The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-15


Countess.
The following experience OF West
Virginia mountain girl, ignorant and
pretty, tho victim OF count" is n
little out Of the line OF the usual expert
cnccs OF American girls who capture
foreign titles, though it is no less sad
than some OF them. 1t differs from all
other cases OF recent occurrence in the
fact that this girl did not purchase the
title. It came rs free offering and no
fortune was asked in exchange. Tho
marriage was not great social event,
but it ended just as disastrously as fit
had been. The story was brought out
by an incident at a Cincinnati police
station and the Enquirtr relates it in
the girls own peculiar language. Tho
account is as follows:
Bang! Tho station house door opened
with crash, and cold draught Of air
pcrmcatel tho place.
Come right along; there's fire you
can warm by here" said the cheory
voice OF rosy-iacod Sergeant Sam Cor
bin. Then The door closed again. and
the officer with small woman carrying
an infant appeared before tho august
lieutenant and the station-house desk.
"Well?' queried thelieutcnant, grasp.
ing pencil and opening tho registry
slate, for police dignity bcgcts scnten-
tiousness.
~ found this woman and child asleep
in an entry way on Elm street She
claims sho has walked all the way from
Cleveland; had her breakfast in Glen
dale this morning, and arrived in town
tonight"
Tho lieutenant gave tho usual grunt
OF police official incredulity, and quietly
remarked: "What charger Vagrancy
or sale keeping?"
The sergeant looked at the woman.
He was an old officer and close reader
OF human nature.
snake it safc-kceping, said he quick
ly. well send her to the house Of de-
tcnticn in the She can have break
fast in the morning, and perhaps the
mayor vii: issue her Il pass rs far as
lluuIlDekOu,r W. II. 'Snc says NcT
father has promised 10 meet her there
and take her back 20 her homo in the
mountains. From what she has told
me sho is 4 regular little tramp"
The small woman, who up to this
time had maintained n discreet silence,
now awoke from an apparent half reye.
RE, while her blue eyes flashed angrily,
and she threw off the shawl that COW
cred her head, revealing glorious mass
OF tangled ringlets that fell over her
neck in strands OF shining gold. She
was winsomc little creature, with
small and regular nose and mouth, with
lips as ripe!as cherries. She lad tiny,
shell-like ears, and her complexion was
undoubtedly fair, but now lr.lvel-stained
with dust and SCOT, sadly needing the
application OF toilet soap.
"Sec, here, mister" she exclaimed,
stamping her foot. 81 amt no tramp,
and don't want none OF your nonsense"
Neither OF the officers features
changed to smiles or frowns. Such out
breaks of feminine wrath are common
in station-houses where high temper is
not always an indication OF virtue and
innocence.
Your name, madam ?" demanded the
Lieutenant firmly, rs he stood ready TO
register the last conner among the previ-
Gus society outcasts.
"My name?" answered the young
matron, drawing herself up proudly in
her ragged calico. "My name is Mary
Ann, Countess OF Naples, in ltalee."
Tho Lieutenant dropped tho slate
pencil in mock SURPRISE while the grim
smile OF humor spread over Sergeant
Corbin's honest face.
"Yes," continued the small lady of
the Italian nobility. lyon fcllers may
not believe me, but, all the same, am
the wife OF 4 count, and don't you for
get it, either"
Several newspaper reporters for the
morning press were seated in all ada
cent table writing the last nows item,
and Watching each other for fear OF a
scoop. These stopped working for the
nonce, and slowlyrose from their chairs.
III interview this specimen OF the
Italian nobility" remarked one OF
them, and hero is the narrative OF Mary
Ann Countess OF Naples:
Yes; you see | was born up the Big
Sandy river. Pm the darter OF old Jim
Smith by his third wife, and hail from
near Dilk's Landing. Dads nigh onto
ninety now, but hale and hearty yet
You eau bet on that. Pm the youngesi
OF twenty-three, and dads pet. Most oil
thcm's scattered and married up in the
mountains, and we 1.-Two pretty wide
apart. Who raised me? Well l Just
raised myself; growcd up with the
Z.
school? No; nearest school was nigh
onto fifteen miles away; but learned
to read from my grandma. She was
raised in Wheeling and learned to read
there. Do l know how to writo? No
there's no need OF KNOWN how to write
up Big Sandy. I'm mighty good n
reading, though. First read the Bible
and CaXter's Saints Rest. Did voy
ever read them? Good books both
But after while used 10 stlikc few
old novels and then tho newspapers
My!whcn | got 4 newspaper was il
glory. 1 always looked up society
news and the fashions. ] only owned
q single dress then, and not many
skirts; but what's tho difference
You mover SEQ any ono up il
the mountains except on Sunday. But
then did love to know about the bi,
world outside, especially the fashions
I read all about the rich people up il
York State and how all tho girls wert
! just dying to marry foreign Princes ant
Dukes and Counts. Yes, used to g,
out on the grass among the wild flower
and take the paper along, and l would
kind OF dream like. Did YOU eve
dream? Then used to look up at tn,
sky and see the birds living aiar oil, AM