Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-04-09
A WOMAN'S ADVENTURE.

It was at Mrs. Bailey's tea drinking
that it was first whispered.
"My dear, think of it," cried that
rubicund lady to me. Positively a
Prircess'
'Oh, Mrs. Bailey, fiddlesticks!' said
II.
No! no! no such thing? she pro-
tested. Her companion let it drop
in the most accidental way and wa:
simply overcome when she realized
what she had done. And the Prin-
or Miss Barlow if you prefer it-simp
ly glared at her. And, now that you
think of it, doesn't 1t seem natural
Did you ever see more regal being
Or a more commanding presence,
And, really, Louise, what is there odd
in the notionY
Mrs. Bailey would have run on fol-
ever had the breathing capacity allow.
ed her by her stays permitted. When
she was forced to pause | had my op.
portunity.
What you mean to say, then, is that
the stately looking Miss Barlow, who
engaged board couple of weeks age
at Mrs. Cliffs with her stately elderly
companion, is In reality somewhat
'larky' Princess, taking an incognitc
vacatlon?
Yes, that's it. And think, Louise,
how much there is to bear me out
There was Mrs Gray's chance remark,
there Is the regal air, the magnificent
lob, well, but you understand
My dear Mrs. Bailey come IN to
your other guests, said |. you are
a believer in fairies, yet, see"
But when we reached the tea room,
| found that all the women in town
we're all fairly a.quiver with excite
ment
She stopped my Willie on the sea
walkp
The Hofwohlenburg nose, my dear,
the Hofwohlenburg nose.
Reserved, yet gracious. The very
manner of a Princess
| felt skeptical somehow. recall
ed the tall, 1.-the figure, the well poised
head with It's soft, lustreless black
hair, the keen gray eyes, as l had
seen them on the promenade at this
least renowned of watering places. |
recalled the shrewd looking, gray
haired sa!low companion of Mrs.
Cliffs new boarder, Miss Barlow. 1t
was, perhaps, possible chat she was
the princess of the little dependent
kingdom my hostess had guessed at,
but had my doubts.
Not SO the rest of our good peo.
pie. Within week every person OF
the feminine gender and the slight
est pretension to gentility had man
aged to call upon Miss Barlow on
some pretext or another. She was
graceful and approachable, tley said,
although they admitted that she had
the air of being amused as one is
with a new phase of existence That
was additional proof of her distin-
guished position.
We were in very fever Of excite
ment. When Miss Barlow accepted
an invitation to a dance at Mrs.
Weavers we raved over her conde-
descesion, but Mrs. Weaver mad a
cousin who married the third son of
an Englishman made peer for the
excellence of his wares. Mrs. Weav-
ers was the most brilliant success
the town had ever seen. We had it
on excellent authority the next day
that three men had enlivened the
evening for the Princess ss-we always
called her that in private-by pro-
posing. She must have enjoyed
herself immensely. The only blot
upon the page of Mrs. Weaver's hap
piness was the loss of her pearl
comb, which occurred some time du,
ring the evening.
Then we began spirited contest
in dinner, tea and dance given for
the royal stranger within our gates,
Finally dear Cd Mrs, Bailey sent out
cards for the dance.
I'm sure she is the Princes, my
dear Louise, said she to me, for in
a book she lent Adele the other day
there was scrap of paper with the
royal arms Of the Hofwohlenburg
house. And besides, | overheard
no, you needn't look like that
wasn't llstening-,I overheard hel
(Mrs. Gray call her Stephanie, and
you know she calls herself Mary, and
Stephanie is the name OF the Prin-
cess of Hofwohlenburg.
She may be an imposter,' sug-
gested |
But she doesn't pretend to be g
Princess. She preteuds not to be-.
True l acknowledged, and went
off to dress for my godmother's ball
| | was so much at home in her house
that when Put my slippers hee