Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-10
copyright, 1894. by Bachelor. Johnson & Bach
eller.l


Pretty girls with good fortunes and
susceptible Compartments need careful
guardianship in smart hotels where
society is mixed and credentials are not
always forthcoming. Harpics of both
sexes abound; and more than one good
bag has been made for the benefit of
the fowler and the ruin of the victim
always under cover Of fine manners
and high-sounding names. This being
SO, it was a little doubtful if Mrs.
Brand was the right kind of guardian
for Ida Maynard. A ladylike woman
who had less self-respcct than com
plaisance. and whose capacity for be-
lief was as large as her power of dis
crinina ton was small, had a burden Of
responsibility rather heavier than she
could bear in the charge of pretty
young person of romantic tendencies
and handsome income And more
than one OF Ida's old family friends la
mented the chain Of circumstances
which had driven her into Mrs. Brand s
nerveless hands as the sole guardian
ship she had. So far, however. no
harm had come to the young heiress
with a chapcron who never thwartcd
her, but also who never knew when the
ice was thin or when there were
rocks ahead
The hotel was crowded, and the com.
pany was OF the gayest. Butterflies
sporting with one another among the
flowers best expressed their general
condition, and, beeausc the place was
so overlooking and the saiJe-a-mqagCr
had not space for universal scgrcga-
ton, the small tables usually given up
to two or three were perforce tcnanted
by five or six. Whence resulted init
macies which were sometimes danger
Gus even when most delightful.
The hotel was crowded, and there
was not space fer segregation in the
aHe.d-mGnGer. Owing then to this con-
gestion the mditre dhotei. with bows
and apologies, begged to be allowed to
place three charming people at the
table Of the young heiress and her
chaperon. They were all that he had
OF most CONNIE Hfdat on his list; and he
was sure that in asking this acconmo-
dation he was doing nothing that
would be displeasing to madame or
madelnoiselle.
That evening, then, at dinner three
strangers were at Ida's table, and the
mental stocktaking began.
Impriniis, tall handsome English
man about thirty-two or three, with
fine features, good carriage. good
manners if somewhat overbcaring. and
the unmistakable look OF one who had
seen service of some sort. Secondly. n
soft-voiced young Italian, with the
c2rcssing eyes and soft seductive war4
of his country; accompanied by, third
~, his mother. typical southcrncr,
graceful, indolent, astute and fasci,
mating. The Englishman was Gerald
Frobisher; the Italian was II Barone
di Siena; his mother was Ia Principles
81 Iii Certosaria. They were all notice
able because of manner, dress, and
general appointments: and soon this
eeei4l taaic btca,ae the cvno@src q
the room. uS rUIn3r maeniiicd the ios,-
t3ac 81 The yorur hcirces and the
social standing Of her companions.
IN the sweetest ointments turks at
times Tat intrusive fly. Through the
most harmonious combination of cir
cumstances strikes the jarrinc note Of
unplca AMT friction. And this little
coterjc, formed by chance. was no ex-
cepticn to the rule. The jarring note
came iron the I.nglishaan. From the
first he seemed to have translated his
condition rs a compatriot into the priv
ilegcs of a friend and the duties of u
guardian. lie drew an invisible line
OF possession round Ida and Mrs brand,
and before they well knew that he had
east his shoe over them he was the mas
ter Of the situation. lie made no overt
demonstration Of authority, such as the
world could see and comment on. lie
simply gave them to understand that
they must not do such AID such things,
and that il would Dc better for them-
indeed it was imperatiye-th that they
should follow his advice.
As his strong'wiil cocrced Mrs. Brands
weaker nlind he had things on the
whole pretty much his own way. which
WAS not always Ida's. Yet somehow,
willing or unwilling, she had to 60 n
Gerald Frohisher ordained, and bit by
bit she felt her liberty slipping from
her without ever coming to the mo
nent when she could make T. stand and
say: II will not"
On the other hand, the young baron
and his mother, the princess. were the
very heart and soul of complaisance.
They seemed to live simply for Idas
pleasure. They had not a wish which
was not la signorina 's-not a thought
extra to her service. Whatever they
might propose had but one obicct-the
pleasure or convenience Of Ia signorina.
for whom, had they the power. the
very clements would be rnlcd to render
service and tribute. Always suave and
nmiablc, they made decided contrast
with Gerald Frobishcr, w,,o was gen
orally the very reverse Of alniahle, with
certain arhitYariuosS Of manner a
certain sunacitiitY &C accent. tim WAS
less seassnring than threatening--
less enticing than compelling. The
Bear" the princess used TO call him in
her pretty ltaliaa way-her very dis
taste more caressing than Gcrald's
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