Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-02-11
COUNT" SPLITZENTOFF.
Miss Dexter's Ingenious Idea, and
What Game OF It.

The season at Scarborough was at its
height. The hotels were crowded, and
innkcepers and tradesmen were doing
roaring trade. Not only was there the
usual holiday-makers, Yorkshire manu-
facturers, sprigs of nobility, overworked
city men, with their wives and super
abundant families, but tho cholera had
sent over goodly contingent of foreign
notabilities with high-sounding names,
and Of more or less distinguished APP
pearance. There were French Mar
quises and Counts, German Barons and
an Italian Duke; there was Russian
Prince, and there were dozens of He
brews of every nationality, riyaling
the sun in Oriental splendor." Many
of these personages wero accompanied
by their wives and daughters, and most
of them were exceedingly affablo In
their demeanor. joining in whatever
amusements the place afforded, and
dancing away at the periodical assom-
blies with an energy which, If some
what misdirected was obviously we'll
meant. The Miss Mungos, from Brad
ford, and the Miss Shoddys, of Halifax,
grew quito stated with the adulation OF
foreign noblemen, and if it had not
been for the advent of tho brilliant
and fascinating Count Splitzentoff
at the Regaia Hotel there is no know
ing but their affections might have re-
turned to the somewhat deserted Toms,
Dicks and Harrys of their native coun-
~ Int hot ha 4 nf-
fractions all minor consultations waned
into insignilicance. He was young, APP
parently about two or three and thirty;
he had lovely teeth and magnificent
black hair, he was evidently possessed
of untold wealth, wore little jewelry,
and drove an admirable mail phaeton
and pair of horses. With one consent,
therefore, the maidens of Scarborough
fell down and worshiped him.
The Count was accessible, and speed
lily made vast number of acquaint-
ances. He was universally popular;
the women all liked him, and the men,
though not q little jealous of his sue
cess, were forced to confess that he
drove very well, and played remark
ably good game of billiards. He spoke
moderately good English, with strong
foreign accent, and conversed fluently in
French with anyone who had sufli-
GENTLY mastered the intricacies OF that
language. There were, of course, Ger
tain envious persons &C Scarborough
who limited broadly that the fascinating
Count was no Count ut all, but an in
dividual in q very much humber sta
ton of life. The Baron Won StufglzZ,
for instance, insinuatcd that no had met
him before in gambling hell in Vienna,
and that his duties there were of char
acter both mental and disreputable,
while the Marquis de Tombola Ferrara
said he was courier; but, as neither of
these gentlemen adduccd any evidence
in support of their assertions, they were
pretty universally disbelieved. More
over, as both the Baron and the Mar
quis- and, for the matter Of that, quite
half of the most eminent personages in
the hotel-had very good reasons for
wishing that their own antecedents and
pretensions should not be too closely in
vestigated, they were content, as rule,
TO act upon the excellent proverb which
regulates the conduct of those who live
| in glass houses. So tho Count in
creased In favor with all his acquaint-
ances, and became quite leader Of the
social society. just when he was at the
zenith of his popularity, there arrived nj
the Regalia Hotel an American gentle
man, accompanied by two young ladies.
The party attracted no little interest.
| The American was square, dried-up
looking man of fifty or thcreabouts; be
had an abrupt. decisive manner, and
he gave his orders with an air of one
accustomed to be obeyed with prompt.
ness and precision. His name, accord.
ing to the visitors book, was Julius X
Dexter, and he had scarcely retired to
bis private sitting-room before he was
recognized by the hotel gossips as one
of the largest and most successful spec
ulators In Wall street. There was nc
doubt at all about Mr.. Dexter's millions
men looked upon him with awe and adj
miration, while needy scions of nobility
hung upon his lips, eager for the slight
est indication of the course of the mar
kets. The two young ladies rather
puzzled the company at the Rcgalis
Hotel. Mr.. Dexter was known To b,
childless, and he had simply entered
his name In the visitors book as "Julius
X. Dexter and party, New York" On,
of the girls was apparently very deli
cate; she always went to the Spa in ,
bath-chair, closely wrapped up, ant
wearing q thick veil, the other being II
constant attendance. The second, WHIT
was Of sufficiently attractive appear
ancc, dressed plainly, bu well, ap,
seemed to enjoy excellent health. Mr.
Dexter himself never alluded to then
except as "Clara" and "Annie;' an,
the male visitors grew prodigiousl,
anxious 70 make their acquaintance
But week passed, and the forcig1
npelenen, spring, CAPTAINS, tailors