The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-10-01
THE COUNTESS.

TINS society STORY uFsC appeared IN De1HOr-
est's and is said to have come from real hfe.l |
Henry Saunders was seated alone at a,
somewhat late breakfast In the dining
room of his very comfortable residence on
Prairie avenue. in the city of Chicago. He.
had become accustomed to these solitary
repasts of late, for his wife and daughter
had left nine weeks before for trip to-
Europe and had not yet returned.
1t was nearly 8 o'clock, and yet this
worthy merchant, though, generally speak
ing, punotually at his desk at half past, had
shown no signs Of moving. "Old man
Saunders" as his neighbors called him,
Just sat still with his untasted coffee grow.
ing cold before him and kept on think
ing.
A telegram on the table confirmed let
ter which he had received from his wife
the day previously from NewYork. To one
paragraph OF this letter doubtless this I'M
usual upsetting Of his accustomed daily
routine might be ascribed
II write to tell you that have persuaded
my charming friend, the Countess Hon
fleur, TO visit us for few days on her way
to San Francisco, where she has large real
estate Investments. She Is certainly most
refined and accomplished woman and was
so kind to us on board the steamer. will
telegraph you when VIC shall arrive. The
countess IS travelling incognito, as SO many
of the nobility of Europe do nowadays !
think it was Emily's French which at.
trscted the countess, notwithstanding
those rude people in Paris pretended not
to understand it,"
AS a result Of this communication he
put on his best clothes and was on hand to
receive the party just as the train steamed
into the depot.
Henry, let me present you," said his
wife as the party stepped on the platform.
Old man Saunders turned and saw Z
tall, handsome woman, trihe under
thirty perhaps, and looking a little tired
and faded after her night in the sleeper.
A prufusion Of light ringlets iluttered in
, elegant disorder about her face. Her
dark brown eyes, with incipient crow
feet underneath them, limited that their
owner had lost quite deal Of what the
doctors call beauty sleep in her lifetime
\ The next instant he found himself holding
in his own broad palm tiny gloved hand
which he had reached for and secured
Mr.. Saunders, honest but vulgar man, did
not know that It was a shocking solecism
7 to shake hands on first introduction
| For the next two weeks uninterrupted
gayety reigned in the establishment OF
Prairie avenue. Mrs. Saunders mover
!, rested until every friend and Acquaintance,
She possessed had been introduced to my
, friend, the countess" Old man Saunders
however, while he tolerated refused to q,
into raptures over the newcomer
How longs this visit Of hers goin t.
last, Mariarf' he kept asking ilnpatiently
"lt jest makes me sick to see Her putin OF
SIGH airs in the house and criticism every
: body and everything"
Mrs. Saunders was too much shocked Il
: reply.
".fhere will be grand event Tuesda,
week, DEAR she said to her aristocrati
guest that afternoon. at will be one G
[ the greatest affairs Of the sesson-a littl
mixed perhaps, but then all charity ball
in America are"
: ut ees 20 in my contree, madame
lisped the countess, with her delightful
foreign accent II suppose eet ees pare
fectly properre to wear zee diamonds. B
zee way, | don't link You ave zeen m
diamonds"
She took from her jewel case magnif
cent necklace and tiara, with long, drooI
NJ ing sprays for the corsage to match, an
\ adjusted them about her superb neck an
grandly shaped bust.
"Zey aire vat you call-zee-zee heil
loom. ley once belong to zee Marquise d
J Honfleur. Aire zey not yer preetyt"
do you know" said Mrs. Saunders r
feetiyely, II should hardly like to 20 int
a public ballroom with those diamonds
They might be cut from your neck
dress or stolen in some way. You can
L tell what might happen"
A friend Of hers was on the committee,
arrangements. She made him promi.
that at least two men in dress suits fro
u celebrated detective agency should |
present.
= But one detective came to the char;
-. ball, however. He was n rather young ma
:, who had been drafted west frem Ne
III York, but he knew his business.
re There was quite n flutter on the flo
when it became known that the Counte
de Honfeur had arrived She was an e
Cellent dancer and her card was filled IA
-, idly. The young man from New Yui
't strolled into the ballroom frcm the ves
II bule. A magnificent woman, leaning up,
Ill the arm of u member Of he committee
1 arrangements, swept by him in cloud
~ soft laces and with suggestion of subt
IS, odors, her jewels sparkling and scintills
ing upon the wilderness Of her neck al
shoulders. A joyous light WIS in her eyt
- her little feet, daintily shod in white sati
9 kept rhythmic pace to the music.
4 peculiar amile passed over the detet
es ives mouth as he watched the eountt
and her partner sweep down the length
= the room.
Id Pm glad you sent for me" he said pr,
In emily to the committeeman. "Notwit
standing your vigilance / see some que
. characters have crept in here. It's best
an be cautious" $685..
What do you means" asked the co
mitteenan in astonishment aud So
alarm. Excllsiveness was his hobby.
mt the Union League club they called Il
w. the McAllistcr of the west"
~. We'll, there's a great deal of jewe
7 about" replied the detective careless
in THAT diamond spray of your friends,
,Ol countess, for instance. 1t would be CO
-, paratiyely easy task for an expert to
u" away with it. I'll speak to her."
"Youl"
why, certainly. Just introduce !
=. It's all right. l wasn't always a detect
!, 1 you know y
who is that distiugue Young n
waltzing with the countess" asked ID
MS, Saunders. They seem to be well
all quainted. A New Yorker. you q
Really, must see that he is introduced
Emily"
Zone turn more, and now come heE
said the distiEgue gentleman from
Re. York, in quiet but authoritative tC
and he led the Countess de Honheur to
ottoman, where, sheltered by a bank
dollhouse plants, they could not be o.
heard.
9 She was deathly pale. For heav,
sake. don't expose me here in this
pssssai' she IAlsad@1