The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-04
COUNT
OF THE
PALISADES
By AUGUSTA PRESCOTT.

hills back Of the Palisades. and Grams
tons. it's near ncighbor. absorbs all
the fashionable and historic interest OF
the country Whereabouts.
Yet we, a party of weary mountain
tourists, found the Inn very grateful
resting place and tarried there frOrn
week to week. We loved to lie ut night
ir our hammocks and watch the boats
twinkle on the river. which lay. a shin
ing thread mile below us. And 1T
delighted us to count the poinpous hills
that stretched away from us on three
sizes Not a ncighbOr was within mile
OF us on any side. and We nd not wonder
that sometimes the mountain birds set
tied upon the turrets OF the Inn 10 see
what new creature had come TO dwell
amaog them.
The housekeeper OF the Inn that sum
mer was Miss Iiassen. She was the
most old-fashioned sweetest type OF
Southern woman / ever bcheid And not
second 10 her In sweetness was pretty
Lucy Bugden. Miss Hassen's orphan niece.
And besides. there was Harold Harcourt.
a tall college senior, who had been
ward OF Lucy's father.
Miss Hassen told us all about her
'.children" before we had been at the
Inn overnight, and she hoped, with many
sighs and much embarrassment, that
we would pardon all her shortcomings
In management. She had never man
aged an inn In all her life before; but
brother Lucien. the brskgoing North
ern brother TO whom she applied FOR
temporary aid i'm these days of depre-
ciated values. had put her I'm charge
OF his new mountain hotel 1T will be
q good place for you and Lucy, and
you can bring Harold up for his vacation
II you want TO-" brother bucien had
written.
Harold and Lucy are Ike brother and
sister" she would always add In telling
this story. land when Harold gets 10
be a great doctor he is studying 10
be he Will make home for us all. lie
says i shall be his mother and Lucy
his dear sister"
But we, more experienced In the ways
of the world noticed took more ardent
than that Of mere brother when Har-
old gazed upon pretty Lucy; and once
when dear Miss Hassen was telling us
for the thousandth time of the fine house
Harold would build some day for his
mother and sister Harold kissed her
playfully and said:
Never mind, aunty. about that now.
I'll have you and Lucy with me, but I'm
not going TO tell you any more than
that"
IL Lucy had been so minded she could
have been the belle OF the Hudson that
SuHlintI, ioi Hitt'H'Ho N'o VI ~
sweet delicate type that attracted all
corners The cadets from West Point,
riding over to set their targets upon the
rocks or rowing down to place their fish
ing nets in new spots, would climb the
steep hill to the Inn for one of Miss
Hassen's celebrated Maryland suppers,
but really for a chat with Lucy.
But Lucy, either unmndful of their
admiration or wholly unconscious of it,
would like as not lnger out on the noun
tain side picking berries for next morn
ing's breakfast or loiter along the noun
tain path that led to the railway sta
ton a mile and a half below, until the
purple shades had enveloped the noun
tain, and the lads disappointed and be-
lated, had dipped their oars In the sill
very water TO pun back 10 West Point.
once when party of Southern cadet
lads had gone away chacrined Miss Has
sen gently demonstrated with her niece
but Lucy tossed her pretty curls, laughter
her soft Southern laugh and snubDed
the boys the same way next time. To
Harcld she was gentle, playful and even
affectonate in her ssterly devotion, walk
ing with him for miles along the noun
tain pathways picking rare wild flowers
and rowing with him far up the river.
or singing TO him by the hour the old
plantation songs which so well became
her voice. But always from these after
moons Harold returned gloomy and Sill
ent, and once Lucy openly wondered
why brother Harold" should be 80
cross every time they went out for
holiday. --.
one afternoon there was excitement
at the Inn. A grand carriage with two
liveried footmen drove mp to the winding
road and ont of the carriage descended
a very showily dressed young lady,
while behind her stepped out tall, ele-
CANT bold young man. foreigner IN
appearance who assisted the girls moth
er TO alight
We all knew their relationships at
once. for the young woman said Let
us go into the parlor. Mamma, until
they have prepared something for us
TO eat" adding under breath. too low
for Miss Hassen TO hear IF they have
anything NJ to eat here"
And the mother replied: Certainly.
my dear But how shall we ever make
suitable apologies 10 you. Count. for
this awkard situation. Johannes assur-
ed me that he knew these mountain
roads perfectly well. And here he brings
us up at this miserable little mountain
inn with the darkness fast settling upon
US. We are only a mile from Cranstons.
but / am afraid to venture over the
roads In the darkness / fear we shah
have TO remain over night"
Al supper Lucy waited upon the new
guests Miss Hassen. fiurried and anN-
ious over their fashionable pretentious-
ness had asked her niece TO take the
responsibility of serving them. And Lucy
hiushing 10 the roots of her hair stood
in white apron and neat cambria gown
behind madam's chair. while that lady
and her disdainful daughter. and the
wonderful foreign count. partook very
literally OF the SnOw-white bread and
golden yellow butter.
Thank heaven the bread and butter
are good" murmufcd madam. helping
herself 10 the sixth slice with that and
q cup Of tea We can exist until morn
ing"
Il guess we'll have TO. anyway" was
the daughters ungracious response: and
Lucy, who had heard both. blushed from
pink to crimson and wished thousand
times she had refused Aunt Hasscn's
appeal TO wait upon the strangers.
once during the supper saw the Count
made him turn his eyes away. But he
found time TO glance at her again. and
Lucy, conscious OF his gaze. grew so
awkard that once madam openly re-
proved her for careiessness.
Next morning Lucy did not wait upon
the travellers, bat l saw the Count
smile and bow TO her as he entered the
breakfast-roon. and again. behind mad
ANS back, wnen he stepped into the
carriage. And then. though she did not
know II, l saw he watching the pranc-
ebfpfpe htffo of