The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-03-12
CAPTURING AN EARL.

CAPTURING AN EARL.
s'La me!' exclaimed Mrs. Jenkins
to her daughter Matilda, "who do
you think has arrived at the hotel?"
''Any of our friends?" inquired the
daughter.
Il wish I could say he was," said
Mrs. Jenkins. "No, Matilda, tits no
less than a member of the British
nobility"
GLOW do you know. mother?''
Because ] happened to be in the
postoffice a few minutes since, and
with my own eyes saw a letter up
OIL the wheel directed Earl Spencer,
Jonesboro no tel. So l went right
over to the hotel and found that it
was SO. The landlady pointed out
the young man to me. Oh, Matilda,
he is such an elegant young man,
andall that air of high breeding and
so on, which you only find in the no.
bility."
Really, mother, you quite excite
my curiosity"
"But I've got more to tell you,
Matilda. I've managed to get an
invitation from the landlady to come
over and take tea, so that we shall
be introduced to him. Only think of
that! And if-only think-he should
take a fancy to you, and, Matilda,
though 1 ought not to say it, you
: are very pretty-just the very pict-
ure of what / was at your age; as
was saying, I don't think it at all
improbable, at least impossible, that
you should attract his attention,
and think what fine thing it would
be if you should become countess .
Mrs. Jenkins paused to take breath
after this long and rather loosely
jointed speech to see what effect it
would have upon her daughter. The
latter seemed quite as much affected
as she could wish. She was like her
mother, not only in form, but in
mind, and her mothers words had
stirred her ambition.
LA, how fine that would bev' she
exclaimed. 81 guess Ellen Hawkins
would not show her airs any more.
The mean creature, l wouldn't take
any notice OF her, except just to in
wife her to the wedding so that she
might have chance to envy my
good luck"
Very true" said her mother, ap-
provingly; "but you knowa good
deal must lie done before this can be
accomplished. You must endeavor
to look your pref siest to night, so as
tosproduce an impression upon the
young man, if possible. I think you
had better wear your green de laine."
"No, mamma, that doesn't become
me. I shall wear my plum-colored
silk, and you must lend me your
gold chain"
"But," said Mrs. Jenkins reluctant
~, 81 was going to wear that my
:s% 81 don't see,'' said her daughter,
tossing her head, "that it is of much
consequence how you look. l pre-
sumo you don't expect the young
lord will marry you. But it is very
important how look. If I can't 90
looking decent Lwon't go at all. Of
course, all the ladies in England have
gold and jewels to wear, and I know
he won't say a. word to me unless
have something of the kind"
perhaps you ought, Matilda"
said her mother. II am sure it is
my sole aim in life to promote your
success, and if could only live to
see you the wife of the earl I should
die in peace"
Notwithstanding the apparent dis
interestedness of this remark, it is
probable that unless Mrs. Jenkins
expected to share in the prosperity
other daughter she would have cared
considerably less for her alliance with
the nobility.
That was busy day for Mrs. Jen-
kins and her daughter. It.took them
up to the very moment of departure
to arrange their toilet. AT. length,
respondent with the best their ward
robes could furnish, they went over
to the hotel. 1t may be remarked, !.
by the way, that Mrs Jenkins with
the cunning natural to such an adj
mirable manager, had not whisper
ed a word of her Interior designs to
the landlady She even cautioned
her daughter not to address the
nobleman by his title in the hearing
of any one else.
Six o. clock found them seated at
the hotel table. It SO CHANGED that.
Earl Spencer the only guest the
reader must remember that it was a
small country inn J, and accordingly