Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-06-26

young any more. She was forty-fve
years old, had her hair pasted on her
temples, like something which had been
dyed and redyed; she had a mouth full
OF very long teeth, with not one miss
ing; her waist was without shape, her
walk without grace; in short, she had
the appearance of an old maid, although
she had been married only few years
before she became widow She was an
excellent person withal, and nothing
was lacking in her cup of happiness ex-
cept one thing, namely. that she wished
TO make her appearance in the society
of Baltimore as Mrs. J. 7. Maston. Her
fortune was very considerable She was
not rich like the Goulds, Mackays or
Vanderbilts, whose fortunes run into
the millions, and who might give aims
to the Rothschilds. Neither did she
possess three hundred millions like
Mrs. Stewart, eighty millions like Mrs.
Crocker and two hundred millions like
Mrs Carper. Neither was she rich like
Mrs. Hamersley Mrs. Hetty Green, Mrs.
Maftt, Mrs Marshall, Mrs Paran Ste
vens, Mrs. Minturn and many others.
At any rate, she had a right to take a
place at that memorable feast at the
Fifth Aevnue Hotel in New York,
where there were only admitted as
guests people who had at least FIVE mill
ions. In brief, Mrs Evangelins Scorbitt
had four millions of good sound dob
lars, or twenty millions Of francs
which came to her from John P. Scorbitt,
who made his fortune both in the BUSH
Ress of selling dry-goods and salt pork.
Well, this fortune this generous widow
would have been glad to use for the
profit of j. T. Maston, TO whom she
would also bring treasure of tender
ness much more inexhaustible
Therefore, when Mrs Evangelina
scorh had heard Of the requirements
of Mr.. Maston she had gladly agreed TO
put few hundred thousand dollars in
the affair of the N. p p A. without
having the least idea of what they in
tended to do with it 1t is true she was
convinced that as long as j. T, Maston
had something to do with the affair it
could not help being grand, sublime,
superhuman, etc. Thinking of the
secretary was for her future enough.
One might think that after the auction
sale when it was declared that Barbi-
cane & Co. would be the name of the
new firm and it would be presided over
by the president of the gun club, she
would enjoy Mr.. Matson's whole conf
dence. Was she not under the name of
Co. the largest stock holder in the affair?
Sc it came about that Mrs. Evangelina
Scorbitt found herself proprietress of
the Polar region, all beyond the line
of the saith parallel. But what would
she do with it? or rather what profit
would the society get out of it? This
was the question, and if it interested
Mrs. Evangelina Scorbitt from fnaD-
cial standpoint, it interested the whole
world, more on account of the general
curiosity about the whole mystery.
This excellent woman, otherwise very
discreet, had often tried to get
some information from Mr.. Mat
son on this subject before put
ting money at the disposal Of the
purchasers. Without a doubt this was
a grand enterprise, which, as Jean Jae-
Ques said. has never had its like before
and would never have any imitation,
and which would far outshine the repu-
tation made by the gun club in sending
a projectile to the moon and trying to
get in direct communication with our
satellite. But when she persisted with
her queries Mr.. Maston invariably re-
piled; Dear madam, have patience"
And if Mrs. Evangelina Scorbitt had con-
fidence before, what an immense Joy did
she feel when the ardent secretary ac-
credited her with the triumph which the
United States Of America had won over
the combined European powers.
But shall I.not finally know the OBJ
ject9" asked she, smiling at the eminent
calculator.
You will soon know it." answered
Mr. Maston, shaking heartily the hand
Of his partner-the American lady.
This calmed for the moment the i'm
patience of Mrs. Evangelina Scorbitt A
few days afterward the Old and New
World. were shaken up quite enough
when the secret object Of the company
was announced, and for the realization
of which the n p P A. made an appeal
to the public for subscription.
The society had purchased this por-
ton of the circumpolar region 70 make
use Of the coal mines Of the North Pole
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