The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-07-22
Select STORY.
ELSBETH'S HOLIDAY.
DOrOthea Gerard, in Longman's Magazine

Doro,hea Gerard, in Longman's Magazine.
aNo escape this time /" said old Baron
DOrnenburg, glaring somewhat savagely at
an open letter in his hand. 1t was letter
from an old schoolfellow, now the repre-
sentative of Government in a distant prov
ipce of Austria, and in it the Baron was
warmly appealed to on behalf of that
schooLfellOw's sou.
At first sight there was nothing very
appalling about this fact, and yet this was
the moment which the widowed father of
three daughters had been dreading for
years.
The men who make successful chap
erOns are extremely few and far between.
A male duenna is either over-scrupulous
or overnight in the fulflment of his du-
ties. The Baron belonged to the former
order, to the extent of making life bur-
den ito himself perpetually, and not infre-
suently 10 others also Young girls were
treated by him as dangerous explosive,
within a mile of which no match should
be struck, for fear of catastrophe, and so
faithful was he to this theory that his
friends frequently felt it their duty to rea-
son with him.
"But, DOrnenburg, how do you expect
ever 10 get rid of your daughters if you
keep them shut up behind gratings? ?"
BLESS the man, he's surely not going TO
have three old maids help him into his
gravel Such and such-like remarks flew
past his ear, but left him unmoved. A
male chaperon is in so far easier to satisfy
than female one, that the latter has no
peace until her charge has made a brilliant
marriage, whereas the former is content if
she has not made disgracefal one.
When on the September morning Baron
DOrnenburg had done glaring at his old
comrades letter, he reached the same con-
clusiOn he had begun with-"No escape
this tme!r After which he promptly
sent for Miss Wilkins.
Miss Wilkins was his youngest daugh-
ter's governess-for the Baron still had a
daughter in the schoolroom-an she was
likewise the English instructress of the
elder Baronesses. 1t had cost hard
fight before she had been secured, and
peace with her. Being past sixty, and
bald and equity, the Baron had foolishly
supposed that he would be unmolested by
the far sex. He very soon recognized
his mistake Various had been the frau
lelns and mademoiselles who had passed in
procession through the house of DOrnen-
burg, each one of whom would have been
ready 10 overlook both the bald head and
the crippled joints for the sake of sharing
with him the cSoEn of seven points. Miss
Wilkins was not only 6be Oldest and plain
est governess he had been able to unearth
for love or money, bat had something dis
tinctly puritanical about her person, reas-
suring to any one with SO shaky an opin-
Ion of female human nature as had this
particular Baron.
Miss wilkins" said Baron Dornea-
burg, addressing the gaunt, middled-aged
English-woman MS she entered, 81 have had
some very unpleasant news. My old
friend, Count Kestler, writes TO me here,
saying that his son Conrad has just re-
turned from his American tour, and is
very anxious for some shooting. His own
deer-forests have not yet recovered from
the disease which infected them two years
ago, consequently he appeals to me. Il see
no escape but to ask Conrad Kestler here
for ten days 1t is to consult with You as
to the precautions to be taken that | have
requested your presence here. In the
HrsI place.
81 presume the young man is unmar-
ried ?" asked Miss Wilkins abruptly, and
aspark of some quite newly born interest
seemed to illumine her usually chilly gray
eyes.
"Of course Conrad is unmarried, con-
nrmed the Baron in some astonishment.
And the Kestlers' name has good
sound, and the fortune is considerable
Miss Wilkins was warming to her subject
as she spoke. "Oh, Baron Dornenburg, |
DO believe that letter from your old friend
As nothing but an interposition of Provi-
dence Why, don't you see as clearly
as possible that this means husband for
one of your daughters?"
Hold, there r. said the Baron gruffly,
flushing dark red from yexation. eff ever
believed that any woman could keep her
hngers out Of the matchmaking pie, |
took you TO be that woman, Miss Wilkins,
but | do believe you're made of the same
stuff as the others. Husband, indeed
Marriage Count Kestler of Fohrenstein
would long ago have fallen a prey to some