The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-01-05
Select gtorg.
BLUE BLOOD.
Frnn Relcrsria.

ErOM beiefANiA
Beresford Hall, in tie beautiful neigh
borhood of Littleswamp, had long been un-
tenanted. That ''eligible residential estate
standing in its own grounds, as the agents
advertised it, Gas if it could have stood in
any other, remained in the sole occupation
of ghosts and rodents, who, as they pay no
/ rent and do incalculable damage, constitute
an even more Objectionable class of tenants
than those humorously recommended to
house-owners as desirable
This was, of course, very much deplOred
in Littleswamp, which had lively recollec-
tions of the Hall in PALMER days and a
strong sense of social duties too long ne
elected. The owner, however, Colonel
Bowsborough had no choice in the matter;
for, after many years success in the fash
iouable trade Of backing horses, tickle for
tune had deserted him, so that he in his
turn had 10 desert his home and shut up
his house till such time as ehauee or desti-
nv should favor him with a tenant.
The excitement. therefore, in Littleswamp
was ike that in London after the battle Of
Waterloo when one day it became known
that the ColOnels friend, Captain FOsse,
had not only actually taken = stranger to
see the house, but thar the stranger had
readily agreed to take the house on The
terms understood to be asked for It, with
out any haggling or bargaining. The
steadiest heads we're turned by the intelli-
geuce, which Of course spread with the
rapidity of prairie ere. Tie state Of sus-
pense was something terrible Of coarse
the new neighbOr must be rich, but was he
respectable, was he Of good family, had
be Inherited his fortune or committed the
disgrace Of having in any way earned IL
These momentous questions aud thousand
Others were eanyassed with something Ike
fury.
Mrs. Rossendale, who lived as sort Of
setter Of ton to the district, had come to
look on Beresiord Hall as somehow under
her special guardianship, and during the
years Of an9ceupied expectancy had given
as the mos, moi cFoslre 10 the neighbor-
hood: ..0n no account can We accept a
parueaa at the hall. Everybody wonder
ed what the good lady would do if Colonel
Bowsborough let the hoase to a Lancashire
cotton spinner or to any one 10 any way
tainted with trade, bu, everybody felt sure
that she would do something. Her hus-
baDd-poor easy man--whose father had
made his fortune out Of umbrellas, and on
whom, literally speaking. the clouds Of
Heaven had dropped their fatuess, was the
/ victim Of constant lectures on the necessity
of having nobody but a gentleman n the
Hall. "a place ike that, she said,
sought to have a tenant in keeping with If.
! A nobleman or a relation to nobleman IS
the least that viii do It would be pro-
fanation to the place if it harbored any one
whose blood was not of the bluest. Think
otherwise Of the danger to 0phelia or Pitz-
hubert of mesaHiaaee with the family.
oh, Johnl do not thick could survive
a mesaH;aace. Spare me that Spare me
lhatl''
aMy dear Maria, John would remOn-
strate, .'why anticipate misfortupes that
may never come? ophelia and Fitzhubert
will doubtless make very respectable mar
riages in their own station of life. f"
But l wish them 10 marry above it, .
would reply the lady, impatiently. @They
must marry blue blood or not at all. =
"That is another question altogether.
But where should have been had your
parents restricted your choice to what you
are forever calling blue blood? Depend
upon it, with regard to matrimony that
what viii be viii be, and what viii be win
mo doubt be for the best
aOh, Johnl you provoking man, you
horrid fatalistl I've really no patience
with you. declare you've no more am
bition than a toad"
This conversation took place almost daily
with the regularity of the return OF the
solar phenomena. Long experience bad
taught John that when it reached the point
of contrasting his ambition with that of a
toad the climax was reached, and that it
was then better for him gracefully and
prudently to surrender the field.
OF course it did not remain a secret for
long who the stranger was Captain Fosse
was too proud of his new friend not to let
it be speedily known that the gentleman
he had succeeded In obtaining as tenant fol
Beresford Hall was Frenchman of distin-
euished name and lineage-no less per
son, in fact, than NJ lie Due de Montan-
vert.
How splendidly the name rolled all that
day from off fair lips as the news spread
from house to house. They dwelt on it
and seemed to taste it like lucious fruit
The stage of suspense and expectation pass
ed into the stage of beatitude and ecstacy