Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-02-11


Dexter ono evening TO the invalid, ''that
black-whiskored Italian brigand-looking
chap who calls himself Count, wants
us to join ina driving excursion some
where" I+i. 'i'
'Of course, You told him you'd do no
such thing answered the young lady,
somewhat frotfully.
II said I'd ask you-not that / ever
supposed you'd mix with the tagrag and
bobtail lot Of people there are horo."
$50 you're not goingp" said the other
girl, .tH,d ~ hg;ty out go
Certainly not Whyp'
Nothing, but thought you might
like change In the monotony;" and
she rose and left tho room.
al wish to goodness some Italian
brigand or nobloman would take fancy
to ANNIE" sighed the invalid. "Her
temper is really uncomfortable. Italian
Counts arc generally on the lookout for
heiresses. Why can't you send her on
this expedition instead of me? Nobody
hero knows that she hasn't got farth-
ing in the world. We might got rid of
her, and what blessing that would
be-
IL am afraid you are getting UNI
charitable. 1t would, however, be
rather smart to lot these hungry fellows
think she Is an heiress. But II take
her, what is to become Of youp''
IL 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 infliction. 4"
"Have it your own way, my dear.
III tell the Count that we shall be de-
lighted"
SO when. tho appointed day came Mr..
Dexter, accompanied by Miss Annie,
and duly mounted on q moderately
weIl-appointed coach, was piloted by
the triumphant Count TO well-kno~a
show-place dozen miles from Scar
borough.
Mr.. Dexter omitted to inform Count
Splitzontoff that tho young lady under
his charge was not his niece ut 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 q sixpence in the world, or
that no had allowed her to assume the
namo of Dexter, owing to the disgrace
The excursion was, therefore. highly
enjoyable. The Count had asked the
Baron Won StufguzS to join the party,
too, on the condition that he did not
make himself too agreeable 10 tho
pseudo heiross; and the rich Miss Mum
90 and her mother had been invited for
the Baron's amusement. So, after in
speeding some moro or less interesting
ruins, the party paired of 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. Nungo, who had
originally been Halifax MILL girl, sub
jected him to q cross-examination Of the
most searching and irritating descrip-
ton about his fortune, his niecos, 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 wero
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 of; no has q house in Paris, q villa
in Cannes, and any amount OF estates in
Lithuania and the Caucasus.
"a house In Paris and villa mt
Cannes, growled Dexter to himself, Il
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 solaco of the young men and
maidens Mt tho various hotels. She had
no difficulty in getting Mrs. M,lngo, or
some other aifablc matron. to look, aft
or 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 knowswhat a 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
duccs everybody, whether they like ID
or not. Hence ono secs 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 ayoung lady OF
very refined tastes, and this sort of
thing suited her admirably. Her va
rious chapcrons impressed upon the
company that she was the heiress to I'M
told.wealth, and Doxter's millions made
such sensation that tho young lady
had half q dozen proposals in rs many
days. She herself did nothing TO en-.
tighten her many adorers as to the real
state of tho case, as she was quite
shrewd enough to know that any such
statement would most materially de-
crease both their numbers and ard0r.
On the contrary, as she generally bor-
rowed Miss Clarn's dresses and dia-
| monds, sometimes with and sometimes
without her leave, she did her best to
confirm tho popular error. 80.
After few weeks Of this sort of life
the Counts attentions became so cx-
ceedingly marked that Annie began 10
expect proposal daily. The Count,
however, was a 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 few minutes
L -. L e.. l.. W.
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
advice as to the course he ought to pur
| sue. e1ii "a s9Gc'sGaft se9t ~
THAT Polish Count, swindlcr, courier,
or whatever he may be, means to pro
pose for Annie. What am to saypi
he began. '1ui1g rai Try al.
"Oh, let him have her, by oil means. :
L n \ II \. L.. 4.