Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-05
NOT A COUNTESS.
Why Miss Dulcimer Did Not
Marry Lord Lexicon.

Miss Dulcimer was a fashionable
beauty; her photograph was in all the
shop windows, and for several seasons
she had excited universal homage and
admiration. She was a strikingly
handsome girl, fairly accomplished,
and clever beyond the conception of
most of her friends. For she affected
a stately and dignified repose of man
ner, which suggested languid tenn
permanent, whereas, in fact, Miss Dull
elmer owed the prominent position
which she occupied in society entirely
to her own energy and force of char
acter. Her mother, widow lady of
good family, would have preferred to
live quietly and unostentatiously upon
her moderate income in some sleepy
provincial town, and would have been
quite content to see her daughter mar
ried to curate, or any worthy young
man she honestly loved. But Hilda
Dulcimer had far different ideas from
these. She had been ambitious from
child, and had early realized that she
could command the homage of the 9TH
er sex. She was no less romantic,
perhaps, than most young girls; but in
all her day-dreams the ideal lover was
invariably possessed of an immense es-
tate, town mansion and box at the
opera. In a word, Miss Dulcimer had
always been ambitious of making a
brilliant marriage. and in due course
she deliberately set to work to affect
her purpose.
She induced her mother to take 6
pill box of house near Park lane, in
an exceedingly unhealthy situation,
backing ON to news. The rent was
ruinous, and the rooms were small
and stuffy, but, as Hilda pointed out
the locality was undeniably fashion,
able. She proved, too, that a broughan
and dignitied man-servant were abso
lutely indispensable adjuncts to the es
Enlistment, and completely destroyed
her mothers peace of mind by com
pelling her to keep up appearances fal
beyond her means. But though the
poor old lady lived in state of abiec
terror of bailiffs and creditors. Hilds
contrived that she should not be mo
Tested. Her success in the highest ant
most select circles of society was i'm
mediate and enduring. In many little
ways which her friends did not sus
pect she turned this to account. He,
gowns cost her nothing; her millner'
bill took the agreeable and unusua
form of a substantial check; and, il
fact, almost every article of attire wa
supplied free by tradesmen eager to ad
vertise their wares. She had no diff
Guilty in disposing of her cast-off ward
robe at highly satisfactory prices, and
in addition to money thus saved an,
gained, she was always willing, for
consideration, to bear public testimon
to the efficacy of somebody's paten
complexion-reviver, or somebody else
Incompatible tooth-powder.
BY such eXpedients as these did thi
clever young lady contrive to keep tn
wolf from her mothers door and fin
the means for those necessary expense
which her career involved. Near
while, without the slightest apparer
effort, she maintained the foremos
place among the beauties of society
was present at all the state balls an
grand assemblies, visited at the house
of the highest nobility, and receive
marked attention from royalty itsel
Many offers of marriage were made [
her, but Miss Dulcimer calmly an
disdainfully rejected them all. II
fact was, though she would no. hav
confessed it even to her mother. eligib
bachelors of the wealthy aristocraC
seemed very shy of taking a wife on
side their own select circle. An E
glish young lady. even though a pr
fessional beauty, who could not aspi
to their own rank in life, was a
parently regarded as quite out of Il
question. But yet Hilda Dulcim,
was not disheartened, and for fol-
seasons she patiently angled ar
waited.
AT length there appeared upon Il
scene young nob.eman, Lord Leg
con, who had recently inherited b
title quite Unexpectedly. He h;
served as a lad in the navy, and of la
years had gained rather reputatiC
as an intrepid traveller and sportsms
in far countries. He had been abse
from England nearly five years, VIII,