Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-07-25

whether they should call. in their turn,
ON the dowager countess-a discussion
which was thus concluded by the young
lady;
''On general principles 1t should I've
papa who returned the call But ne
would not know how 10 appear In way
that would do us justice. Now, If 1t
were |. having the habit of the world,
should know how TO manage perfectly.
So IL Is best that mamma and should 20
10 call on the Countess. BY doing so we
will make her understand that we are
very willing to know her, but not will.
ing TO accept the attentions of her son
against her wishes.
The plan was cleveriy conceived. and a
week later was carried out.
On the same day the dowager Countess
de Prevaret was chatting with her son In
q large salon filled with fine old furni-
ture. He, who was the most touchingly
devoted OF sons, had been asking his
mother how she had passed the after
noon She had been too tired to receive,
she said; but there had been several
callers Among others these"-and she
took up a card.
'Mme. Tarvenue" and mademoiseIle.
do you know these peopleY asked tile
countess. II was surprised to get their
card"
II know them and | don't. He used
to be a linen draper, think. He Is out
OF business now. They sit near you in
church-the father Is little man with
spectacles; the mother very stout and
rubicund; the daughter a superb crea-
ture. blonde, who dresses very well.
You must have seen themY"
"Oh, yes, ! remember now. / believe
they bow to me. They are good souls,
should think-they go to church very
regularly"
Good souls, perhaps" laughed her
son, 'but frightfully ordinary. The
mother is impossible. As for the
daughter, we call her the empress. /
assure you the name suits her. She is a
tremendous poseuse."
'But why should they come to see
me, asked the countess.
Perhaps to solicit subscriptions for
some charity. The mother and daughter
belong to different church organizations,
l think"
Perhaps. don't care to know them,
but want to be polite. might leave
my card some day at their house. That
would not commit me to anything.
"Of course not. Especially with the
Tarvenues"
The lady little dreamed what q COM
motion the square of pasteboard her foot
man deposited at the Tarvenue doors
ono afternoon would cause in that house
hold. When Solange, who was at the
window, recognized the Prevaret livery,
she forgot all her assumption of indiffer-
ence and rushed down to the kitchen TO
tell the servant that the ladies would re-
ceive. Then she threw a hasty glance
into the drawing room to assure herself
that all things were in order there, and,
still running. returned 10 her room and
began to make an appropriate toilet.
What was not her disappointment when
she heard the carriage drive away again.
'Idiot!' she cried to the servant over
the bannister. why didn't you say we
were at home as told your
But, mademoiselle, the footman
didn't ask. He gave me the card. and
said, Madame Is ut home Then he
said, We'll, give her that then"
Very well. said Solange with ascer-
bity. But you might at least have re-
Trained from saying that we were at
home. since you hadn't been asked"
Nevertheless the sight of the countess
card somewhat appeased her. That
grande dame of the countess age, too,
nhOhhh iltN0 hAhGh LTOuDlG uIlNG
out In the cold in order to leave q card at
their house proved conclusiyely that she
wished TO sanction her sons course. Thus
did Nine. Tarvenue think likewise, and
the two ladies resolved that the least they
could do would be to call once more upon
the countess without delay.
This had been arranged, when NJ,
Tarvenue, who spent an hour at his club
every day, came in with very clouded
brow.
Something very serious has hap
pened," said the retired linen draper.
Then-"We have no secrets from you,
my daughter, and you know already that
my friend Ramillat has spoken to me of
his desire OF making q match between
you and his son. expected AN official
proposal from him three weeks ago. |
did not receive it, and since then he has
seemed to avoid me. | did not like to
call upon him because that would have
been undignified under the circumstan-
ces. Finally ! met him today on the
street and. although he pretended not to
see me. ! accosted him. Whats the
reason one never sees you any more.
Ramillatl 1t seems to me, SIR he an
swered stiffly, that it Is scarcely my
place to call upon you again after the
step took three weeks ago and which
you failed TO recognize in any way
And now IL turns out that he came here,
left his card, as was not a. home. and
thought of course. as we had Sad a con-
versation on the subject the previous day,
that would understand the visit as
formal demand ON his and his sons part
for Solange's hand. Here we are ut log
gerheads. and all because you did not
give mo hia card
But he never came--he never left
cardf' cried Mime. Tarvenue.
.'In amy case, there's good match of. !"
do not deplore it. beg" remarked
soiange with her most superb mien. II
should not have accepted N. Eusebe Ra-
miliat IN any event. | hope before long
to present TO you a son-in-law of quite
another stamp"
In less than eight days Nine. Tarve-
nue and her daughter repaired anew to
the dowager countess. Solangc was en-
chantingly handsome In a suit of dark
blue with astrakhan trimmings, and n
toque of the same ON her golden hair.
Mime. Tarvenue. in plush and Jets. had
an Indifferent and contemptu-
Gus air which she thought In the best
possible form.
When the countess saw the two ladies'
enter her drawing room she suppressed
O movement OF surprise, but she received
her guests with that gracious amiability
which 80 successfully keeps people at .
distance.
81 was sorry" she said in her slow,
musical voice. mot TO have been ut
home when you came some little time
ago TO see me"