Smyrna times., 1885-04-22
roses with which her room was adorned

"'A4~N --toAAe
''You can tell real silver from the
plate everytime, he said, lifting the
ice-pitcher. "Allen said
this was the real stuff, scarce as it is
There is six hundred dol
lars worth here tonight" "
He was interrupted by the tinkle of
the bell, and the receiving party hurried
back to their places. For the next half
hour they were busy receiving their
friends, Countess Elsmly and Mrs.
Warren being among the latter guests.
The titled lady complained of being
almost ILL.,
do not mention it for worlds, dear
Mrs. Huntley," she murmured. q
dislike attracting attention. would
never have thought of going out
had it not been here,," with great
stress upon the last sentence.
Mrs Huntley was pleased and fiatter-
cd, and attended her chief guest to large
armchair by the open W ndOw.
In a few minutes more dinner was
announced. Mrs. Huntley was destined
not to be disappointed in her hopes.
Everything passed off without flaw,
and it was late hour that they all arose
from their seats Everybody had been
surprised and delighted, and the pre-
sence of real titled guest had added
great distinction to the occasion.
Mrs. Doty was stricken with an over
powering sense of her inferiOrity, and
retired i'll great discontinue, especially
as it was rumored that the Courtess
Elmsly was to spend the night with her
hostess.
do not mention it to your guests,
the countess pleaded, but am so i'll
that would like to retire at once if you
would be kind enough to keep me, Mrs.
Huntley."
Mrs. Hunt ey could hardly repress
her satisfaction at the opportune illness
with which the countess was seized !:
but she expressed her sense of the great
honor which had fallen upon her appre-
ciative head, and soon after the coun-
tess had retired, the rest of her guests
left her alone with her grand triumph.
Ida, said her husband, what shall
we do with this silver? Half the walters
are drunk, and the rest are talking
leaving the rest of the work until morn
ing. think that it should be sent home
tonight"
"No," said Mrs. Ida, decidedly, " the
countess will be here to breakfast we
must not send home thing"
LET us .ock it up in the china cup
board then, said Mr.. Huntley. 1T
would never do to have it around here
loose"
"As you please" said Ida, YEARLY
Didn't we have aperfectly lovely time,
Mag? Everybody was so astounded a
our magnifcence-and then the coun
tess being here-I never expected any
thing half so grand as this"
THAT plush is ruined" said tn,
matter-of-fact Margaret. "Old Mr.
Bartlett upset soup plate on it. anC
the color is taken out with wine il
several places.
"What of it?" said Ida. Nobody
wants to use it again"
"And 1 think those walters. ought t,
clear up this mess tonight but nstea,
of that, they have gone off and left i
until morning"
"Where will we have breakfast !?
asked Margaret with that woma
here, too"
Il am ashamed of you, Margaret, t
speak of the countess in that manner
said her sister sharply. I'VE can hav
breakfast in the back parlor.
"Well suppose she is a woman a
well as a countess" said Margaret
laughing Now if the bills were paid
we'd be ali right.
Margaret you are perfect killjoy
It's no wander you are an old maid
snapped Ida, marching angrily ava
to her ROOM Il must be up early
the morning, now, to give cook he
orders, she remarked to her husban,
mind you call me in time.
But in spite of all this the sun shOr
: brightly into their room before eth,
Of them awakened
"Why, Will" cried Mrs Huntle
"It must be eight CLOCK Why did
you wake me up?"
Il heard racket down stairs lol
before daylight, and supposed that
was you, so did not hurry"
! 1t must have been cook" remark
Mrs. Huntley.
just as they had finished dressil
there was a hurried knock at the dol
and then Margaret entered, saying. Il
Q THE men have come to clear up, Al
they can't find the silver"
"Thats al right, said Mr. Huntle
Z "I locked it up"
- Then he ran down stairs two steps
. bound, and Ida hurriedly prepared
follow
= A hoarse shout came from below.
Ida, come herel That silver is eve
Il article gone!"
. The two girls rushed pei mel do1
stairs, to find that despairing cry t
. true. The burglars work had be
y complete ; all the borrowed silver W
gone.
=, Mr.. Allen won't settle for that lie
than thousand dollars" said Allen
Co.'S man, smiling grimly.
That was the finishing stroke poor
- Ida's unhappiness, and she begun
:. cry little; but when she found q pil
n china plate split through the middl
tv and two pink wine glasses broken, s
L. would have fled to her room had no
he thought of her visitor stayed her.
a "The countess!" she exclaime
10 "What can she think? 1 had forgott
~ all about her"
But Margaret answered her in fl
:. tOne,-
r. 1.-The countess is gone, Ida me
bo likely with the missing silver, and 20
20 husband has gone to find her,
~ possible"
e 1t was noon before that table v
80 cleared away, and by that time it v
-. known all over town that the Count
- Elmsly and Mrs. Warren had decan
ed with six hundred dollars worth
,r- Allen & Co.'S silver, which Mrs. HUI