The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-02-16
A FORTUNATE FAN.

The side door of the Academy OF
Design was accessible during the re-
cent PEDESTAL Fund Loan exhibition,
preparatory to the opening. The
policemen at the door narrowly
scanned every one who departed, and
demanded name or card.
This official afterwards remem-
bered that an exceedingly marked
man entered, apparently with no
bundle about him. He was very
handsome, with black eyes and pre-
maturely gray hair, which he wore
long.
"Your name, SIR" said the police
man, stopping him and cycling him
keenly.
"My name, chi" said the stranger
rather angrily, "eh! Col. Beauclerc. !"
At this moment lady came down.
stairs. She was we'll known to the
policeman as one of the managers,
and as she met the gentleman, she
said cordially:
ooh, Col. Beauclerc, | am so happy
to meet you! l am tired to deathl
Such a scene of confusion upstairs,
and we open tonight! Would you
carry this fan for me, and give it to
Miss Lomax? 1t is quite invaluable,
belongs to Mrs. McElroy, and l hope
it will be put in choice place; but I
have absolutely brought it down
with me; how careless! 1t arrived
toolate to be judged and catalogued,
but I am determined to get it in.
Would you take it up for me?"
Certainly, Miss Mirabeau; de-
lighted! To whom shall I give it7"
said the colonel, restored to the
policeman's confidence.
ITO Miss Lomax; and for worlds
do not fail, for Mrs. McElroy is al
ready dreadfully offended because
some ofher exhibits were refused q
place. Indeed, l believe she and Mr..
Smith have had some words, and
she has loaned such beautiful things
that I would not have her feelings
hurt for the world"
"But l do not know Miss Lomax."
said the handsome colonel, admiring
the fine face before him, and think
ing that a workaday rig was rather
becoming to Miss Mirabeau.
"Oh, you will easily find Miss Lo-
max" said Miss hlirabeau; "any
one will tell you" So she passed on,
leaving Col. Beauclerc with the fan
in charge.
He assembled the stairs and was
met by q big dog at the door of an
inner room. Ladies were standing
at the glass cases arranging missals,
others were busy hanging fans,
others putting away priceless boxes,
chatelaines, watches, jewelry of every
age, from the mummy necklace down
to the earrings of Eugene. The ar
lists were hanging pictures. Mrs.
Wheeler was experimenting the
embroideries, and the miniatures
from their places looked at him with
their sentimental, last-century smiles.
1t was O confusing melange.
AS soon as he found the lady who
seemed to be responsible for the fans,
he asked for Miss Lomax.
"Miss LomaxW said she, 81 think
she has Just gone in to see those ia
nous swords of Mr.. Brayton Ives.
Would you go in? Perhaps We can
find her."
1T think l would like to look at the
FANS" said he.
So he stopped and chatted over the
"Vernis Martins" the Spanish fans,
The carved bone, and admired Mrs.
Astors collection. Then he wandered
off to examine the Jade, and finally
rendered up to the lady in charge his
own exhibit, a small but very beau
tiful piece of antique jewelry.
Then he felt in his pocket and dis
covered the fan, the little, long, black
package, which he had been instruct
I'D to leave with Miss Lomax.
"But where was Miss Lomax?"
She had become invisible. "Oh! there
she is nowl" said the lady with whom
he had spoken; "that young lady
with the light hair"
And here the coloneps memory be-
comes hazy. He thinks now that he
laid the fan down on the glass case
while he went for Miss 1omax. He
pursued that ignis fatuus through
all the rooms. He found her in the
picture gallery, and told her the story
of the fan.
"Oh, yes!" said she, 1--WE have saved
a place for that fan ofMrs. McElroy's.
Do give it to me, for she is furious"
The colonel, suddenly frightened,
felt for the fan, but could not find it
in his pocket; then be remembered,
that he LETT it on the glass case. He
and Miss Lomax wandered back to
the case, but the fan was gone. Just
Mt that moment Mrs. Majoribanks
came fitting by, pale and nervous.
"We have lost a fchu," said she,
"worth ever so many thousand dol
lars! Oh, what shall | dol"
Miss Lomax looked at the colonel
and the colonellooked at MissLomax.
"Stolenl stolen!" said Miss Lomax
Historically.
An hour was passed in inquiries
and in agitated search, complicated
by the feverish whisper of Miss Lomax
that the irate Mrs. McElroy was
walking through the rooms looking
daggers at everybody"
"What If she should hear that we
have lost her fanl" said two or three
ladies, surrounding the colonel, and
dividing the guilt with him.
They were all in ready to excuse him
nnd blame Emily Mirabeau. She
should not have asked him to take
charge of the fan and so on.
The colonel assumed the RESPONSE
bility at once.
II alone am to blame" said he,
s'and If money can pay for that &C
mean that Spanish fan--I Will pay