Connecticut western news., 1891-05-27
CAPTURING AN EARL


 La mel" exclaimed Mrs. Jenkins to her daughter Matilda, 'who do you think has arrived at the hotelT'
 "Any of our friends7" inquired the daughter.
 "I wish could say he was," said Mrs. Jenkins. "No, Matilda, it is no less than member of the British nobility. !" "How do you know, motherY'
 "Because happened to be in the post office few minutes since, and with my own eyes I saw a letter upon the wheel directed Earl Spencer, Jonesboro hotel. So I went right over to the hotel and found that it was so. The landlady pointed out the young man to me. Oh, Matilda, he is such an elegant young man, and all that air of high breeding and so on which you only find in the nobility"
 Really, mother, you quite excite my curiosity" ....
 .But I've got more to tell you, Ma tlda. I've managed to get an invita- tion from the landlady to come over and take tea, so that we shall be introduced to him. Only think of thatl And if only think-he should take fancy to you, and, Matilda, though I ought not to say it, you are very pretty-just the very picture of what I was at your age; as was saying, don't think it at all improbable, at least impossible, that you should attract his attention, and think what fine thing it would be if you should become a countess"
 Mrs. Jenkins paused to take breath after this long and rather loosely jointed speech to see what effect it would have upon her daughter. The latter seemed quite as much affected as she could wish. She was like her mother, not only in form, but in mind, and her mothers words had stirred her ambition.
 "La, how fine that would be!' she ex- claimed. ''I guess Ellen Hawkins would not show her airs any more. The mean creature, I wouldn't take any notice of her, except just to invite her to the we'd ding, so that she might have chance to envy my good luck"
 "Very true," said her mother approv. ingly, "but you know good deal must be done before this can be accomplished. You must endeavor to look your pret- tiest tonight, so as to produce an i'm pression upon the young man, if possi- ble. think you had better wear yonr green de laine."
 "No, mamma; that doesn't become me. I shall wear my plum colored silk, and you must lend me your gold chain. 7" "But," said Mrs. Jenkins reluctantly, "I was going to wear that myself"
 "I don't see" said her daughter, toss ing her head, "that it is of much conse- quence how you look. presume you don't expect the young lord will marry you. But it is very important how I look. If l can't go looking decent I won't go at all. Of course all the ladies in England have gold and jewels to wear, and I know he won't say word to me unless I have something of the sort"
 Perhaps you ought, Matilda" said her mother. ''I am sure it is my sole aim in life to promote your success, and if could only live to see you the wife of an earl I should die in peace"
 Notwithstanding the apparent disin- terestedness of this remark it is proba- ble that unless Mrs. Jenkins expected to share in the prosperity of her daughter she would have cared considerably less for her alliance with the nobility.
 That was busy day for Mrs. Jenkins and her daughter. It took them up to tho very moment of their departure to arrange their toilet. At length, resplend. ent with the best their wardrobes could furnish, they went over to the hotel. Ii ynov 1,o rlyaI hp {ho &Lo4 H., Jenkins, with the cunning natural tc such an admirable manager, had not whispered word of her ulterior designs to the landlady. She even cautioned her daughter not to address the noble man by his title in the hearing of any one else.
 Six o'clock found them seated at the hotel table. It so chanced that Ear Spencer was the only guest (the reader must remember that it was small coun try inn), and accordingly Mrs. Jenkin. and her daughter had the distinguished stranger quite to themselves. It suited Mrs. Jenkins to appear quite ignorant O the earfs station-even of his national ity, unless he should himself reveal it.
 It would have been somewhat difficult to decide wherein lay the marks of higl birth which Mrs. Jenkins professed t. find in the stranger. He looked mucl more like third rate clerk. He wore flash waistcoat, an extensive cravat ant a gorgeous watch chain which migh have been gold, but looked more like tn showy articles which remind one of tn old proverb that "all is not gold tha gGtters."
 But Mrs. Jenkins was not 8 woman o great discernment. She saw nothing bu what might be expected of an earl. an murmured in the ear of Matilda that hi appearance was very distingue- e-by tn way, she pronounced the word in wa of her own.
 remark, and began to play off her air and graces upon ths distinguished gen tleman. Her delight was great to fin that she was creating an impression The earl listened to her very attentively md even condescended to exchange little playful badinage.
 'I should judge" said Mrs. Jenkins g ength, ''that you were not an Amer san. There is something about 70 which makes me think you an Englisl manr'
 'You are right, ma'am," said the ear ''I am from England"
 ''May I ask if you have been long our countryF'
 Mrs. Jenkins hardly knew whether say sir or not, but finally decided not 1 do SO.
 ''Only few months" was the reply.
 "A few months," thought she. ''The he must certainly be travelling incog or we should have heard of his bein here by the papers,"
 When they were ready to depart tt