The Irish standard., 1895-07-27
CHAPTER XXI
A NOBLE COUNT.

motherI" ;,sI.
CHAPTER XXI a
A NOBLE COUNT. sss
''News, news, news! What will you
give me to tell you the most wonderful
piece of news you ever lleard?" Mr.
IWoodgrove asked at breakfast one
morning.
Now, though the young people had a
house Of their own across the way, they
took their meals in the Woodgrove
mansion, and consequently were pres
ent at this exciting moment.
GOOD or bad?' Mrs. Woodgrove
asked.
"Good, royal, grand"
"Of whom?" demanded Elsie.
"Of a friend of yours, my dear"
"Oh, do tell; / ain burning to know it.
Then hold your tongue, love-" Mrs,
Woodgrove said, laughing "for Mar
Gus could not keep secret for five con-
secutive minutes"
.'WeI," remarked the old man, II
may as well paralyze you at once-Mrs.
Clarence Grindlay is going to be mar
RED"
ooh, Marcus, at her time Of lfep
eyes, and what's the worst Of it
mean the best of it's that she is go.
ing to wed German baron"
:Not Count Won Thun?" Elsie asked.
'.Oh, I did not like him" y,
"Did you not. darling? Well, it's all
settled, so it's no use crying over spilled
milk. Now, here's where we come In.
Marion is going to give a ball on
Wednesday evening to exhibit her lord
~ captive, and we are hidden guests
now, who will go?"
ssNot To Mrs. Woodgrove said, de-
cisively, ...but I should like Frank to
take Elsie, and you, Marcus, must ac-
company them out of respect to Mar
ion."
| Perhaps in no city of the world can
such unbounded, reckless extravaganza
be witnessed as in New York, the CAPT.
tai of the land Of republican simplicity.
Ostentation and rank seem more natur-
4 ally associated, but, bless your life,
when John Smith, who never had a
recognized grandfather, has made his
pile" he knows how to lord it with the
best of them.
The Grindlay mansion on the night of
the ball outrivaled Aladdin's palace.
The flowers for decoration cost five
thousand dollars: gorgeous servants
twenty years ago one saw no liveries in
the Empire ty-brilliant in plush and
tinsel, fitted like plurned birds amid a
tropical blaze Of gold and purple.
In the center Of the spacious hall q
fountain was erected-a lovely marble
basin, from whose depths naiads blew
forth jets of eau-de-cologne or rosewa-
ter, while from the dropping, bell
shaped flowers of group of astras
hung dainty petals tipped with tiny
electric lights. Rooms. hing with rich
draperies, floors covered with carpets
from the looms Of Turkey, soft and IT.
responsive to the tread OF the foot;
ceilings hand-painted and glowing in
rich color; fantastic tables and chairs
of quaint device; costly inlaid cabinets;
rich vases; priceless china--it was like
a vision Of fairylsnd, only, after all, as
sensible Marcus Woodgrove observed,
| it was the fairyland Of the stage-one
could not help expecting to See Harle-
quin plunge through an old family
picture" ~ or Columbine pirouetting
on the polished floor.
! No man in his senses would dare q
description Of The fair owner Of these
! delights. She was radiant as dream,
for Worth had out w orthed himself Tor
the occasion; yet, as one gazed at the
diamonds, sparkling like dew drops over
skirt and bodice, one couldn't help
wondering how much she would fetch
at auction if sold just as she stood.
Baron Won Thun must be- proud
man this night to survey these count
less signs OF untold wealth and say: I'm
! seven days all this shall be mine. !"
Elsie, in her white robe and simple
wreath Of flowers, looked like q snow
drop which had tumbled into 9 gor-
geous bed Of tulips. She had one little
shadow Of disappo intment. Frank, her
darling Frank, was not fawless, he, all
unFifted with the natural perception
of the beautiful, which his wife In
stinctively enjoyed, saw nothing neon
rruous, no lack of harmony in all the
barbaric pohp around him, nay, even
treveledsin its very gorgeousness.
Mr. w oodgrove was, as he put It,
.smad. clean through .ss$ III &.
.'She might have founded a hospital
/ with what to-night's fummery will
cost her. he said Indignantly, land MI
IN honor OF foreigner" 5s3j
Two gushing girls passed ct that mo-
ment, and Elsie was anus to hear
them murrnnr: ~;
ooh, the dear, dear baron.
.sIsn't he . love?"' 5al
$50 distinguished lookingp
.sssuch an air. 81
s.But his accent, they say, is not very
good. 4 .i 1s.i8
.Pshaw, dear, you could expect a
1 baron to talkslike q college professor.
4 Such 9 man sets the fashion Of pro-
nunciation. = . s. sE.s & 7
s'To be, sure he does Oh, isn't Mrs.
i Grindlay lucky 70 have captured. him. e
WHY, hundred handsome girls with
i oceans 81 money would have jumped st
q him. = 5# .,.g
But seel The baron approaches our
little group with his promised bride
q upon his arm. B s..53ss:s
i Elsie was overwhelmed with c0n-
Ifusien; but the older lady was too happy
Ito be ungraclons. .3 y
leare z che gushed, 81 am
II charmed rs see yon. Uncle, it issgood
j 81 YOU "a have come. Let me present
the Rnest 81 tho evening l15ston Alhert
n yon Thnn at a. 81 =
lg RI Il mn "a u. III 6x1uiit M bowed