The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-02-07
THE POOR DUCHESS,


labor she had ungrudgingly expended on
her unattractivc progeny. Her lot had
always been hard enough ever since sh.
| had hecn Il duchess; oven before her wed.
ding cake had grown stale she had been
coping With tjttirultiCs--brutal difficulties
h'rh il required all the strength, of
mind to facc-and now. when IL COOL
share of those difficulties were laid to
rest with her husband. the late duke.
in the family vault ut Longlands; now,
when she had just managed to retrieve
the shattered ducal fortunes by bringing
off the engagement of her ugly. disSl-
pntcu son. the present duke, to Claudia
Putnam. the richest American heiress
Of the ScsSon, now for tins blow TO fail
upon her, it was really too bad. The:
! only balm to her anguish was that it
h,l fallen at l.onglanls. in the wilds of
Yorkshire. and that the whole thing
might Ec hushed up and hustled int"
oblivion without anyone being any, the
iSrl. She had gone to LOnglandS to
recruit after her superhuman cXpendi
tprc Of energy during the London season;
her only guest was Claudia Putnam. her
sons tiancce. with whom she was busy
| planning alterations and renovations for
tho new regime.
But the moment was robbed of all it's
s;,Nol Ivy this horrible catastrophe; this
w hat else could she call it this lrivel
hop, ful of her six ungainly daughters.
She would have kept the hateful story
,nti,cly IL herself if she could, but her
heart Was too full for silence. besides
Claudia had her fair share of Yankee,
>hrcW incsS-she might suggest Il brill
liant solution of the Droblenl-so, as they
sat over Il cu!, Of tea in her boudoir the
duchess opened her new trouble to her
future daughter-ili-laW.
Pm afraid, Claudia DEAR" she began,
that we are going to have serious trou-
BILE with Henrietta Claudia was very
fond of the duchess, so she tried to look
sympathetic, though with Lady Henriet-
ia. who was wrapped up in parish work,
who wore impossible clothes, and did her
whatever.
Dear me-" she replied. I'm sorry to
hear it; l hope she's not sick!'
Sick! repeated the duchess. 81
" ish she We're, or anything half so sensi-
BILE. The fact is she has been and got
herself entangled in most unbecoming
love affair."
Miss Putnam opened her blue eyes
very wide and set down her teacup with
Il jerk. My" she exclaimed, land who
on earth has been making love to Henri
ctta?'
The duchess lowered her voice. my
dear she said impressively, lit is Mr..
Gibson, the curate. She vows she will
marry him. Isn't it awful?"
Claudia to herself: aloud She said
'Have I ever met Mr. Gibson:"
'Ccrtainly not. dear: We do not invite
him here. He is not Il gentleman"
Then where did Henrietta meet him ~
oh. in cottages and at the school, You
see. she likes parish work. and / Ell
rouraged her, it sets such good cx-
curate before: however. when Mr.. Glib
son came, | never thought of chaperoning
her. because, you see. he isn't 4 gentle
man.
But, suppose. Henrietta thinks he
will make her a suitable hAsband?''
NY dear,' cried the duchess, "she
c ' possibly think So. Why, his father
to the University. Oh. it's altogether
dreadful! And she's as obstinate as a
mule about it,
She broke off as the door opened to adj
NIT young man i'll Il shooting suit. He
VAS plain. misunderstanding person
age. with an air Of extreme self-ap-
prevail.
Eve just been telling Claudia about
this STUPID affair of Henrietta's.'' went
ON tho duchess.
And what does Claudia think about
it: asked the plain young man, who
was Claudia's accepted lover and who
deposited his long limbs OH the sofa be-
side her and tried to bestow a festive
| caress on the hand nearest to him.
prise said Miss Putnam. drawing hcr
hand out of her lovers reach.
''So'm IT, said the duke. placidly.
II III dashed it | can imagine what he
sees in Henrietta. She amt pretty
t "ther way about. rather: she's got no
money: and she's years older than he is.
IN dashed if I'd marry Il woman like
Henrietta even if was a saddler's son.
I'm dashed if could even feel spoony
OH her"
Miss Putnam looked at him. She was
going to marry Il man very like He'll
rietta. and she did not feel very spoony
on him: she had accepted him for snndry
reasons. love being by no means the first
or foremost
He must be an awfully susceptible
chap. went on his grace, ito lose his
heart to Il girl like Henrietta. And he's
so obstinate. too, about it: seems as if he
really cared about her. | thought, per-
haps. it was mostly ambition-her title,
and that sort of thing. you know--and
I've offered him all my influence in the
Won't hear Of it. Funny thing. amt it:
Now, if it had been a girl like you,
Clardia--'
Duchess" cried Miss Putnam. sud
denly interrupting her lover. Il have an
inspiration. You just send Henrietta
away. She can 90 to Jericho, or any
she comes back the engagement will be
broken off. I'll manage it, you bet
1 She wouldn't answer any questions.
She said she thought she understood the
exact lie of the land. They might leave
| it all to her. So to her it was left, and
the next day Lady Henrietta was
Wales.
The following day, at Lady Henrietta's
customary hour, Miss Putnam walked
| into the village schoolroom. She wore q
dainty blue cambria frock, which fitted
her as no frock in all Henrietta's life.
time had ever fitted her. The little boys
at her, so did the schoolmistress,. and sc
did Mr.. Gibson, the curate, who was
| bearing the whole school in it's church
catechism.
Good morning" said Miss Putnam
| sweetly. Il am staying at the Towers
| have come in Lady Henrietta's place
this morning. She has gone away for a
know it."
>. She looked round the room as she said
| It, and finally fixed her eyes on the
crrate's frank, simple face. ::
| Il hope he began, hesitatingly. "that
Lady Henrietta is not i'll. This ab.
sense is so un--rnforescen."
| "Gu6ss not" said Miss Putnam. "Shc
| isn't i'll, she never was better in her
life; but the duchess thinks a, change
will do her q: world of good
"Hcr grace is very cruel murmured
the curate.
II beg your pardo1?" said Claudia
blandly.
II was about to say," resumed the
curate turning to the expectant children
that as her ladyship is unable to come
this morning, you will be deprived Of the
interesting object lesson she generally
Egives. you I'm sure you will all lie yer.
sorry ~ r. Is Isl. EEf.es w<l 2.fS:fJe T.
;"Oh, they slian't r6st their object les
son., said Cls1a1A ~ more blandly
&.zSSth - 3 ~ j~a :