River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-08-14

have taken quite fancy 70 me. Ny
good looks | think it must be, for /
haven't a single recommendation be-
sides on earth. Well. If find the girl
has money l may improve my advant-
age and offer myself in matrimony.
Money wo uld be very acceptable justat
present"
Had Mrs Jenkins heard this soliloquY
she would probably have come to the
that there was something
wrong about her calculations, but for
tunately for our hero this was not the
case.
1t will be readily imagined that Mrs.
jenkins exerted her culinary skill to
the utmost in preparing for her illustri-
Gus guest. AS he saw the numerous
dainties spread out before him he felt
glow of JOY prevade his frame, and de-
termincd on the spot to lay siege to the
heart of Matilda
The reader will easily imagine that
his advances were readily met by the
young lady, who was quite enraptured
by the conquest which she had achieved
over the heart of an earl Nor was her
mother less gratified. The good lady
held her head higher than ever, and
speedily anti ,ipated the time when, as
the mother .n-law of an earl, she
would take precedence of all who had
hitherto ventured 70 look down upon
her.
You know, Matilda" she said. that
when you are countess l shall, of
course, be dowager countess or countess
4 7 fah II
wish i could find somewhere a book of
the British peerage, then / could find
out without any trouble" She thought
of going to the bookseller and asking
him to send for the book, but on second
thought decided that it would be most
prudent not to run any such risk of re-
vealing her aspirations, even if she
were obliged to remain in ignorance a
little while longer.
One point, however, puzzled her lit
tie. Notwithstanding the very intimate
terms of the earl with her family, he
never ventured any allusion to his rank,
or his English estates, or the amount of
his income, which Mrs. Jenkins would
have been very glad to learn.
But | suppose, Matilda" she re-
marked to her daughter, that he is de-
termined 10 remain incog. so as TO make
sure that you marry him for himself
alone. have read of such cases in sto-
ries, but | never expected to have any
thing like it in my own family. Really,
think it is quite romantic On the
whole / guess it would be best to say
nothing about it till youare fairly mar
/ ried."
Matilda acted upon her mothers pru-
dent advice. and although her curiosity
was as strong as her parents she care
1 fully guarded against betraying it to
I the earl
At last one memorable day she burst
into her mothers room with triumph
ant glow on her face.
/ '.IIas he proposed?" exclaimed Mrs.
| jenkins, in greatsagitation.
Yes, mother" was the reply of the
oveTjoyed Matilda. ''He told me that
he loved me to distraction"
II congratulate you, countess that is
to be" said her mother. BY the way,
did he say any thing about his rank?"
Not a word. mother"
Il am not at all surprised. Be sure,
then. that you don't give him hint
4 that you know any thing about it
How much we shall enjoy going to En-
| glandl'
'Wer' repeated Hatilda. Surely you
don't propose go:ns acres the Atlantic
at your time of liTer
''At my time of life!' said Mrs. Jen-
kins. sharply. Indeed ] do. dont
mean that you shall have all the enjoy
ment But did the earl fix the day for
the marriage?"
''He left it to me-"
"Then fix it as soon as possible. You
must not let him slip through your fin.
gers"
That day three weeks the important
ceremony took place in Mrs. Jenkins
cottage. Scarcely was it over than that
worthy lady, no longer able to restrain
| herself, addressed her son-in-law.
Il trust, my lord, that you will never
regret this day.
''My lordl" repeated her son-in-lar.
exhibiting unequivocal surprise.
| Certainly you can not expect TO r5-
main incog. any longer"
"But / have no claim to the title.
ma'am."
mo claim exclaimed mother and
daughter. turning pale. Are you not
an earl?"
THAT is only my Christian name"
And what is your employment
asked Mrs. Jenkins, on the point OF
/ fainting.
81 am a house-painter, madam, but
being little unwell was ordered by the
doctor to spend couple of months in
the country"
We draw vail over the scene that
ensued. The lofty fabric of pride which
Mrs. Jenkins had built up fell to the
ground, and her chance of being allied
to the British nobility seems more re-
mote than ever.-Caroline +. Preston, In
Ilnc+r.rn ElnLn