River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-01-28

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are wrong. / moved in the highest so
cial circle.
$50 YOU taught yourself to believe.
Not the only error You made.
And with this parting shot, raised
my hat and turned in at the door of my
hotel. which we had just reached.
The next day was big with events.
A Grand review of the troops was to be
held in the Champs Elysee- All was
hustle and animation, ana every We,
hicle which could run on wheeis ma
been pressed into the service OF the
host of visitors in the gay Capital
There. at the door OF the hotel, IN
| abiect helplessness, stood the WILSON'S,
yainly irving As once did Becky Sharp :
enemy, the duchess, 10 make the ma
tives understand that they wanted
carriage. Papa and mamma were
tuning and flushed, AT their wits emu
what 10 do, while in the back ground
stood nv angel in ravishins bonnet,
half pouting, half smiling at the ext
gencles of the dilemma.
| saw my opportunity and seized II.
! ..Can /. said, bowling low, 'he OF
service As interpreter OF course, you
want to 90 to the review
Wigsnn pere assured me they did.
..There Is no chance of securing a
I carriage, | continued, "but the walk
through the Porte de Scharbeck Is
pleasant and the distance not great.
! ii YOU viii walk, | shall be proud TO
conduct you there.
Nv coup was effective. The old
people. with stare of blank despond-
,.ncv. as though the alternative was
crushing. gazed at the jostling crowd,
and accepted me with much the sort OF
I expression as If | had presented them
I with a box of pills TO swallow.
We started. / could not, however.
engineer a tete-a-tete with Maria, but
\ / cot chance 70 make myself solid
with the mamma. into whose ears 1
poured the grateful incense of "a hum
/ bred batteries.
] At last we reached spot which
commanded a grand view OF the pro-
cession. and / suggested that we should
remain there for while and see 1t file
past. 49,,
Ii was beautiful sight. Little as
( the .'brave Beige distinguished MINI
self on the field of Waterloo. when the
/ Iron Duke unceremoniously ordered his
dragons TO withdraw, ne makes a
! bristling show a. a martial parade.
Infantry and artillery marched past
us.
I Now comes a fanfare of trum1ets,
and 4 glittering group of horsemen
appear. Il is Gen Trentinck, who APP
proaches with the Kings two sons on
/ either side. followed by his staff
4 Every hat is OF. Loud voices ring
on the air. Ladies wave their hutter-
/ ing Ferchiefs. and bright smiles greet
( them on all sides
just as the cortege approaches as
broEen-down gun-wagon causes halt.
Can I believe my eyesp There. rid
inc ut the right side of the gray-haired
veteran. is the handsome young Crown
Prince, the Due de Brabant; and as l
live. that same gallant cavalier is none
other than the lmpetuous stranger !
met at the cigar divan-the very
golden youth had told that he didn
move in good society.
caught his eye, and. with blush
bowed.
Then out cropped the gentle nature
of that scion OF one of the politest
races Of Europe.
You here" he said graciously,
leaning forward In his saddle. " hope
YOU will enjoy the review and carry
good account Of us home.
Ii was worth years life TO see the
faces Of the WILSON'S. Wonder, awe,
envy. paralyzed them. Here was a
Young man they had hesitated to know,
hand in glove with the heir to the
throne Of Belgium.
Your Highucss, ] stammered. 81
am sure your troops will acquit them
selves with credit
1t was a stupid, inane remark, but,
TO tell the truth. | was in nearly rs big
a liuster rs my Brummagem friends.
Have YOU the entree TO the grand
stand?' the Prince continued.
No. sir.
lie beckoned to an aide-de-camp,
whispered some Instructions, and then,
with a pleasant nod, passed on.
| do not believe the WILSON'S knew
whether they were walking on their
heads or their heels as we followed the
dismounted officer to that holy OF
holies, the long. spacious gallery re-
served for persons about the court and
distinguished visitors.
Harlequin touches with his magic
wand, and ali is changed. This pretty
piece of priucely condescensi)n had
metamOrphOsed vagrant nobody into
a hero. Those WILSON'S literall7
Crowded They cringed, wrig2 led
aud squirmed in the ecstasy OF their
aduatiOn.
do not know but that even Maria
superb beauty paled in the shadow Of
their vulgar servility; but If so, the
spell was only lifted for moment.
The more I saw of the mamma the
less I liked her So, even under the
charm of my infatuatiOn, | could not
but appreciate the atficion of a
moihcr-in-law who called a horse "a
'orse." and who looked down from
her cilded heights on the profession OF
literature a. forlorn refuge for the
destitute.
But Maria was charming.
What il her papa did eat with his
knife, mistake his dinner napkin for 4
pocket handkerchief? Would not the
trolling forties' Of the Atlantic rage
between Us If / could only win that
dainty damsel for my bride?
After the eClat of the review-day,
OPPORTUNITIES TO press my suit were as
plentiful as sheaves in harvest time.
carriage parties were gotten up solely
in my hono. Dainty missives on tint
edfpaper, with iiorid crest imprinted
theron. reached me almost daily, which
informed me that MIR. aud Mrs. Crit
tin Wigson present their compliments
to Mr.. Scribbler. and we shall be glad
to receive YOU in our apartments this
eFeGing.
One thing was soon apparent: Ihey
were hungering after society, athlrst
for blue blood, and they looked 90 me
As one especially detailed by Provi-
'dence to break down the barriers and
ieaa them into the Elysian fields OF
fashionable lie
Never Il day passed al tas table
dhote that my prospective mother-in-
law forgot to send the color mantling
to my temples by inquiring in loud
: voice. so that all around might hear,
after my dear friend, " IS 1ghness.
Twice she introduced me to travelling
plutocrats. sui generis, and each time
added in \ stage whisper. "a friend of
the CroEa Prince. Very haristocratic.
, though be does cone from those 'orrid
States.
At last the golden moment came.
, One dewv eve, in the delicious twi-
? Iirht. | was permitted to escort the fair
Maria to vesper service at the Cathe-