The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-08-25
kOLLER'S AFFAIR.

kOLLER'S AFFAIR.
IL has been 80 many wears since gen
uine love affair occurred at watering
place that the one between Roller and the
French governess was regarded as sue
cession of phenomena. The Brandon
was of the latest type of aesthetic sum
mer hotels-a large Queen Anne mansion,
surrounded with cottages equally Queen
Anne, high in altitude as in tariff, as the
Anglo-Saxons say. The cottages were
the resorts of those fayorites of fortune
who, wearying of Newport and Lenox,
sought place where they could have a
fortnight's rest from the business of
pleasure. The style of dress was severe
ly plain among the women, and the men
affected Norfolk jackets and shooting
coats. These peculiarities were unknown
10 the Burt Robinsons when they took
the most expensive cottage for the sea-
son They only knew it was very high
priced and very .exclusive. The time
came during their sojourn when they
blushed for the numberless gorgeous tot
lets displayed by Lillian Burt-Robinson,
and for Mrs. Burt Robinson's diamonds,
as large as peas, which she wore every
evening. The Burt Robinsons had been
evolved thus: first there was Josiah B.
Robinson, hardware merchant and dealer
in agricultural implements, then fine
house on Fifty-eighth Street, and cards
engraved Mr.. and Mrs. Josiah Burt
Robinson next box at the opera, no.
ticed in the society papers as that of the
Burt-Robinsons; and at last simply the
Burt-Robinsons, as people say the How
ard de RedcIyffes
They had not however, got quite up To
the level of the Howard de Redclyffes, or
they would not have been found at the
Brandon House with Lillian the daugh
ter, and Clarence the son, and little
Gwendolen the baby, with her French
governess, Miss Lefevre, as they all voted
il poky, and only came because of the
acquaintance to he made Miss Lillian
had thought 10 do great things with her
pretty blonde hair blowzed over her eyes
and her innumerable fluffy white toilets.
She had suggested bringing the govern
ess along, thinking in the depths of her
heart that Miss Lefevre's dark skin and
trim black dresses would make good
foil for her own bright beauty. The
governess was certainly very dark, and
had no clothes to speak of; but she had
ewes as black as sloes, and the way she
wore her simple gowns was truly Paris
ian
There was one thing Lillian did under
stand and that was music The Brandon
did not indulge in anything 50 common
place as a regular orchestra, but it had
couple of young Germans, one of whom
PLAYED on the piano and the other on the
cornet, while Roller was the violinist,
WHO TtHitftu arhti '7'buiiiaiih-hiu
Raft most artistically in the great dim
every morning and even
ing. Lillian, although given to affecta
ton, could truly say that she "adored "
to hear them play; but there was mys-
terry about k0ller which attracted her.
True, he was only the violinist at a sum
mer hotel, but there was delicious
aroma of " family" floating around him.
said he was a count, OF had
been count, or was going to be a count;
and one morning as the RobinsoDs
sat listening 10 the last strains of concer-
to. Mr.. Prescott Fairbanks, the most
acquaintance they had in the
world, came up To speak to them, and
seeing Roller, started visibly. Then he
wen, up to him and said holding out his
hand, "Why, eount-excuse me, surely |
am not mistaken-I knew Count Maurice
Roller 50 well."
Koller colored up to the roots of bis
curly yellow hair, and awkwardly accep-
ted Mr.. Prescott Fairbanks outstretched
hand Yes,I am koller, but in somewhat
hard circumstances | would prefer my
family did not know"
Then he stopped short. II was equally
to Mr.. Prescott Fairbanks.
'' Don't let me interrupt YOU he said
hurriedly, waving his hand as if Roller
were playing for his own amusement
" Presently well have talk
Roller went back somewhat trernulous
and excited to his everlasting eoncertos
and nocturneS Miss Lillian seized MIR.
Fairbanks. "Do tell me all about him,
and what brought him hear" she whis-
pered as he bent down.
Cant. my dear young lady. Never
was more surprised in my life last time
saw him | was at his fathers palace in
Munich Most embarrassing recontre."
This was all. but that was enough. Mr..
Fairbanks presently escaped from the
ladies was seen no more until some one
caught him coming out of the cottage
where the musicians lodged, and left on
the night train Nobody but the Burt
Robinsons had witnessed the Fairbanks
episode, and they tacitly agreed to keep
it TO themselves. But to Lillian glori-
Gus vista opened up. She was not with
out that grain of romance that is seldom
left out in women. The Counties Maui
rice Koller-was not that quite as good
as half dozen countesses she read about
in the society columns Of the papers?
And then the romance--although it
would be AZ well not TO have it two wide
ly known; and If was a money trouble,
were there not many hundred Thousand
dollars belonging to the Burt -Robinsons,
II 1.x,f <b~~.<. e. .3.xsIa Tta,,