The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-08-08

young womanhood, m1sch1evous and
full of pranks, as all healthful girls
should be, yet withal manifesting much
of her mother sweetness of temper and
amiability of disposition.
"As you all know, after my gradua-
ton I went abroad and did not return
for six years, and thus it was 1 lost
track of the Stauntons. A year or two
after my return, however, together with
q party of friends, I visited Asheville,
and what was my surprise to find myself
in the same hotel with Mrs. StauntOn and
daughter. | lost no time in making my
self known to my friend of former years
and met with most cordial reception.
The gay and romping Virgie OF my old
time remembrance had developed into
remarkably handsome woman of digni-
fed manners, but still retaining much
Of the diablerie of her younger days.
There was merry twinkle in her bril-
liant dark eyes which ever challenged a
smile and response, and the ripping
peals Of laughter bubbling up from her
glad and joyous heart spread conta-
gion of mirth throughout the corridors
of the hotel.
miss Staunton Of Philadelphia was
the furore in Asheville during the sum-
mer of 49,. Beautiful, accomplished
beaux and admirers, notably one, a sol
disant French nobleman, the Vicomte
de Grenet. Every sensible person is
aware of the madness prevailing among
American girls for titled foreigners,
particularly among heiresses, for the
less fortunate maids dare not aspire SO
high.
"Mere beauty is a secondary consider.
alton with these Adventures. For an
empty title these angelic creatures will
barter their bodies and cast their pearls
before swine. After an international
wedding of great pomp and ceremony
they sail off to Europe to fetch up prob
ably in the padded cells Of madhouse
or else in few years are glad enough
to return to good old soapmaking,
pork packing papa and mamma. The
morning / had the honor to be presented
to Vicomte Grenet my better judgment
sized him up as some impecunious bar
Der or chef de cuisine ON the hunt for a
fortune. With number of tremendous
trunks-which at later stage of the
game the hotel people found to be en-
tirely empty, to their great dismay-the
vicomte had ensconced himself in an
elegant suit of rooms and was lording
| it high over the admiring Americans.
The fastest horses in Buncombe county
were always at the command of ''his
grace" and wild dashes over the noun
tain and dale were the daily sport of
Virginia Staunton and Vicomte de
Grenet. Virgie was one of those frolic-
some, daring girls, always in for any
thing and what you might term in the
vernacular of the jeunesse doree dead
game sport.
''There was no mawkish sentimental
| ity about her nor the die away languor of
| charming incapacity assumed by wom-
en- of fashion. She was vigorous young
woman, full of life and bubbling over
with mirth and jollity. Her companion
ship was delightful, and half the time
you forgot that the handsome creature
by your side was a woman, so intelli-
gently and sensibly could she converse
about things of masculine interest
Horses, dogs, hunting, fishing, every
manner of sport was as fond and IA
miliar a subject with her as the latest
style Of Paris gown. The same cordial,
hearty manner to all alike, no one could
tell upon whom Miss Staunton looked
with most favor. Although she rode and
danced with him and scarcely appeared
without the vicomte tagging along at
| her heels, it was evident that she did
not regard the Frenchman in a senti.
mental light. In fact, it was well
known that she had kicked him twice
and always met his most importunate
overtures with chilling courtesy.
''He was the typical foreigner you see
at Bar Harbor, Narragansett and New
port, where titled nincompoops do
most congregate. He was shrewd and
keen as brier, with a machiavelian
expression of countenance which SEEM
ed to be particularly charming to the
women. I overheard one Of them say
| once in discussion of which the vi
comte was the subject: oh, he is just
too fascinating for anything! He is so
| deliciously wickedP That he really
possessed this charming attribute no
one can gainsay. Virginia regarded the
| foreigner more as a pastime than as
beau or friend, always styling him her
dear froggie. At times she was most
freezingly distant when his presump-
tion carried him too far, but with her
mother it was very different. She was
thoroughly captivated by the vicomte
and his very aristocratic bearing. Per-
ceiving that he had made a most palpa-
BILE hit with the mother, he Immediate
ly proceeded to pet the COW in order
to catch the calf. 1t was even talked
about the hotel verandas that the i'm
pudent Frenchman had really address,
ed Mrs. Staunton.
| Zone day while out on one of their
mad rides over the mountain Virgie
was thrown from her horse and severe
~ hurt. A messenger was dispatched
to the hotel for help, and the uncon-
scious girl was brought home on a lit
ter. The accident was never satisfac-
torily explained, and I have always be-
neved the designing scoundrsl had pre-