The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-18
AN EARL YETNOTAN EARL
Mrs. Jenkins hopes Cruelty Shatter-
ed-Natilda's MesalIiance.

-udlii , mlcAitl1uLCs
ia met" exclaimed Mrs. jenkins to
her daughter Matilda. "who do you
think has arrived at the hotely'
"Any Of our friendsY' inquired the
daughter.
II wish / could say he was,r said Mrs.
jenkins. mo, Matilda, it is no less
than o member Of the British nobility"
"How do you know, DetherY'
because / happened to be in the post
Office q few minutes since, and with my
own eyes I saw q letter upon the wheel
directed Earl Spencer, Jonesboro hotel.
So I went right over to the hotel and
found that it was SO. The landlady
pointed out the young man TO me. oh,
Matilda, he is such an elegant young
man, and oil that air Of high breeding
and so on which you only find in the
nobility"
Really. mother. you quite excite my
curiosity"
'.But I've got more to tell you, Ma
tilda. I've managed to get en- invita-
ton from the landlady to come over and
take tea, so that we shall be introduced
to him. Only think of that. And if
only think-he should take a fancy to
you, and, Matilda, though | ought not
to say II, you are very ~pretty-just the
very picture Of what I was at you age;
as I was saying, l don't think it at all
improbable, at least impossible, that you
should attract his attention, and think
what a fine thing it would be If you
should become a countess"
Mrs. Jenkins paused to take breath
after this long and rather loosely jointed
speech to see what effect it would have
upon her daughter. The latter seemed
quite as much affected as she could wish.
She Yves like her mother, not only in
form, but IN mind, and her mothers
words had stirred her ambition.
La, how fine that would beF' she ex-
claimed. 81 guess Ellen Hawkins would
not show her airs any more. The mean
creature, l wouldn't take any notice of
her, except just to invite her to the we'd
ding. SO that she might have a chance to
envy my good luck"
Every true" said her mother approx.
ingly, but you know o good deal must
be done before this can be accomplished.
You must endeavor to look your pref
test tonight, SO as to produce an i'm
preston upon the young man, if posi-
BILE. I think you had better wear yonr
green de laine."
mo. mamma; that doesn't become
me. shall wear my plum colored silk,
and you must lend me your gold chain"
"But," said Mrs Jenkins reluctantly,
II was going to wear that myself"
81 don't see" said her daughter, toss
ing her head, s.that it Is of much conse-
quence how you look. I presume you
don't expect the young lord will marry
you. But it is very important how
look. If I can't go looking decent
won't go at all. OF course all the ladies
in England have gold and jewels 10
wear, and I know he won't say a word
to me unless / have something of the
sort"
Perhaps you ought, Matilda" said
her mother. II am sure it is my sole
aim in life to promote your success, and
if / could only live y see you the wife
of an earl ! should dit In peace"
Notwithstanding the apparent disin-
terestedness of this remark it is proba-
BILE that unless Mrs. Jenkins expected to
share in the prosperity of her daughter
| she would have cared considerably less
| for her alliance with the nobility.
That was a busy day for Mrs. jenkins
and her daughter. 1t took them up to
the very moment of their departure to
arrange their toilet. At length, resplend-
ent with the best their wardrobes could
furnish, they went over to the hotel. 1t
may be remarked, by the way, that Mrs.
jenkins, with the cunning natural to
such an admirable manager, had not
whispered a word of her Interior designs
to the landlady. She I'VE cautioned
her daughter not to address the noble
man by his title in the hearing of any
one else.
Six o'clock found them seated at the
hotel table. It so CHANGED that Earl
Spencer was the only guest (the reader
must remember that it was q small coun-
try inn), and accordingly Mrs. Jenkins
and her daughter had the distinguished
stranger quite to themselves. It suited
Mrs. Jenkins to appear quite ignorant Of
the earls station-even of his national
ity, unless he should himself reveal it.
1t would have been somewhat difficult
to decide wherein lay the marks of high
birth which Mrs. Jenkins professed to
find in the stranger. He looked much
more like a third rate clerk. He wore a
flash waistcoat. an extensive cravat and
o gorgeous watch chain which might
have been gold, but looked more like the
snowy articles which remind n of the
old proyerb that .'all is not gold that
gltters."
But Mrs. Jenkins was not a woman Of
great discernment. She saw nothing but
what might be expected of an earl, and
| murmured in the ear Of Matilda that his
appearance was very distingue-by the
way, she pronounced the word in a way
| of her own.
Matilda nodded assent to her mothers
remark, and began to play off her airs
and graces upon the distinguished gen
tleman. Her delight was great to find
that she was creating an impression
The earl listened to her very attentively,
and even condescended to exchange q
little playful badinage.
Il should judge said Mrs Jenkins at
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