The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-02-12

ways Deen QAru enough
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 n 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
Longland 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 catastrophe
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 a brilliant solution oi
the problem-so, as they sat over a
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 grotesguely,
she had no sympathy whatever.
Dear me" she replied, "I'm sorry
to hear it; / hope she's not sick"
"Sick /" repeated the Duchess, 81
wish she were, or anything half SC
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 a jerk. "Myl" 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 awful?"
''Rather awful for the curate, u
thought Claudia to herself; aloud she
said "Have 1 ever met Mr.. Gibson?'
Certainly not, dear. We do not
invite him here. He's not gentle.
man."
"Then where did Henrietta meet
him?"
"Oh, in cottages, and at the school
You see, she likes parish work, and
encouraged her-it sets such a good
example-and we've always had mar.
ried curate before; however, wheI
Mr.. Gibson came 1 never thought o.
chaperoning her, because, you see, he
isn't gentleman.
''But L suppose Henrietta thinks hC
will make her a suitable husband?"
"dy DEAR" cried the Duchess, "shC
can't possibly think so. Why, his
father keeps a saddler's shop Ht
hasn't been to the University. Oh, it,
altogether dreadful, and she's as OBJ
stinate as a mule about it. "
She broke off as the door opened t,
admit young man in a shooting suit
He was plain, Insignificant lookin.
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, VIII,
was Claudia's accepted lover, and VIII
] deposited his long limbs on the sof
beside her and tried to bestow a fes
tive caress on the hand nearest t,
/ him.
',i guess I'm pretty we'll taken b,
surprise" said Miss Putnam, drawing
her hand out of her lovers reach.
som l." said the Duke, plaeidly