Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-28

ladies and gentlemen. sir, who have come to
spend the evening with yeu-"
With very slight hint Of something that
soundsd little like foreign sxpletivs, Herr
amazsment watched the ladies and gentlemen
pour in. received their grotssque salusations
aud invited them 10 take some wine and fruit
That being refused, then would they repair -
the drawing roomY
''ws hope, said Mr. winstanton. who was the
spokesman of tas party, that you will not take
| it a:liss that We. who form q very small portion
| OF your numerous body of English friends and
admrers, should have invited ourselves to
spend the evening and sup at your house,
Certainly not! I am Delighted" said Herr
Moritz, bowling low on every side. 1T is for
me . great honor, and proof of your friendly
| regard. but confess should have liked to be
| informed of your kind intention 30 as to be
able to give you some idea OF the heartiness of
| your welcome. l am afraid you will receive
| very poor entertainments now. 1 myself. not
1 being expected at home this evening have not
| Jared sumptuously, nor can I add to my re-
sources now; but such as have shall be set
before you. Gustav shall see to that.
and for the honor of his master will do his
| best. Meantime, meine freGnde will YOU
| allow me to escort you up stairs to my draw
| ing room2 Aeh Colt, Gustav, am forgetting
thas there is no hre thsre-make fires. Had
put known that you were coming, my dear
| friends, there should have been fires all over
ths house: You see, myself inhabit the smok-
| ing room"
There are fires in both drawing rooms. sir, :"
| said Gustav; Il seemed to think that you NIGH
| need them"
Then Herr Moritz turned to his guests, and
| very handsome he looked as ne said: s.As
have not the means of knowing how to offer
my arm, as In duty bound, to the most honor
able and distinguished lady. perhaps she will
kindly do ms the honor and pleasure of taking
my arm herself"
Tho most distinguished lady was much too
clever to tall into this trap. There was dead
silence until MIR. Wmstanton said, Tonight
oil rank is abolished We have come out to en-
Joy ourselves"
Herr Moritz laughed at their readiness, and
MS laugh was very musical Il am to offer nv
arm at venture, then. All, ladies', how cruel
OF you to hide your faces under those ugly,
ugy whlte-l don't know their English name
UsberZuge we call them"
lie offered his arm to lady Susan, not be-
S.uss ne recognized her, but because her
ngure was the most imposing aud matronly
Inc drawing room they entered was large and
very pretty room, opening into smaller one,
aud Herr Noritz 8 Servants who, as before said.
were in the plot, had lit fires in both, and in
aoolnon TO that had licked them both with
flowers. Herr Moritz almost rubbed his
eyes; he had no idea that his house could ever
| look SO bright and charming. 1t did not occur
TO him that 1t was strange that his servants
should be so well prepared He accepted the
fact as pleasant one and only said: Fairies
| have been at work here-I wish they would do
| as much every day."
Your house ia lovely, dear Herr Moritzw
said lady; ''bus what shame that you should
\ live here all alons!''
Women rarely see bachelors pretty house
without feeling that one Of their sex is being
! defrauded.
Yes, you ought to marry, nv dear friend.
you really ought" said Lady Susan with con-
viction.
change came over Herr Moritz's face-a
witch OF pain which passed away, leaving him
percepubly gravsr. 1t was seen by one mem
Der OF the party who was glad of it, and that
was the supernumerary guest. Some CONVEX
sation snsued, but conversat ton implied being
perpetualiy on guard against pitfalls which
| might lead to discovery.
do give Us some music" said the duchess.
Dear Herr Moritz, wish YOU would"
POOR little lady! in general way that was
| enough to procure her everything her heart
desired; but he refused. She forgot that he
did not know who she was. All persons are
equal when they have eXtinguishers placed
| over their heads in the shape of linen pillow
cases.
''Oh do! I sntreat you," she said; her urgency
was increasing.
You like talking much better-you all do. -
Il can always leave of talking when hear
a master play" quoted the duchess benignly.
But the master. such as he is, can't play un-
less he has the necessary encouragement Of the
sight OF sympathetic eyes and beautiful, happy
smiles"
"Ah,'" said the duchess, sit must be another
time, them
Perhaps one of my visitors will sing: IL
! would be very kind" said he He was setting
another trap. None failed to see it,
I'VE should any Of us be only too delighted
to do SO If there were the least prospect OF Civ
"Unhsppily there isn't-our voices would sound
| so muf1ed
Meme Damen, you surely don't intend to
wear those horrible things on your heads all
the evening"
No, not all the evening; only till supper
put them off then"
The sooner we have supper, then, the bet
teri! he exclaimed Permit me to leave Won
| for few minutes will speak to my man and
| hurry him little, and at the same time pay a
| visit to the cellar"
This was what every one wanted. It had
| been arranged that the moment he left them
alone for q few minutes, as the exigencies of
the situation would almost certainly oblige
him to do, the whole party should instantly dis
perse itself all over the house, and hide so ef-
| feetuany that he should be led to believe that
| they had gone away as suddenly as they had
| come. MIR. Davenant watched him down stairs.
and then in groups of tw0s and threes they ali
hastily sought hiding places. Fraulein Lorsnz
for she it was who had joined the party un-
| girl who was about the same height and figure
as herself This girl did not appear to be in
any haste to hids-she seemed much more
anxious to get to know what the house was
like. She opened doors, looked into rooms.
| appraised the amount Of comfort each SCENE
| capable Of affording, and though she came
upon many excellent hiding places, never took
| possession of any of them, nor did she seem
| disappointed if other members of the party
saw the capabilities Of these places and used
| them.
I'VE really must be quiok-he might come
| back at any moment!' whispered Fraulein
Lorenz.
"Of course we must. We will Do YOU
| know think any woman might be very happy
| in this house; don't your"
| Poor little Fraulsin felt rush Of something
| to her heart which checked speech, but Anas-
| tasia- she had known from the beginning that
| it was Anastasia--eontinued: Everything il
| very good and handsome! Great Cumberland
| Place isn't such bad situation after all and
the house is quite q gentleman's house! Isn't
| it?'
Quite"
"Aud he is nice enough, too and youngish.
| and not SO bad-looking. thought he looked
| quite handsome when we all burst in ON him,
| and he received us with certain SAVIOR faire:
] it was more than expected Of him; but for
eigner though he is, no one can say that he is
| not gentleman"
Fraulein Lorenz was SO angry that she could
not trust herself to speak; and when she did
speak she only said Il am going away to hide. /"
''But whers?" said Anastasia, following her.
81 don't like hiding where can't be found