The Portland daily press., 1895-01-26
THE AMERICAN DUCHESS.

up in (ne said SLOWLY, was uoWn at Heroh
Court, near Guilford. 1t may be bit old
fashioned in my tastes, but I've always been
rat her partial to duchesses. lie said this
with relish, as though they were some
thing sold in tinsJ And when l saw in
''Lloyds'' that the young Duke had gone
and married Miss Deborah Clancy, daughter
of the well-known rubber merchant of New
Haven, Conn.,. and when l saw that the
wedding presents weie both numerous and
costly. and the happy pair had left town
for the dukes house near Guilford amid a
shower of rice and old slippers, then said
to myself, sa i'd go in and win, my boy,
and play the game off of your own bat.
Don't have no partners" says to myself;
don't have no confederates. but jest go in
and have good old try" So dressed my
self up very lastly and l went down to Mil
cord Staten.
had Gladstone bag. with me. and in
that bag had few necessary articles that
no one can do without. don't care how
clever you are. you can't do without their
help. And had a little money with me.
too. That's another thing that you want
always to have about you Manys ths lit
tie business I've known spoilt just for the
want of a sovereign or two. t-'
was walking out one afternoon, end
was going down lane pretty close TO the
grounds of mansion. In front of me was
neat girl in blue serge, with bonnet
box in her hand. She was one of the slim
WASTED sort, and she carried herself very
upright. AS passed her I caught sight Of
the address. 1t was for the duchess.
lifts my hat like this. Look!
'Pardon me, MISS" / says. but might
you be one of the maids at Heron Court?"
'Well,'' she says, II might
"Oh!'' / says. pheasant weather we're
having, aren't WEI"
She said yes it was pleasant weather in
deed. She said this she said in a particu-
larly affable way) she was afraid we should
have wet before night.
"Been here long?' inquiries.
No, she hadn't been there long, she said.
Only three weeks.
pose?''
dukes party.
Like the placer"
She said she didn't mind it. asked her a
few questions about the people. She said
she could get on all right with the duke,
and she WAS on awful good terms with the
duchess; but she wouldn't give dollar a
gross for the servants. For one thing, she
didn't believe they kept proper lookout
at the place. While they were wasting
their time in smoking and drinking, burg
lar could get in at almost any moment.
.sOb, we'll, miss, after all II said, we're
none of us perfect, you know. We all have
our little 'obbies."
put on my best smile and made up my
mind to have dash for 1T. / asked her
whether there was any chance of having
look in and a bit of supper in:the even
ing. She looked at me very straight. Then
she said thing that Knocked me silly.
'sSay, mister.'' she says, where do come
in2 How much am / going to make out of
this little gamer"
was SO astonished that quite blushed.
did really.
WELL" says. IF you are going to put it
that way, suppose I'd better speak out
straight. I'll give you twenty quid now,
and I'll give you another twenty after it's
ovar."
make it thirty sovereigns Iow and thirty
after,' she said. land it's DONE"
/ started to argue bit, and she turned
on her heel.
Here. stiddy on, my dear" 1 says.
Don't lose your temper. Yo'ye got good
hearted face. You're not going to be hard
on poor chap. are you now2 Give me a
kiss and I'll give you twenty-five"
She fired up
you don't have no kiss, mister" she says,
land if you want me to help you. you must
hand over the coin. You kent do better,
anyway
tell you she fairly surprised me. az
sure you to look at her, you'd think she was
as quiet girl as ever wore shoes. She
kept her eyes-bright. black eyes she had
fixed on my face, and seemed almost to en-
ioy the corner she got me in.
l turned the matter quickly over in my
mind. after all. knew l needn't really
trouble about the second payment. l should
be clear away before she had chance to
see whether put it there or not.
.'AIl right, MISS" says. CONT argyle;
and don't bite felIer's 'ead half OFF.
Here's the Thirty pound. What time shall
/ come up2'
She told me that at half-past eight the
duke would be having dinner, and that she
would leave the window of the duohess's
-oo,, ora,. I might find laddar