Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-21
CoSTlNi I'D

.,..~s. ~ fre season the count
...- ar the pru.ipa. houses IN
.......r,r hr never remained q, any
r.....,.~ -b9r f...el or twenty MIN
r-., ana always aroused nor '''', -
-t,. h. at fed. "..A'ue '.'''--
.... r.. wa, careful in MS Se'ec'ion Vl
..,r.fa.ance~. oa'y tne sg'ec' o'io'e
'...l., they sucw him. IL was evil
.s.-.f.-s. that the count ala not
u''. '.i 'r.eanv of his power IN the
,- 0f deiy.ng SOclety-aS oI
-. l. might easily have done. lie
- ..,ire ro 5e conventional, like Ordi-
80. r,sr-alwayS with the difference
faf he WAS the richest man M toe
,,r'i But that fact actually rendered
t., couveu,.onality eccentric.
F.bruarv came. and people were say
i..- that the season was over, when all at
o,.. invitations were issued 90 dinner
,,s reception 40 Count dc Isles. Here
g-... sensation at last, Every one who
s.. invited hada different idea OF what
i.wluld be like. There were TWO hum
t-f and fifty invitations all told-a
,.f sized dinner party, but still by no
means O. larger amount oi guests than
Nf Nork'S highest circle could easily
- furnished. In fact, the number
,.I not well have been smaller; but
-..r they were choicest of the choice.
T.a most beautiful Girls, the most ariS-
f..ratic ladies, the most distinguished
Gentlemen. IL would be a brilliant Oc-
rs,.on. mo- one had "a right 20 complain,
although. of course. those who We're not
among the elect might be expected TO
iee disappointed.
There was one event about this affair
-iat excited a good deal of curious spec
nation. The count was "a bachelor, aud,
r.s number Of unmarried women We're
t0 ue 0f the party, 10 was natural that he
should ask some lady Co assist him IN re-
evng his guests. Who should this
nf7 be-? IL was assumed that she
would De some recognized leader OF
sd ety. somebody who would be recog-
n.1-i 40 once as the right person In the
right place. But when 10 became
srown Gas happened a few days before
the date of the dinner) who she really
Eas. there was a general stir Of sur
prise.
Sallie Matchin-Or Mrs. Harry Trent,
IS she should be called-was 10 stand
beside Count De Isle I'm the drawing
room. and greet the guests rs they came
Co.,. Everybody knew who the lady was;
for although she had been ju retirement
ever since her husbands death, The
tragic aud still somewhat mySterl-
Gus story connected with her last public
appearance was not forgotten. While
it could not be said that the lady was
of color, there was yet feeling that
ser career had not been, socially speak
ing, exactly fortunate. Her marriage
had been secret one, aNd the even,
thai caused ia % De revealed had been
sinister and terri ole. IL was not Der
FAULT; but society is selfish and fastldi-
Gus. aud prefers not % DE brought u
contact with people whose presence Zee
calls hidious things. This was not the
OILY reason, however. fOrcriticiSinc the
selection of Saiiie Natchin. Two others
were Immediately CONSPICUOUS.
It. first was that the house IN which
the dinner was % De given was built by
Der husband, and was the scene OF his
murder. The second was that tho date
slaal,ed- February tweuty-hVe-waS
Che anniversary of the day ON which
t Eas murdered.
J1questiouabiy the condolences were
ID. dental. as iar as the count was con
c,rlcd. Tie had bought Tine Trent house
because 10 suited him. bic bad appointed
February twenty-five because he was not
able tOcOmplcte his preparations earlier.
Blt it was mo- accident that Souc
Matchin accepted his proposition. She
must have done So with her eyes open,
aud knowing the remarks 90 which 10
would give rise. 10 was hard 90 iathou
her motive iu taking such step. 10
could hardly be vanity; she was certain
TO be criticised far more than c4v,ec.
Could 10 be that she looked forward o.
emerging not only from her social re-
trcment bur from her widowhoot as
wcu? After having gained handsome
fortune by one husband, was she %
r-ach the highest pinnacle of human
afiueuce by means OF another? II So,
She might afford 20 disregard the disap-
prevail even of New York
Time was wanting 20 discuss the mat
Ter thoroughly. The tweuty-htth of
February arrived, and the flower of
Manhattan Island drove up 20 the Trent
house with "a soul full Of surmise and