The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-10-04

pTeSenU MIN TO u luuN DcHIlHH bne name Oh
q family which had made countless dollars
IN Standard Oil. 1t gave intense delight to
the mistress Of the imperiaistic salon that
she had now the opportunity to bring to-
gether the Alabaman and the heiress to
the Wicker millions.
Born in little north Ohio town, Miss
Fanny Wicker had gone to the grammar
school in a print gown and had acquired
something more than the rudiments of an
English education, and also an accent with
a twang not wholly displeasing before
Papa Wicker, u trader and Spectator in a
quiet way, had played so deep a game in
oil that the early founders of the Standard
were forced to admit him to minor share
in their huge enterprise. Papa Wicker,
when he had gathered togetherten millions
went to New York TO live, and his highest
ideal of n fance for Fanny was some re
spectacle young New Yorker of Knicker-
booker descent and of good education-in
Short presentable clubman of old fam
lily. These young fellows who wore their
clothes so jauntily, who took life so agree
ably and had travelled so widely impressed
the mind of the oil magnate.
Fanny was sent to n Paris convent, where
in the acquisition of the nasal sounds OF
the elegant tongue of the French, her Ohio
pronunciation greatly aided her. In five
years Miss Fanny Wicker was turned out
into the great field of the world very ac-
complished young lady. The convent had
left upon her fair brow no mark of austeri
ty. She spent two years in travel going
as far us India, and she had fiirted with
more than a dozen lords and continental
counts, attracted by the fame of her IA
theirs millions, before returning to New
York.
A t,;, 70 I,1 -t, al q e..
this petted young woman as about the last
thing of interest left on the globe, for South
America did not attract her. Mexico
will" she said, "sum it all up, and then
shall stay still for few years at least till
am married, and Europe comes in just
right for wedding trip" So she had
come to Mexico chaperoned by a respectable
lady of reduced income and indulgent
views regarding the privileges of rich young
women. A letter to Nine. Rul from the
Austrian minister at Washington had
opened the doors of the imperialstic man
sion, where chaperon and the heiress were
now staying as guests.
1t did not occur to Nine. Rul, woman of
quick fancy though she was, that thele was
even distant prospect of a matrimonial
alliance between the bachelor ALBANIAN
of mature years and this radiant and happy
young woman, who, bent on enjoying life,
had come to the Mexican capital in quest
of a new impression of travel But it had
occurred to Nine. Rul that she could her
self extract some amusement and no unfair
enjoyment in the clash of ideas sure to re
suit from the conversation of the very arts
tocratic Weldon and the descendant of the
house of Wicker.
Miss Wicker was not bit pretentious
Indeed she knew and avowed that she was
among the newest of the newly rich, but
being true American she felt that she
was not u whit the worse for her millions,
and having seen so many Roman princes
and English earls and barons, not to speak
of European counts anxious to prop up the
foundations of their lettering houses with
her papa's money bags, she had come to
think that gold was quite "a good founda-
| ton for new world aristocracy as long de-
scent. Titles she could have by a nod,
money was not so easy to get, even if you
were early introduced into the Standard.
So it came to pass, when the tall and
| handsome American minister was pre-
sented to Miss Wicker, that the young
woman, who knew nothing of his aristo
cratic ideas, very soon got upon perilous
ground. They were talking Of society
matters, of the ladies of the cabinet, and of
the diplomatic corps in Washington, and
of the president and his family, when Miss
Wicker praised certain lady of the cabi-
net who, having been in very moderate
circumstances, had kept no servant till her
husband had suddenly come forward in
politics and been elected governor of his
state. "You would never know" said
Miss Wicker, that Mrs. X had not been
all her life mistress of II great establish
ment She is as to the manner born"
Pardon me for differing from you, " said
the minister. II have met Mrs. X, and to
me it seemed that there was lacking in her
manner that entire ease which comes only,
think, from having been born lady"
And is being born poor, having managed
ones own household and worked with ones
own hand because of inability to employ
servants, to debar woman from being con-
sidered lady, provided she has a Guilt
waited mind, u good intellect and grace of
manners"
1t was a long sentence for Miss Wicker,
but her charming and fresh young face,
lighted up by a pair of gay and saucy blue
eyes, showed animation, although most
certainly her enthusiasm was opposed to
the conventional society repose.
The courtly Alabaman bowed deferen-
TALLY and said: mo, poverty does not make
or unmalle a lady. George Washngton's
mother was poor and lived in a cabin, but
she was a lady, because she came of good
family. 1t is descent-the instincts and
pride of a race that has performed honora-
BILE services for the state or mankind-in
short, continuity of family traditions, that
make lady or a gentleman"
A CLEAN of malice shot into the bright
blue eyes of Miss Wicker, who said, look
ing into the gray eyes of the American min
lister: Now, Mr.. Diplomat, what do you
say of me who have no traditions-only ed
ucation and money, taste for the eegan-
cies of life and a liking for good society.
Can ever hope to be LADY,"
Dear Old Aabama He rose to the occa-
sion: II am sure you are a lady because
you have so frankly asked that question.
1t shows blood, and when you put educa-
ton before money in enumerating your pos
sessions was sure of it. You are true
, daughter of America, and will wager that
you had an ancestor or two in the Revolu-
, ton"
Eyes, am decidedly eligible to mem
bership in the Daughters of the Revolu
| ton" said Miss Wicker, who had begun to
, like the courteous southerner.