River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-02-21
AN AMERICAN DUCHESS
And British Burglar. Portrayed
by a British Scribe.

and asked her to give him some gin
Northumberland.
Don't drown it. ne said, when she
was putting the water in--.dout
drown il. Give IL d chawnce- II cawnt
swim, You know" He leaned across
the counter and spoke more lovingly to
the magnificent young person. Il sv.
So. Where're you a-going to next
Sunday. Alder? En-? give MS ora Of
them viOlets you've got"
The magnificent lady frowned at
him with such Ioftiness that expected
him 10 die on the spot. but he Didn't
He only hummed song intended, 1
think. 20 have a topical re- erence.
The lady at the bar painted and said.
breathlessly land with no stops. what
next she wondered horrid fellow little
less nose If you please you're not in a
low music hall now lie responded II
this with some feeling that he wished
10 'eaven he was
lie drank to a toast Of ten thousand
a year for all Of us. and sat down near
me. Then he took off his soft cap and
silently busted few crumbs of the
marble table and put it on again.
mixed NJ in he said slowly was down
at Heron Court, near tiuiidfOrd- ! may
be a bit OldfashiOned in my tastes. but
I've always been rather partial to
duchesses. (IIe said this with relish,
as though thev were some thing sold IN
tins And when 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 ! saw that the
wedding-presents were both numerous
and costly. and the happy pair had left
town for the dukes house near Guild
ford amid a shower of rice and old slip
pers, then | said 10 myself. I said: 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 confedera .eS. hut jest go in and
have a good old try" ~ dressed my
self up very Hastily and | went down
70 Milford station.
| had Gladstone bag with me. and
IN that bag had a few necessary arti-
cles that no enc can do without /
don't care how clever You are, You
can't do without their help. And had
another thing that you want always to
have about You. Many's the little
business I've known Spoilt Just for the
want of sovereign or two.
was walking out one afternoon.
and I was going down lane pretty
close to the grounds of the mansion.
In front Of me was a neat girl /. blue
serge, with bonnet-bnx in her hand.
She was one of the slim-Naisted sort.
and she carried herself very upright
As passed her [ caught sight of the
address II vas for the duchess
lifts my hat like this. Look,
Pardon me, miss" | says. but
might you BE- one of the maids at
Heron Court?'
We'll" she says. Il NIGH"
oh" I saws. Pleasant weather
were having. aren't yve?"
She said yes it was very pleasant
weather indeed. She said this she
said in particularly affable wayl 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.
Come down with the dukes party, I
suppose
Yes. she said She came down with
the dukes party.
Like the place."
She said she didn't mind 1t. asked
her 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. hut she
wouldn't give dollar a gross for the
servants. For one thing. she didn't be-
lieve they kept proper lookout at the
place. Whilst they were wasting their
time in smoking ana drinking and
flirting. a burglar could get in at al
most any moment.
oh. we'll. miss. after all. SAYS.
''we're none Of Us perfect you know.
We all have our little 'obbies."
put on my best smile and made mp
my mind 10 have "A dash for it. asked
her whether there was any chance Of
having look in and a lit Of supper in
the evening. She looked at me very
straight. Then She said thing that
knocked me silly.
.'Say. mister. She SAYS where DO
come i'm How much am I going To
make out of this little game?"
I was So astoni>lsed that ! quite
blushed. did really.
Well" saws. III Won are going to
put il that way I suppose ID better
speak out straight. I'll give you TWEEN
" quid now. and I'll give you another
twenty after us over.
Make 1t thirty sovereigns now and
thirty after. Sue said. and its done.
started To argue a bit, and She
turned on her heel.
Here. stiddy on, my dear" I says.
Don't lose your temper You've got
good hearted face. You're not going
To he hard on a poor chap, az you.
now? give me kiss and III give you
twenty-five.
She fired up
You don't have NO kiss mister" She
SAYS. and If you want me To help you
You must hand over the coin. N0u kent
de- better. anyway.
tell You. She fairly surprised me.
! assure ven. To look at her. you'd
think She was as quiet girl a ever
wore shoes She kept her eyes bright.
black eyes she had fixed ON my face
and seemed almost to enjoy the corner
she'd ct me in.
ItIrued the matter quickly over in
my mind. After all. knew l needn't
really trouble about the second pay
meut. | should he clear away before
she had chance To see whether put
IL there or not.
-All right, miss I says. don't
'aggle; and don't bite a scllcr's cad
half orr. Here's the thirty pound
What time shall come up.''
She told me that AT half past eight
the duke would ~ having dinner. and
that she would leave the window of
the duchess dre>Sing-room open. I !
might ind ladder in Such place.
ana. when got in. ! should find the !
Jewels IN such place. and some loose I
notes and gold in such a place and I I
was Ia leave the thirty pounds for her
on ledge in the chimney. And ifany
Of the other servants caught me. VIII. /
- much the worse for me. and If they |
did nO:- - much the worse for them !
She shook hands pleasantly and went /
off towards the court.
I felt inclined To shake hands with
myself. too. J knew that there was a I
good twenty thousand pounds worth /