Evening star., 1898-08-06
THE DESBOROUGH CONNECTIONS.
PART l.
WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY BRET HARTE.
Copyright, 1895 by Harte)

'"Then it isn't question of property or
next of kin?' said the consul.
Lord! no. said the lady, vivaciously.
why goodness mel / reckon old Des-
borough could at any time before he died
have bought up ard bought out the whole
lot of his relatives on this side of the big
pond-no mater what they were worth.
No-it's only a matter of curiosity and just
ociabfcress."
. The American consul at st. Kentigorn felt
much relieved. He had feared it was Only
the old story of delusive quests for i'm
aginary estates and impossible inheritances
which he had confronted so often in nerv-
Gus. wan-eyed enthusiasts and obstreper-
claimants from his own land. Certain
ly there was no suggestion Of this in the
richly dressed and bediamonded matron
before him, nor in her pretty daughter,
charming in a Paris frock, alive with the
copsciousr ess of beauty and admiration
aud yet a little ennuye from gratifed in
dulgence. He knew the mother to be the
wealthy widow of New York millionaire;
that she was travelling for pleasure in
Europe. and a chance meeting with her at
dinner few nights before had led to this
half-capricious, half-confidentiai appoint
meBt at the consulate
No" continued Mrs. Desborough, Mr..
Des borough came TO America when d small
boy with uncle who died some years
ago. Mr.. Desboroush never Seemed TO
banker much after his English relatives rs
long as | knew him, but now that l and
Sadie are over here, why. we guessed we
might lock en- up and sort of sample 'em.
Desborough's rather a good name, added
the lady. with a complacency that, how
ever, had a suggestion. of query in it.
Yes" said the consul, from the French
] fancy
MIR. Desborough was English-very Eng
HSh.' corrected the lady.
Il mean it may be old Norman name"
said the consul
"Norman's good enough for me-" said the
daughter. rejecting. We'll just settle it
as Norman 1 never thought about that.
Des.''
"Only you may find it called Deb
borough mere, and spelt so," said the con-
sui. smiling.
Miss Desborough lifted her pretty shoul-
lers and made charming grimace. Then
we won't acknowledge EN- No Debborougn
for mer'
You might put an advertisement in the
papers, like the next of kin notice. init
mating, in the regular way. that they would
hear of something to their advantage
as they certainly would continued the
consul with a bow. 1T would be such a
refreshing change to the kind of thing I'm
accustomed to. don't you knowi-this idea
of one of my cOuntrywomen coming over
just to benefit English relatives, By jove.
l wouldn't mind undertaking the whole
thing for you-its such a novelty He
was quite carried away with the idea.
But the two ladies were far from partici-
pating in this joyous outlook. No said
Mrs. Desborough. promptly. THAT would
not do. You see" she went on with superb
frankness. that would be just giving our
selves away. and saying who we were be
fore we found out what they were like
Mr.. DesboroUgh was all right in his way
but we don't know anything about his
folks, We amt here on a mission to i'm
prove the Desboroughs, nor 10 gather in
any lost tribes. -
1t was evident that ia spite of the hurnor
os the situation and the levity of the ladies
there a characteristic national practi-
cSlness abOlt them, and the CONSUL with
sigh, at last gave the address of one
two responsible experts in genealogical ir-
Quiry. as he had often done before. He felt
it was impossible to offer any advice to
ladies as thoroughly capable of managing
their own affairs as his fair countrywomen,
yet he was not withC ut some curiosity to
know the result of their practical senti-
mental quest, That he should ever hear of
them again he doubted. He knew that
after the first loneliness had worn off in
their gregarious gathering at London
hotel they We're not likely to consort with
their own country people who. indeed, were
apt to fight shy of es ch other, or even in
dElge in invidious criticism of one another
when admitted to that society in which
they were all equally strangers. So Re took
leave of than on their way back to London
with the belief that their acquaintance
terminated with that brief incident But
he was mistaken.
In the year following he was spending
his autumn vacation at a country house
II was historic house, and had ALWAYS
struck him as being-even in that county
of historic seats-a singular example of
the vicissitudes of English rnanorial estates
and the mutations Of its lords His host
in his prime had been recalled from foreign
service to Unexpectedly succeed to an
Cncle's title and estate That estate how
ever, mad come into the possession of the
Uncle only thrO1ob
daughter OF an older family. whose por-
traits still looked down from the walls
Upon the youngest and alien branch. There
Were Hkenesses, effigies. memorials and
"reminiscences of still older families who
had occupied it through forfeiture by war
or the favoritism of kings, and In its state
ly clois;ers and ruined chapel was still
ieIt the dead hand of it's evicted religious
founders which could not be shaken off
IL was TINS strange individuality that af-
1eeted all who saw 1t. For, however
changed were those within it's walls who
ever were its inheritors or fnhabitors
scrooby Priory never changed or altered
us own character. However ineonSrtIous
or ul-asssorted the portraits that looked
from It's walls, so i'll met that they might
nave flown at each others throats in the
long nights when the family were away
Inc great house itself was independent of
lEeIn all The beTigged, belaced and he
furbelOwed of one days gathering the
round-headed, steel-frorted and prim-ker-
chieied congregation of another day and
'N++ eAAS blS1Ch-COdIcI. Dare-armSd and
Care-shouldered assemblage of TODAY had
no ehect on the austerities of the priorv
Modern houses might show the tastes anG
prepoSsessicns of their dwelers uipbt
nave caught some passing trick of the hour
or nave recorded the augmented fortunes
or righteousness of the owner but Scrooby
Priory neyeri No one had dared even n
oisturo It's outer rigid integrity: the
breaches of time and siege were left nm
touched II held its calm Indifferent sway
o"er all who passed its low-arched portals
and the consul was lain to believe that he
foreign Visitor-was 10 more alien to the
Rouse than its present owner.
m expecting a very charming compa-
riot Q yours tomorrow" said Lord Beyer-
Gale as they drove from the station to-
her" - ~ y"
should think any countrywoYnan If
mine would be quite satisfied with the
prtory, said the consul. glancing Thought
fully toward the pile dimly seen through
the park. e
I shouldn't Ike her 70 be bored here -
continued Beverdale. "Algy met her at
Rome, where she was occupying "A paIace
with her mother-theyre very rich Won
know. He found she was STAYING uSith
Lady Mineyer at Hedham Towers. ana 7
went over and invited her with uttIe nar
trF