Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1896-02-07

ever since she had been Duchess
even before her wedding cake had
grown stale she had been coping with
difficulties, brutal difficulties which it
required all her strength Of mind to
face; and now, when a good share OF
those difficulties were laid to rest with
her husband, the late Duke, in the
family vault at Longlands; now. when
she had Just managed to retrieve the
shattered ducal fortunes by bringing
off the engagement OF her ugly. dis
sipated son, the present Duke, to
Claudia Putnam, the richest American
heiress of the season, now for this
blow to fall upon her, it was really
too bad. The only balm to her anguish
was that it had fallen at Longlands, in
the wilds of Yorkshire, and that the
whole thing might be hushed up and
hustled into oblivion without any one
being any the wiser. She had gone to
Longlaud to recruit after her super
human expenditure of energy during
the London season; her only guest
was Claudia Putnam, her sons fiancee,
with whom she was busy planning
alterations and renovations for the
new regime.
But the moment was robbed of all
its SAVIOR by this horrible catastro phe ;
this-what else could she call it?-
this dwelling idiocy of the least plain
and most hopeful of her six ungainly
daughters. She would have kept the
hateful story entirely to herself if she
could. but her heart was too full for
silence, besides Claudia had her fair
share of Yankee shrewdness-she
might suggest brilliant solution OF
the problem-so, as they sat over q
cup of tea in her boudoir, the Duchess
opened her new trouble to her future
daughter-in-law.
'.l'm afraid, Claudia, DEAR" she be-
gan, "that we are going to have SER
ious trouble with Henrietta. Claudia
was very fond of the Duchess, so she
tried to look sympathetic, though with
Lady Henrietta, who was wrapped up
in parish work, who wore impossible
clothes and did her hair grotesquely,
she had no sympathy whatever.
Dear mel" she replied, 'I'm sorry
to hear it; l hope she's not sick"
"Sick!" repeated the Duchess, 81
wish she we're, or anything half so
sensible. The fact is, she has been
and got herself entangled in a most
unbecoming love affair"
Miss Putnam opened her blue eyes
very wide, and set down her teacup
with jerk. "My!" she exclaimed,
"and who on earth has been making
love to Henrietta?"
The Duchess lowered her voice.
"My dear" she said, impressively, sit
is Mr.. Gibson, the curate. She VOWS
she will marry him; isn't it awfulP"
''Rather awful for the curate, u
thought Claudia to herself; aloud she
said: "Have I ever met Mr.. Gibson?
Certainly not, dear. We do not
invite him here. Hos not gentle.
man."
"Then where did Henrietta NEE,
him?''
"Oh, in cottages, and at the school.
You see, she likes parish work. and
encouraged her-it sets such gooJ
example-and we've always had mar.
ried curate before; however, when
Mr.. Gibson came l never thought oi
chaperoning her, because, you see, he
isn't gentleman"
''But l suppose Henrietta thinks he
will make her a suitable husband?"
"My dear," cried the Duchess, "she
can't possibly think so. Why, his
father keeps saddler's shop! Ht
hasn't been to the University. Oh, it,.
altogether dreadful, and she's as OBJ
stinate as mule about it."
She broke off as the door opened tc
admit young man in a shooting suit
He was a plain. Insignificant looking
parsonage, with an air of extreme self
approval.
"'I've just been telling Claudia abou
this stupid affair of Henrietta's," wen
on the Duchess.
"And what does Claudia think abou
it?" asked the plain young man, wht
was Claudia's accepted lover, and wit
deposited his long limbs on the soft
beside her and tried to bestow fes
tive caress on the hand nearest t.
him.
81 guess I'm pretty we'll taken b.
surprise, said Miss Putnam, drawing
her hand out of her lovers reach.
''So'm l." said the Duke, placidly