Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-05-01
A COMEDY OF ERRORS.
The Tale Of Two Anglomaniac
Families in England.

The fast-growing custom of wealthy
New Workers coming over to England
and renting country-houscs has lately
led TO an amusing occurrence, the facts
of which might be profitably worked
into 4 scene in 4 novel or a play. 1t
seems that two fine country-h houses.
each surrounded by a splendid park and
situated close to each other, in one OF
the home counties, are sevcrally owned
by 4 certain peer, whom we shall call
the Earl of Portcullis. and by 4 certain
baronet, whom we shall call Sir Rod
erick Blennerhassett. The nobIemans
place is called Grassland Park: that of
the baronet Oakden Manor. Sometime
during the autumn months, both Lord
Portcullis and Sir ROdericll, for reasons
of quite a distinct character, determined
to spend the winter on the continent
and to let their houses for six months.
To that end, they put the houses in the
hands of two West End house-agents to
be let, and, ere long, satisfactory ten
ants were found for each in the persons
of two New York families. 1t should
be remarked that neither houSe-agent
was aware that the other house was for
rent. So that when the two New York
families applied to each, one was told
that Sir Roderick was a near neigh Dor,
while the other was informed that the
Earl of PortculliS lived near by. A
house owned by an earl, with 4 baronct
next door, suited one Anglomaniac down
to the ground, while a house owned by
4 baronet, with an earl next door, ex
actly filled the bill for the other.
Nothing could be better. Rent, ac-
commodation. and habitat bic condition
were minor considerations in both
cases, and the houses were taken in
stanter.
So Grassland Park fell to Mr.. Schuy-
Ter Van Wrinkle and Oakden Manor to
Mr. Hiram L. BaSSett. November saw
each gentleman with his family in resi-
dence. Now. the Van Wrinkles and
Bassetts, though both New Workers, did
not know each other. The Van Wrinkles
were in and of the world-famous Four
Hundred. The EaSSetts were not. That
was sufficient. The Van Wrinkles con-
sisted of Mr. and Mrs. and their daugh-
ter Julia. = handsome. high bred girl of
two and twenty. who had been nearly
but not quite a belle in New York soci-
ETY. for a couple of seasons. The BaS-
sett family was made up of Mr. and
Mrs. their daughter Dora, pretty but
somewhat loud young lady of nineteen.
and their son Hiram T., .Jr., commonly
designated among his family and init
mate friends Hi"
Let us bark back 10 November. when
the Van Wrinkles and Bassctts have
been in residence about fortnight.
I'm considerably disappointed, says
Mrs. Bassett. one morning at breakfast;
I've been overhauling the card-receiy-
err and l find there isn't single title
among them all"
.'All double ones, ch?" asks Hi, who
thinks himself wit.
His mother does not deign TO notice
him: Mr.. BasSett reads in silence the
London morning paper whilc he
eats Che could not do more I'M En-
glish thing if he tried), and Dora says:
How very provoking, What can be
che reason? I'm afraid the housc-agent
took us in. He said Lord Portcullis
lived very near
YES, | know he did. Perhaps I've
overlooked him. Let me have another
trv," and Mrs. Bassett, with hopeful
look in her eyes, produces the china
card-receiver from her lap beneath the
tahle-cloth, and spreads the contents
out, one by one, on the table in front of
of her. pushing aside hs. plate to make
room. No, was right. There's no
name of the sort. As l say" and she
FATHERS up the cards and throws them
-disdainfully back into the receiver,
there is not single title among
them"
tine Earl of Portcullis." says Dora,
meditatively; Il wonder-I wonder
well. what do you wonder?" asks
her mother. with some misgivings as TO
the drift of her daughters cogitations;
'sif he's a myth
My, no.' exclaims Dora: Il know
better than that Our groom knows
one of his lordship's grooms very well.
Only if Lord Entitled knows him.
Mr.. Bassctt looks up quickly from his
paper. D.;soso, no
asks.
Il only said wondered if he knew
Lord Portcullis."
who's Lord Portcullis?"
How tiresome you are, papa.
He's Lord Portcullis-or the Earl OF
Portcullis. if you like it better That's
all l know about him, except tina, he
lives at Grassland Park.
.sOh. YES. to be sure. That's the man.
1 forgot his name. Bye-the-bye. saw
him out driving to-day. That is to say
he drove out of the park gates as L was
passing in my four-in-hand coach.
tall, handsome, distinguishing man,