Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-09-18
FROM WALL STREET TO NEWGATE.
VIA THE PRIMROSE WAY
BY AUSTIN BIDwELL.
Copyright, 1895, by the Author.
CHAPTER IL

CHAPTER IL
After q pleasant voyage the Russia
arrived, and one May morning walked
into the Northwestern railway station
in Liverpool to take the train for Lon
don.
Going to the station, I bought my
ticket for Franfort-that old town l
was destined to see so much Of during
the next few years. On my journey l
would pass through Cologne, and from
there the railway skirts the bank of the
Rhine.
travelled through Belgium and some
parts of Germany by daylight, and was,
as most Americans are who travel on
the continent, shocked to see the en-
ployments Of women. Soon after leav-
ing Brussels I saw the, to me, novel
sight Of a number Of women shoveling
coal, handling the shovel like men. In
other places saw them laboring in the
brickyards, digging and wheeling clay,
and everywhere they were to be seen
working at mems work in the fields.
A traveller in my compartment proved
a most entertaining companion. He de-
scribed himself to me as one who went
about pottering over lot of antiquities
and foolng around genera tly.
But my friend, the potlering old an
tiquary, gave me some thing of sur
prise. At Chalons all Of our fellow
travellers in the compartment left us
Two of them were voluble Frenchwom.
en-, and they kept 1t up with amazing
energy for the six hours from Brussels
to Chalons At every unusual swaying
of the car there would be volley of
"Mon Dieusr' and ear piercing excla-
nations, and it was certainly a relief
when they left.
Bringing out box Of cigars and my
companion producing flask Of wine,
we soon became confidential. Presently,
to my great amusement, my old anti
quarry, warmed by the wine, conided to
me that he was detective police officer
and chief Of the secret service at Ant
werp; that he was then working on q
famous case and had been shadowing
one Of the ladies who had journeyed
with US from Brussels. Before leaving
Brussels he had discovered his quarry
was to quit the train, and as he had to
go on to Mayence he had turned the
business over to confederate.
Twas young, and no doubt he thought
me innocent Certainly he did not with
hold his confidence This is the case he
was investigating:
There was wealthy gentleman of
the name Of Van Tromp living in Ant
werp, q widower, 10 years Of age, the
father Of a grownup family and many
times grandfather. It had been his
custom to go to Baden Baden every sum-
mer, spending money freely both IN
pleasure and in the famous gambling
resorts there. The last time he had met
a woman, the Countess Winzerode, one
of the many adventuresses to be found
there, and speedily became infatuated.
This Van Tromp was descendant Of
old Admiral Van Tromp, who, in the
mighty life and death struggle between
Holland and Spain, and in the two wars
with England, the first when Cromwell
ruled, the second when the second
Charles was On the throne, held up the
fame and glory Of Holland. In one case
he swept the proud navies of Spain from
the seas and carried the Dutch flag
around the world. In the other he was
only vanquished after stubborn sea fights
lasting for days This Van Tromp was
the heir of the fame and the wealth of
all the Van Tromps, and both had gone
on accumulating for 800 years.
The self styled countess knew all this.
and, as the sequel shows, knew her man
She was 40, had been beautiful, was
still comely, with good figure, fair
haired, but with steel blue eyes. She
spoke many languages and had dwelt i'll
every land from Petersburg to Paris.
It is needless to tell how they first met
or of the intimacy that sprang up be.
tween them, but I will merely say in
passing that within five days Of their
first meeting he had given her magnif'
icent diamond bracelet which had been
in his family more than century. This
alarmed his two daughters, who were
terrified at the mere suspicion that their
father was in earnest and might posi-
bly, present them with stepmother,
above all a comparatively young step
mother, and, so far as physique went,
magnificent animal, with promise Of
long life, 50 long that her rights of
dover would make a cut in the Van
Tromp estates and treasures which
might well cause the old admiral to
rouse himself from his three century
sleep in Dordrecht church and once
more walk these glimpses of the moon
in protest of the sacrilege.
Then the scandal of countess adven-
turess becoming Van Tromp-head of
that family tool They knew of the pen
chant of the countess and cared nothing
for it until, with a feeling akin to
horror, they observed at the dress ball
one night the countess aissng the his
toric bracelet. 1t would require vol
ume to relate the scenes that followed
in the Van Tromp domicile Oh this
paralyzing discovery, but prayers, tears
and histrionic touches were all met by
the stolid reply of Van Tromp, II please
myself" "
AS last resort the daughters appeal