The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-01-19
Her FORTUNE TN HER CAP.
A Story Of Love and Adventure IN the InhOspit-
able Wilds Of Russia
BY E. Gerard.
(complete n This isslle.l

i long gallery countess frOloH tre1ted
her more like another daughter than a
hired attendant, and she wondered how
| people could talk of the life OF n governess
! being a hard one.
In this way the summer had gone by
swiftly like one long uninterrupted holi-
| dny. Quickly had Clara accustomed herself
! to her luxurious surroundings, for this
4 habit is sooner learned than unlearned,
/ and the idea that It would ever have to be
1 unlearned again did not even come to her
mind.
Such had been the state of things up to
| two DAYS ago, and then one evening, after
/ somewhat long row in the boat, little
| Olga had complained of sore throat, which
| had rapidly developed into diphtheria,
/ and, despite the best medical assistance,
taken q fatal termination within twenty
| four hours.
'sWas it possible that only the day be-
! fore yesterday they had come back to-
7 gether in the boat laughing and jesttng,
5 bearing hinge sheayes Of dripping bull
rushes plucked from the river9'' thought
/ Clara as she sat alone in her room. Only
/ the day before yesterday And now she
i WIS making the wreath to be laid on the
/ poor childis coffin.
Clara was sitting on a low footstool,
+ and her delicate fingers were busy at work
+ weaving the snowy camenas into q heavy
/ garland. She looked very sweet sit
ting there in the twilight, with
the large pure flowers heaped on
her lap, her dark blue gown hang
+ ing in heavy folds from her lthesome
figure, the silken plaits OF her golden hair
wound sghtly round her little head. She
became the flowers, and they became her,
and had she but raised her eyes to the
mirror opposite she could not have failed
/ to see what q Fair picture they made to-
gether But she never raised her eyes,
and ever and anon as she worked heavy
drop splashed down on the waxen petals.
or she was forced to pause and wipe away
( the tears obscuring her. vision.
+ The wreath was finished at last, and
Clara now sat motionless holding it on
her lap, absorbed in mournful reverie.
I No thought had as yet come to
her that this death could In any
way affect her own position; she was
as yet too bewildered and benumbed
by the suddenness of the blow, for she
had been much attached to her charge.
i Her thoughts were all of the unfortunate
\ parents thus stricken. OF what use were
now their endless riches when they had
4 tD6t tDSlL Clil1 AeAltIE@ 0RIlN O0tiAttoSSA
/ notion there may have been in her mind,
that it was to her the heart broken mother
would doubtless turn for consolation when
the first sharpness of the blow was spent.
Was she not called upon henceforth to
enact the part of daughter to the poor
lady who was even now sobbing out her
very soul within darkened chamber
Clara's reflections were presently inter-
L ,4s.J nj n Il lGXund
by the appearance of Hveried footman.
eThe fraulein would be pleased to come
down and speak to his grace the count, y
was the message delivered.
ITO the countess, you mean?" asked
Clara, correcting.
ssTo the count, y repeated the man.
Sand he awaits the frauIcin in the large
! yellow saloon'
II shah be down directly" said the
/ yonng girl in some surprise, for she ives
not used to having any transactions With
the master Of tho house, who, somewhat
4 distant and formal in his msnner, had
always treated her with exquisite but taci-
turn p9liteness.
She left the room, holding the heavy
( white wreath slung over her arm, and
went down the broad staircase, still won
dering why she had been sent FOR.
In the long gallery below, where she
had so often played at ball, soEne work
mon were busy putting up sable hangings
over tho doorway which marked the cham
Der of death A trades1uan holding q roll
Of black stuff, and a sacristan with a
bundle Of wax torches, were waiting on q
bench; servants were standing about in
awestruck groups exchanging scraps Of
CHASTITY gossip below their breath. Every
thing bore de2thlikc stamp, and snclled,
so to say, of Grape and expresses; everything
in this vast, well appointed house had got
out of its usual groove, merely because
one little girl had closed her eyes.
Clara passed down the gallery, and
opened the door of the saloon which was
at tho further end.
This room was The ballroom Of the
chateau, i.nd not used on ordinary occa-
sions. The furniture ranged along the
walls was-of whito and gilded woodwork
in tho Louis x " style, and cushioned with
amber damask; the curtains, amber dam
ask likewise, and amber daInask Let
into panels on the walls. Large pier
glasses, reaching to the ground,
alternated with fun length por-
traits representing the most distinguished
ancestors Of the FroloR fanily-grinily
aristocratic and uncompromising indi-
viduals. The floor was parquettcd with
polished oaken boards, and from the cell
ing was suspended gigantic Venetian
candelabra.
All this magnihcence was but dimly
seen in the gathering dusk, as was also
tho tall, stin figure of Count Frolof, aged
about 40, quite es aristocratic and almost
as incorporating as his painted an
cestors.
He bowed courteously as Clara entered,
but made no attempt to offer her a seat,
neither did he sit down himself. He
scarcely glanced at her rs he said:
Excuse me for asking you to come
down here in the cold room, mademoisclle;
B was afraid Of disturbing the countess, y
Che always spoke Of his wife as the
countess) ''as her room IS too near the
other drawing room. She is very seriously
unwell, indeed''---
May go in to see her?n asked the
! young girl
The count frowned ever so slightly.
'Oh, dear, no; that is not to be thought
of for a moment. In fact, it was pre-
cisely on that account that I asked to SCI
you, mademoiseIle. You will understand
! Of course, that after our-our loss, = hC
grew shade paler, ''we shall have t.
make various changes in the household
and as you have nothing further to detair
you here, you will doubtless be glad TO re