Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-12-13

Maud Buchanan, young lady of
beauty and wealth to whom Miss Wit
temore had been, for many years, a
mother. Although Maud's tiancee was
count Count Kanolky, a young
Frenchman of Polish ancestry, there
was but slight tiuttering of the
wings of society. For those who were
interested in counts had gone abroad
to seek them; and those of Miss Wit
temore's set who remained had met
counts before and had found them to
be like oil the rest of mankind, good
and bad-mostly bad.
There was a largo attendance at the
garden party, however. There always
was at any function given by Miss
Wittemore. She was an old maid it
is true, but she was the sweetest, most
lovable and youngest old maid in all
Christendorn. And besides, there was
about her the atm mosphere of that most
interesting thing, a romance in real
life. Indeed, Miss Wittemore, in her
day, hid been the belle of all Amer
lea; she had been, aud still was, very
rich woman, and she was of the very
inpermost social circle of New York.
She was an old maid. Yes, she laugh
ingly acknowledged the fact herself
But her friends considered her such
more because they thought she would
eventually become prim, old, un-
married woman, than because she was
really so very old. No one could have
criticised the pink of her complexion,
the lustre of her hair, or the brill
fancy of her eyes; and her figure, her
bearing, her manner, were royal.
Old Colonel Tom Appleton used to
age of proposal day for over ten
years. And there was probably some
foundation for the statement. The
frank old soldier was alleged to know
more about the rich girls of New York
than all the young fellows in town put
together. Having no daughter of his
own, he maintained that he had
right to be faith sr confessor to all of
them. But it was darkly limited that
the Colonel based his statement more
on his intimate knowledge of the ac-
tions of his friend and boon compan-
ion, Charley Thornton, than on any
thing else. And Charley was noted
for but one thIng-that was his life
long devotion to Laura Wittemore
But that Is part of the romance.
The story is short and not so very
uncommon. Laura Wittemore when
young girl had spent several sea-
sons abroad. During winter in Paris
she had met a young Frenchman, who,
although untitled, was of an excellent
family and Lieutenant of Engineers
in the French army. They had loved
each other at first sight and soon be-
came engaged. She had returned to
America for the season preceding their
appointed nuptials. He had resigned
his commission in the army and be-
come an engineer on the Panama
Canal. There was long period of
correspondence between them, fol-
wed by period OF silence on his
art-the conventional percurser of
n estrangement. One day she
,ceived information that he had
econe an embezzler. A year
ter the news came that he had
ecome a swindler in a South Ameri-
n State. Later, through the alleged
1dness of friends, she had learned of
continued degradation, until at last
heard of him no more in any way.
average woman would have speed
'orgotten such an experience. Not
h Laura Wittemore. The men
lieved that she was like the or
yrun of women there were many
men) and proposed, with the de-
sul hope of winning celebrated
and fortune at the same time,
t "No" for an answer. And
sm ever had the courage to