Smyrna times., 1888-05-16
Romance in High Life.

uOu udre 10 tell VINO Sne IS, SAID
an old New Yorker, but there is as
pretty little romance connected with
Il well-knOwn society lady, whose
name is often seen in print as novel
ist, ever put in a book.
In her girlhoOd she lived in a homelv
cottage on the outskirts of Newport.
the famous watering place of the rich
and fashionable. By her neighboIs she
was known as 1.-The farmers pretty
daughter" He titled the soil, furnish
ed the big hotels with its products,
while she MIXED the cows, and picked
berries that supplied his customers.
The cottage was a favOrte stopping
place for ladies in driving, for they
were always sure of glass of cool.
fresh milk, and a luscious dish of fruit.
One day the old farmer had forgot to
leave basket of Strawberries that had
been ordered by a rich old aristocrat
named-well, call her Mrs. Van Brunt,
that's near enough-aud on his return
home, told his daughter to take them
to her rooms at the hotel. Kate was
at first reluctant, for she was we'll bred,
proud, and thought herself as good as
anybody, money or no money.
She went, however, was cordially re-
celVed, and left, not only the fruit, but
an impression that changed the current
OF her life Mrs. Van Brunt had a
young son, handsome, clever. and with
a heart like a photograph plate. In
the conversation that followed. the
wit, beauty and sparkle of the pretty
country girl were a revelation. 1t was
an agreeable interruption to their fash
ionable lives.
After this interview, Mrs. Van Brunt
was frequent caller at Little Cottage
and as often accompanied by her stall
wart heir, who never failed to insist on
seeing the young lady who prepared
such delicious berries and milk"
On one of these occasions, Mrs. Van
Brunt, who had become very fond of
the farmers daughter, asked her if she
would like to go abroad, and be her
guest for couple Of months. Of
course, III any ambitious girls mind
there could be but one answer: and
after consulting with her parents, she
pronunced al unmistakable yes. All
the arrangements being made, the trio,
mother, son and rustic belle, started on
the trip.
From the very first there was a
flavor of love in the atmosphere. Kate
suffered most at least appeared to.
for she knew there was millions in it,"
To the young fellow, who was some
what tired of ordinary hirtations with
the city girls, it was an agreeable epis-
ode in his usually sluggish life. For
awhile the old lady was blind. She
had set her heart on a high matrimon-
ial alliance in another quarter, and did
not dream OF danger as an outcome of
the generous friendship she had shown
the girl. Every day, however strength
ened the intimacy of the young couple
and complicated meshes of the web
that Cupid was weaving They be-
came almost inseparable, travelling ac-
quaintances looked upon them as be-
trOthed, and finally the son frankly
told his mother that he had made up
his mind to get married
The news came like a thunderclap
out OF clear sky, and the storm that
followed shook up the old aristOcrat to
such degree that she threatened to
disinherit him. Nothing remained but
to return home as quickly as possible
and send the girl back to her milk pans
and cows. This was done, but shortly
after reaching New York, the young
man, worried by the opposition of his
mother, was taken i'll. The illness be-
came so serious that his afiianced de-
termined to hasten to his side. She
called at the house, but was refused
admission. Again and again she ap-
piled to see her beloved, with the same
result, until one day, meeting the
mother by accident, she confessed that
she was the affianced wife of her son
and demanded to see him as a right.
The latter was now at the point of
death, paralyzed and unconscious, and
the proud aristOcrat's heart relented.
Possibly it was with the hope that the
woman he loved best might be the
means of restoring him to health. But
it was too late. No sign of recognition
occurred, and on the following day he
died.
In her grief, the mother prayed for
giVeness for the wrong she had done,
and folded the country girl to her bos-
ON as an adopted daughter AS such
she was received into the family, the
portion belonging to the dead heir was
settled upon her, AMI in time she be-
came a central figure in New York's
best society.
Two or three years aiterward she
became the wife of a diplomatist, and
now vibrates between the two conti-
nents, entertains and is regally enter
tanned, and occupies sphere to which
she would, in any event, be entitled
by virtue of her true WomanhOod.