The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-04-18
A YANKEE DUCHESS.
And "a British BurElar-FaithfuIiy
Portrayed by n British scribe.

Wy lli'lu, ule DuTSltT. NiCHl / asked
him to drink, called the buxom young
lady behind the bar Flossie dorling.
and asked her TO give him some gin
hot-unSweetened.
Don't drown it," he said. when she
was putting the water i%n-''don't
drown it. Give it a chawnce. 1t
cawn't swim, you know" He leaned
across the counter and spoke more
lovingly to the magnificent young per-
son. Il sy. | sy. Whcrc're you IL
going to next Sunday. Alder? Eli?
Give us one Of them voiletS you've
got"
The magnificent lady frowned at him
with such lOftinCSS that | expected
him 10 die on tho spot. But he didn't.
He only hummed Il song intended, |
think, to have ii topical reference.
The lady at the bar painted and said
breathlcSSly (and with no stops what
next she wondered hOrrid fellow little
less noise if you please you're not in
a low music hall now. He responded
To this with some feeling that he wish
ed 10 'eaven he was.
He drank TO a toast Of ten thousand
n year for all of us. and sat down
neal me. Then he took off his soft
cap and silently busted Il few crumbs
off the marble table and put it on
again.
The ~beSt-looking business was ever
mixed up in Che said slowly was down
ut Heron Court. near GuildfOrd. | may
be a bit Old-fashiOned in my tastes,
but I've always been rather partial
tn fhp 1J,nhnSsnS IJn SaiI this with
a relish. rs though they were some
thing sold in tinS) And when I saw
in Lloyd's that the young duke had
gone and married Miss Deborah Clan
cy, daughter of the we'll known rubber
merchant of New Haven. Conn, and
when I saw that the wedding presents
were both numerous and costly. and
the happy pair had left town for the
dukes house near GuildfOrd amid Il
shower of rice and old slippers. then
| said 10 myself. | said: go in and
win. my boy. and play the game off
of your own bat. Don't have no part
nerS," I says to myself; don't have no
confederateS. but jest go in and have
q good old try" So | dressed myself
mp very lastly and l went down TO
Milford Station.
| had n Gladstone bag with me. and
in that bag | had a few necessary ar
ticleS that no one can do without.
/ don't care how clever you are. YOU
can't do without their help. And |
had n little money with me. too. That
is another thing that you want always
TO have about you. Many'S the little
business I've known spoilt Just for
the want Of a sovereign or two.
| was walking out one afternoon. and
! was going down a lane pretty close
TO the grounds of the mansion. In
front of me was a neat girl in blue
serge. with a bonnet-bOX in her hand.
She was one of the Slim-waisted sort.
and she carried herself very upright.
As I passed her | caught sight Of the
address. 1t was for the duchess. |
lifts my hat like this. Look!
Pardon me. miss" | say but
Heron Court
"WelI" she says. 81 might"
"Oh." | says. pheasant weather
were having. aren't weT'
She said yes it was very pleasant
weather indeed. She said 'this she
said in Il particularly alfahle way)
she was afraid we would have wet
before night.
"Been here long?" no Tres.
No, she hadn't been there long. she
said. Only three weeks
"Come down with the luke's party,
l SUPPOSE"
Yes. she said, She hld come down
with the dukes party.
Like the place."
She said she didn't mind ii. I 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 Il dollar Il gross for the
servants. For one thing. she didn't
believe they kept a proper lookout at
the place. Whilst they were wasting
their time in smoking and drinking
and flirting. a burglar could get in
almost any moment.
''Oh. well. 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 TO lave a dash for IT,.
l asked her whether there was any
chance Of having n look in and n bit
OF supper in the evening. She looked
at me very straight. Then she said
q thing that knocked me silly.
"Say. mister" she says. where do I
come in? How much am | going TO
make ont Of this little game
I was so astonished that | quite
blushed. ! did really.
Well" l says. ''if you are going to
put ii in that way. ! suppose I'd better
speak out straight. I'll give YOU TWEEN
~ quid now. and I'll give you another
twenty after It's over"
MAKE il thirty sovereigns now and
thirty after" she said. land it's done"
| started to argue a bit and she
turned On her heel.
"Here. stiddy on. my denr." I saws.