The record-union., 1895-03-26
ROYAL BAKING POWDER.

america for the purpose of writing
pook, and airing his opinion OF the
great and glorious American nation; so
that explains his presence at this hotel
where the beautiful Bernadine swept and
busted and made beds
win such an Interesting stranger
within their gates is it any small wonder
that each and every one of the women,
VINO were so fortunate rs to be favored
with his acquaintance, should strive TO
please him, and that the younger and un-
married women should even dare TO as
pre- some day to become Countess of
high degree.
Among those who aspired to win the
tltie OF Countess was Miss Jemima Ev-
erhope. Miss Everhope had hoped on
ano on Tor 1orty years or more, but, alas!
always unsuccessfully. When the Count
came her hopes seemed about to be real
lzed when that obnoxious and imperti-
nehtly pretty (tor isnpt it always imper-
tlnent for menial to dare to be anything
above the ordinary?) chambermaId came
upon the scene. But the fact remained
that with the advent Of Bernadine Jemi-
mas hopes and aspirations faded away
mlstlly one by one.
MISS EVerhope resolved upon a plan
OF action. One night when the boarders
were sleeping peacefully they were
starlleu Dy series or feminine Shrieks
which rent the ar. They were found to
proceed from Miss Everhope's room, and
upon rushing IN that artful damsel was
1ound attlred IN very fetching lavender
tea-goWn sobbing violently into a lace
Dordered pocket handll erchief Between
soDS she explained that she had sat up
late writing letters when all at once she
remembered that she had left her pearl
necklace in the top bureau drawer. and
upon rushing over and opening the
drawer 1t was found to be missing. She
had hunted ayprVU hare q
inoaned between sobs-but it could not
be found.
II know that that horrid, lynx-eyed
mink has it. [ know she has" walled
Miss Everhope, dabbng her weeping
eyes and taking fruitive glance at her
self in the glass. 1t would certainly be
too awful should her bangs be out OF
curl, or her nose swollen from crying.
The upshot of the matter was that Ber-
nadine, who was discovered to be the
'lynX-eyed mink" in question, was
obliged TO submit to the iudignity of
having her trunk searched. This ordeal
she went through with, standing by in
naughty silence, with Il scOrntul air upon
her patrician brow, but, alas! there was
| the necklace tucked down in faraway
corner of her trunk under a pile Of un-
derclothing.
OF course Bernadine was at once taken
off to jail, but the jailer, though accus-
| tOiIlSu W tuo SISI4L u beauty III distress,
was SO impressed with Bernadine that
he put her in his own sitting-room at the
| Jail instead Of in a cold, damp cell. In
| the meantime the story, which had tray-
| eled like wild ire through the house. as
such stories always do, eventually
reached the ears OF the Count. Imagine
! his feelings. His breast was torn with
conflicting emotions. He paced the floor
OF his room in despair. What should he
do? He loved Bernadine. He did not
! believe her thief. Should he then tiy
to the Jail where his enamorata was en-
| trapped. pay her bail and lily with her TO
| the utterlnOSt ends OF the earth, or should
he let her stand trial? He was strongly
/ IN favor of his first and widest plan but
the thought of what his old and aristo-
cratic family would say kept MIN back:
! besides, Ill this DrUsaic nineteenth cent
! ury, young men who have comfortable
! incomes are not particularly anxious to
/ give them up even for a beautiful face,
| when the owner of that face may prove
/ to be all adventurer. just at this moment
knock came at the door. and, in re-
! sponse to his request to enter, there came
/ III Mary, another maid from the floor
| above. She had been crying, and be-
! tween her sobs, she told the astouished
and delighted Count that Bernadine was
not the thief at all; that she Mary had
| seen Miss Everhope steal upstairs that
dimes trunk.
! The delighted and relieved lover. now
! that the object OF his affections was
cleared from all suspicion, called the pro-
| prIetOr, and accompanied by that gentle
| man and Mary, confronted Miss Ever
hope with the story. Miss Everhope was
at nrst indignant, but finally confessed
all, and Immediately went off into yio-
lent Mysteries, while the proprietor gave
her one hour TO pack her trunks and leave
the house forever. Then a carriage was
called, and into it got the Count and the
proprietor. They proceeded at cnCe to
the jail where they rescued the unhappy
and innocent BernaQinc, VINO was look
ing, under her troubles. ii anything, more
naughty and majestic than ever-it such
thing were possible.
After a lew minutes private cOnVersa-
ton the Count announced that Beruadine
had consented to become the Countess
and III the excess OF his JOY would have
embraced the astOnished taller and the
proprietor as well, but, remembering
himself, embraced Bernadine instead.
| Then they all got into the carriage again
and We're driven to a minister's, where
they were speedily made one. and then
they all drove back To the hotel.
The next morning Bernadine, with a
most charming blush, put some papers into
her husbands hands and then lied. The
Count opened them. What was he about
to discover? That it was Bernadiue's Sc
cret he teltlntuitively. He trent bled with
apprehension, but nerying himself by
supreme effort he opened them only TO
see that Bernadine-his Beruadine-was
a real live Countess herself; that she had
| been disinnerited by cruel and relent-
less uncle because other advanced ideas.
! That she had come to America in a fit of
pique ana took the first opportunity for
work offered her, which happened to be
her present, or since she is now married.
her past position.
When Bernadine appeared few min
utes later the Count received her with
Outstretched arms. When the story
got around the hotel every one said 81
told you So" and the ladies' wanted to be
very nice to her. but while Bernadine
did not haroOr any i'll feelings towards
them, still she could not help but remem-
| Der how disagreeaule they had been to
| her when she WAS only Bernadine, the
| cham bermald, and a few months later
she and the Count left for Europe, where
they are now living very happily.