St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-03-19

| uoG l1htly 10 llldkc OtutL HcdltHy "NliiNl
yearn to have NJ Dufre make then
dresses. Miss Mangrove interrupted
his thoughts:
care you doubling your ability p she
asked.
"Not for q moment have hesitated on
| that account"
GLOW will $4,000 snit you?
"For how long a time is your service:'
| "One year"
"Perfectcdly."
"Come to me again tomorrow. We
| shall then draw up contract, and you
can give me desi On for new dress"
NJ. Dufre bowed, and taking up his
sample case, left the room with the ease
| of one who had been accustomed to the
best society. That day and night he
worked on design for modern robe.
As he was good draughtsman and fine
colorist, he was able to present to Miss
Mangroye at the appointed time picture
| of herself engaged in opening the morn
ings correspondence and dressed in a
beautiful gown of unique pattern.
"You please me so well, she said,
that will pay you $4,000 if you will
engage with me for two years"
GAS that is more money than l could
hope to make in so short q time from
general custom l will sign with YOU" NJ.
Dufre replied gravely.
every well; here is a contract drawn
up by my lawyer. You had better read
it, for it is one of these iron-clad agree
ments that prove hard to break"
The ladies tailor examined the docu-
ment carefully, asking occasionally for
an explanation Of clause, and then put
his signature at the place left blank for
it.
At the first night Of the opera season
Miss Mangrove appeared in q box rented
from family that was in mourning.
When she slipped out of her cloak and
stood for moment in front of the box
| while the maiden aunt who acted as her
chaperon was seating herself, there was
O levelling OF lorgnettes in every part
| of the house. Her dress was pro-
nounced perfect by every woman in the
audience who was possessed of On opera
glass, and the society women obviously
admitted that the creator of that cos
tune was genius. Who had made it?
That was an inquiry that more than one
of the ladies asked of herself in q Won
dering way, and resolved to instruct her
maid to quiz Miss Mangrovo's maid at
the first opportunity.
On the second night of the opera sea-
| son Miss Mangrovc appeared i'll d differ
ent costume, but one as beautiful as the
one worn by her on her first appearance
in the sacred precincts known as the
millionairos' boxes. The third light she
was again gowned in a no less becoming
| dress, but one that she had not yet worn
in public.
The society Indies became excited.
"What will she wear tonight ?" they
asked one another, and they waited i'm
patiently till Miss Mangrovc appeared.
| Then they levelled their opera glasses to
see whether Miss Mangroye had at last
been compelled to make one Of her CO.'S
tunes do duty the second time. In this
they were disappointed, for she was
never seen twice in the same costume.
When it was rumored that NJ. Dufre, a
new man on Fifth avenue, had created
| her marvellous costumes, society smil-
| ingly said that it was good advertising
story, but one to be skeptical about
till admitted by Miss Mangrovo herself.
But at the beginning Of the second
year Of NJ. Dufre's contract with Miss
Mangrove, it was whispered that VI. Du-
FIRE was genuine count who had tempo
| rarlly abandoned his title while he re-
| paired his finances in trade. This report
was one that aroused the most intense in
| tcrcst among the 100, and an invcstign-
ton was set on foot at once. The result
Of the inquiry was the conviction that q
real noblc1nan had set up on Fifth avenue
in the tailoring business. The evidence
adduccd to bring about this conviction
was a series Of letters written from Paris
by one of the NIctriarchs. She had in
Quired at the bishmcnt where NJ. Du-
fire had learned his trade, and after care
| fully following up the clues to his iden-
tity she had assured herself that he was
the onl y living representative of one OF
the oldest titles in France. That settled
it. Society was willing to patronize him
as NJ. Dutrc, but to open its
doors to him rs Count de Nino. OF
course his contract with Miss Mangrove
cluded his filling orders for any one else;
| but he was at liberty to accept the invi-
tations that were showered upon him.
Soon he was seen everywhere, and being
affable, polished and woll-cducatcd, he
| became a general favoritc. Soon the
society reporters stated that he was en-
gagged to one of the bellies, but the an
nOuncement OF the betrOthal would not
| be made till certain business matter of
| the Counts was settled. Every body
| knew what that business matter was, and
smiled at the vcXation the item would
cause "thc Mangrove," who was known
to be studious reader of society gossip
The season was we'll under way when the
Count suddenly departed for Europe
leaving behind him a lot of hastily
penncd regrets for social functions. So
ciety felt hurt and thought it horrible OF
"the Mangrove' to send away their de-
| lightful French nohleman ust at the
height of the season. Envious of his
brilliant social success, she had ordered
him to Paris about some new dresses fol
her. Such was tho popular explanation
of his absence.
He returned the week before Easter
and was enthusiastically received by the
| 400.
The only knowledge Miss Mangrove
had Of his movements during his trip
abroad was short cablegram:
| "Have bought it for Loo, 900 francs
| DUFRE.'
He had come back to report in full
and Miss Mangrove was listening witt
excitement to his story of how much tact
it had required to obtain the real Count
| De Nino's consent to remain forever 1