New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-24
THE CONFESSIONS OF CLAUD
A ROMANCE
"a, rpo.p r.wcrrr. Author of "RufherJord." "An
Ambitious Woman," "A GeNnemon OF Less"'~
"zi,kiino Cyrnbais," de-
Copyright, 1885,
VII.
Continued.

Continued.
Ny old boyish feeling for my native land had
wholly vanished That ineradicabe love, which
20 few men have not felt, had put forth new buds
and sprays. great deal in America-viewed
from the distance across which / gazed-struck
me as lamcntably crude and corrupt To me, as
10 many European eyes, the young republic did
not loom oversee shape Of classic splendor; she
appeared almost pitably to shver in the nakcdncss
wrought by hands which had seized her robe. to
tear II aftervard in pieces amid wInn, ling dis
pute. The great civil war had ended, and the
assassination Of Lincoln had turned to dust the
6rst precious fruits Of peace l found myself fol
lowing with zeal the transatlantic newspapers
and forming opinions regarding the prorer policy
10 be maintained at Washington. Often / would
smile over my own fervor If ever a man should
feel cxratriated, such man was l. So little but
suffering had ever to me from the soil of
that other cline So much of balsamic content
ment bad soOthed and healed my wounds here ::
such treasures of education had fallen to me such
noble resources Of art and culture lay close within
my reach. And yet to the land of my birth, harsh
ard hard fostcr-mother as she had been, / turned
again and again with irTepressbe fon lncss.
The season was hardly favorable for viewing
much fcstal American life in Paris but it CHANGED
soon afterward that a certain Miss Potts gave
matrimonial dover of six million francs TO an
Italian prince Of meagrc purse and interminablc
pedigree. Miss Potts a California girl the
daughter OF man who had begun in paupcrism
and ended as the sole owner of a silver mno. She
was pcachy blonde, with the eyes Of a fawn and
the voice Of peacock. Mrs. Dorian was asked
70 this wedding, where the guests were q multi
tudc and she easily procured an invitation for me.
i talked while with the bride after congratulat-
ipO hQp cl,o cfo q
side Of her little prince. who had tawny skin and
short, black, crinlSlcd beard and whose features
were all set close together like those of a dryad
My reasons for talking with Miss Potts now the
Princess Orsini, by the way, since the wedding
rites had been rerformed) the simple one of
knowing scarcely another person present She
quite astonshed me by her civlty, though |
was becoming used to attention and interest on the
part OF women. Every now and then she would
present somebody to the Prince, or address a re-
mark to him, and always in the most execrable
French. Meanwhile, in En- fish not much less
phenomenal, l was told what could not fail TO
amuse and surprise me.
Il guess. Mr. Claud, your cars must have
tingled good deal lately, haven't they? Pm a
married woman now. and can say things to a
gepman that couldn't before. Pve seen you on
the Bots: driving with Mrs. Dorian. ever so many
times l got so that knew you by sight just as
WeI ! And now and then Ada Gramercey or
some other girl: would drive out alonr with me.
compliment the other day-oh, it's three weeks
ago. guess, by this time And Ada Gramercey
Is Just the hauGhticst piece about gcrmen that
you ever did come across She's Gramercev
you know. and her position in New-York is A
number one-they move, there. in the very best
scietv'
"Does this make her naughty to gentlemen -
1 asked: for want Of some more important remark
Tho Princess laughed. and resumed her nasal |
pininT tones "Oh. she's inst as stuck M as eve,
she can he TO nearly everybody She kinder took |
| no ST. M
over together about year ago. She SAYS I |
amnse her"
, "hincesses are generally amused bv Others
, sOh gracious goodncss,7 cried the dazzln~
bride bride al don't feel bit less like Susie PITTS
bow does that sound Pm oon~ to write it ont
IN s ffnm ye ,r., And y he don't IKE it he can
Oh YES, " WS S Ada (ramerce "F' ein T"s biz
proud that wav. I don't b1cve she'd a married
Ca'lo and a,st because thev'd have said that She
sentences Were delivered behind fan cncr1,slcd |
with precious stones, and bore every suggestion |
"Put YOU'RE forrettng all about the comnli
ment which Miss Gramcrccv raid me now said |
$50 ! am Wen il inst this She toa |
me now don't blush that she thou"ht Won one
OF the ban's"mest oeDmen she'd ever seen There :"
little later ! got Mrs Dorian IN p'int ort |
Miss Ada Gramerrcv tn mo NV puavlan nj once |
knew the yonn" lady to whom 7 alluded. AMI &c
surcd me that not IN know her to ones |
self unknown. "Thc Gramcrcevs are prODle Of |
consider promncncc in New- York sic con
able widowcr Colonel Gramcrcev He is sort = |
vicar sodat He fonoht in the Mexican with
h't honor. but he has passed. number of years
In EuIoDc. most delightful old gentleman
BY the way he is few wards from talking
with that lady in lavender satin "
saw a thin tall man with martially grace
ful air AMI white mIIstache One Glance at him
pleased me he aDneared TO combine much
amiabtv AMI dignity He was listening 10 some.
thing which his companion said and his dark
lie not linz bpn
Int lac seemed TO have such hidden store Of
benignty that II would he an easy matter to win
q smile from him at brief notice
"1he dear old Colonel" said Mrs Dorian
He docs not sec j that If he did
he would want to come and have a chat We
always quarrel. but we quarrel So ricturcsquely,
so diveltnglv. lie declares it shocking that !
should dctcst Ncw-York as | do But in reality
] am sure that he does not think it at all shock
Inc. ALWAYS tell him that il is pity he should
have been an American; he would have made
such charming Frenchman
Very after this Colonel Gramerccv did see
MIS-. Dorian. and soon opportunity was
afforded him he joined her She presented me.
according TO- her in,ariable custom as my
adopted SON and quite promptly she informed
The Colonel seemed Hattcred To hear this al
fhourh ] am sure that my existence had been
Of faulthss manners which arc in almost every
rasc the outyrowth Of q sweet and lovable nature
lie insisted upon taking Inc at once to his daurh
Ter promisiny my guardian. with a gallant smile. |
hat he would shortly reioin her for Of those
rarc old time chats which no lapse OF years could
make him FORGET
Miss Gramerccy not far away Several
surrounded her as we drew near the
little dralcd alcove in which she stood Her mien
for q moment when we were presented
plainly that she recognized me- But her
manner distinctly struck me as being cold ana
proud Still her beauty made an instant i'm,
PRESTON She was above the average height OF
,er sex Her face was detcately chlselled and
illl of q most sensitive symmetry. The plant
waves of her auburn hair ripping above whlte
orehead lust matched IN color the rich hazel OF
,er eyes She had a complexion like the leaf OF
tearose and a pair Of bewitching d1mples that
bowed themselves by means readily and never
{ all consciously Her demeanor, as she stood
With all the lines OF her slender and neatly mould
d figure In fine relief, that OF q girl who has
no fear to be deserted by the usual current OF male
ttention. and who is accustomed TO choose her
LII hut flaaro col L