkestono, an IDEA crossed his
mind that he had sseu his rivals face
before-he could not recall when or
where, but the idea became more con
Ermad eysrv Tina no lDpl-cd at Mr.