The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-02-28

them?'
20, yes, remember now. believe they
bow to me. They are good souls, should
think, they go to church very regularly"
"Good souls Perhaps" laughed her son,
'but frightfu]ly ordinary. The mother is
impossible. AS for the daughter, VIC call
her the empress. l assure you the name
suits her. She is tremendous poseuse."
asked the countess.
"Perhaps to solicit subscriptions for some
charity. The mother and daughter belong
to different church organizations, / think"
''Pcrhaps. I don't care to know them.
but want to be polite. I might leave my
card some day at their house. That would
not commit me to any thing"
"Of course not, especially with the Tar
venucs''
The lady. little dreamed what commotion
the square OF pasteboard her footman de-
posted at the Tarvenue mansion door one
afternoon would cause in that household.
When Solange, who was at the window,
recognized the Prevaret livery, she forgot
all her assumption of Indifference, and
rushed down to the kitchen to tell the serv-
ant that the ladies would receive Then
she threw hasty glance into the drawing
room to assure herself that all things were
in order there, and, still running, returned
to her room and began to make all appro-
pirate toilet What was not her disap-
pointment when she heard the carriage
drive away again.
''Idiot!" she cried to the servant over the
banister. ':Why didn't you say we were at
home as I told you!"
"But, mademoiselle, the footman didn't
ask He gave me the card and said,
Madame is at home Then he said, well,
give her that, Them"
every WE'LL" said Solange, with acerbity.
But you might at least have refrained
from saying that we were at home, since
you hadn't been asked"
Nevertheless the sight of the countess
card somewhat appeased her. That a
grande dame, of the countess age, toe.
should have taken the trouble to drive out
in the cold in order to lea ave a card at their
house proved conclusively that she wished
to sanction her sons course Thus did
ladies resolved that the least they could do
would be to call once more upon the coun-
tess without delay.
This had been arranged when NJ. Tarve
nue., who spent an hour at his club every
day, came in with very clouded brow
':Something very serious has happened"
said the retired linen draper. Then-"We
have no secrets from you, my daughter,
and you know already that nv friend
Ramillat had spoken to me of his desire of
making match between you and his son.
l expected an official proposal from him
three weeks ago. did not receive it, and
since then he has seemed to avoid me- I
did not like to call upon him because that
would have been undignified nnder the cir
cumstances. Finally, met him to-day on
the street, and although he pretended not
to see me, I accosted him: what's the
reason one never sees you any more Ramil-
latP 1T seems to me, SIR he answered
stidy, that it is scarcely my place to call
upon you again after the step 1 took three
weeks ago, and which you failed to recog-
nize in any way And now it turns out
that @e came here, left his card, as was not
at home, and thought, of course as we had
had conversation on the subject the pre-
vious day, that 1 would understand the Wis
it as formal demand on his and his sons
part for Solange's hand. Here we are at
loggerheads, and all because you did not
give me his card
''But he never came, he never left card,
cried Nine. Tarvenue.
''In any case there's good match off,
grumbled NJ. Tarvenue.
"Do not deplore it, beg" remarked So
LANCE, with her most superb mien. 81
should not have accepted NJ. Eusebe Ramillat
in any event. hope before long to present
to you son-in-law of qui te another STAMP"
In less than eight days Nine. Tarvenue
and her daughter repaired anew to the dow
ager countess. Solange was enchantinolv
handsome in suit of dark blue with astrak~
han trimmings, and toque of the same on
her golden hair.
Nine. Tarvenue, in plush and Jets, had as
sumed an Indifferent and contcmptuous air
which she thought in the best possible form;
When the countess saw the two ladies' en-
ter her drawing-room she suppressed a
movement of surprise, but she received her
guests with that gracious amiablity which
so successfully keeps people at distance.
II was sorry" she said in her slow, mu-
steal voice. mot to have been at home when
you came some little time ago to see me-"
"The loss was entirely ours, madame ,,
said Solange, with empressment.
"Certainly, certainly" said Nine. Tarye-
nue., who was very red and very i'll at ease.
'Iregretted the coincidence all the more
that thought you might have wished to
see me with regard to some church charity. ,,
Solange understood the allusion, and her
eyes flashed fire.
"No, madame, am interested in church
work, but do not solicit aid from others, "
she announced trenchantly. 1--WE have come
simply to prove our recognition of the visit
by which you were pleased to show US that
you approved of your sons visit to us.n
1t was now the countess turn to be aei-
tated. Had Gerard really gone to see these
people! The daughter was pretty, very
pretty.
II did not know that my son had called
upon you," she said with her grand air.
But his friends are mine. All! There he
is now. Gerard, }" addressing the young man
who now entered with a smile, twill YOU
not introduce me to Nine. and Mile Tar
venue2"
ut seems to me that it is you who ought
to Introduce me-" remarked the young man
bowling low before his mothers guests.
ut is true, Monsieur" said Solange.
while her mother wished that the earth
might open and swallow her up: tive re-
GREETED not being at home when YOU called
some time ago."
The young man bowed again, and looked
embarrassed, and said nothing.
my daughter alludes to the visit Won
made us at the beginning of January" here
threw in Nine Tarvenue.
II wish that 1, too, might allude to it.,
madame, but I am afraid there is a mis-.
understanding, since I would never have
permitted myself, not having the honor of
knowing you, to present myself at your
door. Now, however. SHALL" he con-
tinued, with profound bow, certainly beg
for the pleasure Of doing sou
Mime: Tarveuue desperately rose, and,
followed by her daughter, left the room.
When Gerard had returned from seeing
them to the door, his mother said to him:
Tell me truly. my son, did you call on
those peoplel"
''Never In tho world, my dear mother, and
don't In the least know what all this
meansp'