The record-union., 1897-04-11
III.
THE END OF THE STORY


room ana began the difficult, compli-
| Gated and diplomatic task of getting
the royal party to adjourn. 1t was
very troublesome, for they were all ex-
ceedingly comfortable and perfectly
satisfied with their surroundings. But
neutrality-suspicious. through the indis-
erection Of turnkey or the nervous ex-
citement of Mrs. Maddenham herself
it got whispered about that there had
been a rumpus: that some gentlemen
mad been actually turned out, and that
''old Miss Belmont was giving the
congo to number of her guests; in
fact, that she was bent, for some rea-
son or other, on having the house
| cleared Royalty caught the ru-
NOR over~its last glass of champagne,
smiled incredulously, shrugged its dis
tinguished shoulders, and finally guf-
! faWed with laughter at the idea of
Miss Belmont wanting to turn every
body out because she had not been at
! once invited to sit down at her own
supper-t2ble 1t was such an extraor-
binary thing--such a mistaken idea.
What ridiculous old woman she
must be-" murmured a distinguished
! lord. lazily drinking an extra draueht
| of the ridiculous old woman's" best
wine. She can't know anything about
| manners"
| L expect she's old-fashioned," said a
cynic of some 30 years of age. There
were days, you know, when hospitality
was a stately, courteous kind of virtue
and when the hostess was everything to
the guests who accepted her welcome.
Private houses did not turn themselves
into restaurants then, and there were
not any scrimmages for food. I dare
say old Miss Belmont dates from that
| period
Royalty, however, needed not the
words Of the cynic, for it was getting
under way for departure and the snobs
and snobesses who are accustomed to
wait on it as pertinaciously as mos
quitoeS wait on fresh blood, were also
getting ready to follow their leaders.
Giggle and jest, loud guffaw and sub
| dued hypocritical litter echoed yet for
a while through the great hall of James
stately residence, mingled with the
! clatter of carriages driving up and
/ driving away. and the shouting of foot
men and policemen, and then the hall
door finally closed, and all was silent
| The Hon. Mrs. Maddenham had de-
! parted in rage with the rest of the
guests vowing to herself and one other
con.idant "a NAM that she would "nev-
er forgive Jane" And Jane herself
! came down to the deserted supper
room and mildly partook of some of teh
broken meats" left from the luxurious
menu which, printed on satin, adorned
the various little empty tables. More
! allowed herself he frtrt ba,-
I liberty of drinking a glass of the very
excellent champagne her money had
! paid for. This done, she babe the
deeply attentive and respectful turnkey
in waiting to close up all the rooms for
the night. Peacefully Jane went to bed
F., and slept the sleep OF the just. and
excitedly the turnkey gossiped with
his fellow-hunkeys in the servants hall
and stated that he thought Miss Bel
mont knew thing or two; that "she
was on her high horse this time, and
no mistake" and that "he shouldn't
wonder if that blessed old Maddenham
woman got the sack
In the latter part of this surmise he
proved correct, for when the Hon. Mrs
Aaddenham struggled down to her
breakfast the next morning about mid
day, after passing a horrible night. in
| which she dreamed that the old bar
barrie and ignorant periods had come
back, and that she and Jane were be-
ing solemnly executed on Tower Hill
for some affront to royalty" she re-
ceived a polite little note from Jane
running thus:
My Dear Mrs. Maddenham: Allow
me to thank you for the services YOU
have rendered me in introducing me TO
| society and to say that. as / propose
| selling my London residence and re-
turning to Ashleigh-in-the-D as soon
er in need OF your kind superintend-
ence Of my conduct and department
You have taught me many good les
sons, for which l am sincerely CRATE
/ full. and which I should never have
known without you, and | hope the in
closed may help to console YOU for any
trouble or difficulty you may have had
with me- / was not aware till last
night that 'swagger' society was so es-
sentially and hopeiessly vulgar: but as
you assure me that only the best set
We're invited, / have no alternative but
to regret that l ever was made aware
that such a best set existed. And
with all my heart / compassionate the
royalties who are unfortunately Obliged
to be surrounded by such ill-bred vul-
garians. After this free exhibition of
my sentiments, l trust you will see the