Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-01
A MARCHIONESS.
Why Brave Hetty Leigh Rejected
a Lord.

Why did Lord Verriner wander in
strange and tropical chimes, explore
Japan and Timbuctoo, and attempt to
cross the Himalayas? The noble Earl
only tried to get married once, and in
the story of that wedding is contained
the reason for his becoming such dis
tinguished traveller and growing such a
very long beard.
\ Lord Verriner had been going the
pace ever since he came into his title
and got hold of his property; and, at
the time of which am speaking, though
the former necessarily remained intact,
the latter was practically nonresident
He had borrowed from his boot-maker,
his tailor and his jewellers. after having
prevlously exhausted the patience and
generosity of money lenders. Gambling,
racing. etc, had in fact ruined him.
But still his title and position had a
marketable value; for he was one of
the oldest and most distinguished fami-
lies in England. This marketable value
was now only of one kind. Lenders
and boot-makers would no longer listen
to him, even though he was the hand
soonest man of his day, with the most
perfect manners, and one of the pets of
that small circle of society which sits
up aloft like a party of cherubs, re-
garding scornfully the morals and
manners of the respectable folks below.
But in spite of the lost credit of Lord
Verriner among the money lenders he
was still spoiled darling among the
women. And it occurred to HIM one
day that here was his market. He must
do the usual thing; marry money which
wanted title i'll exchange.
Thinking the thing over, he saw that
most of his fellows who had succeeded
in getting out of a similar predicament
by these means had married American
girls. This. he thought, would be q
tolerably easy thing to do. English
women appeared to him to require
more attention and to be less business
like and more sentimental in their mat
rimonial affairs He decided to look
out for an American. Eerriner believed
he understood women thoroughly. He
was An excellent actor. and could cloak
himself with a languid and profoundly
bored manner which was a great sue
cess among the women of his own So
.cial status. He preserved this languor
always when in society. except in the
smoking-room, for, as he well knew, it
was safe. 1t prevented his ever getting
into hot water Underneath this quiet
surface volcano blazed. and q very
unpleasant volcano. too. Verriner had
the most frightful temper which he was
accustomed to let loose upon his lady
friends, his servants, his horses and
dogs. The two first left him; the last
showed their resentment in different
ways. He was never safe from bite
in his own stables; and his dogs kept
out of his sight.
This was the man who. a month or
two after he had made up his mind to
do it. had discovered a new American
beauty. just over from the States for
the London season, with dollars and
greenbacks enough to rcinstate any
ruined lord. Verriner thought her
really very tolerable. and was much
amused by her independent and lively
manner, which contrasted well with
the profound languor he always main
taiRed in her presence. His handsome
face, his intense quiet and repose and
the position he could give her. all
pleased Hetty Leigh. for they had for
her the charm of novelty. She could
not resist so big catch as this; it was
worth all her greenbacks to enter the
Marlborough House set under the wing
of this quiet. handsome fellow. And
so. when Verriner lazily but respect
fully proposed. Hetty Leigh accepted
him with open and undisguised delight.
In fact. she clapped her hands as soon
as the thing was done, and said: ''My!
wox't the girls at home stare!h
Mrs. Leigh nearly fainted-as nearly
as wiry middle-aged American lady
can-when she heard tic good news.
She had come over with one object; to
marry her Hetty to a Lord. And it was
all fixed upv' before the season was
fairly begun And Hetty's husband
was such handsome. quiet man: and
Hetty's wedding would be the grand
est event in the London season!
1t was all settled. and every thing
went merrily Hetty and her mother
were asked to all the best houses; the
girl who WAS to be Lady Verriner must
be royalty entertained by every body,
even though many of the women would
have been glad to throw yitriol In her
pretty, piquant face. How Hetty
dressed! Her toilets alone were enough