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

Mrs. Jenkins and her dallgh liter haf
the distinguished stranger quite t,
themselves. It suited Mrs. Jenkinl
to appearquit ignorant Of the earl.
station even of his nationality, I'm
less he should himself reveal it,,
IT would have been sc mewhattlifH
cult to decide wherein lay the mark.
LOT high birth which Mrs. jenkins
professed to find in the stranger
He looked much more like q third
rate clerk. He wore fash waist
coat, IN extensive crayat, and a
lsgorgeous watchc chain which might
have been cole, but looked more like
the SNOWY articles which remind one
of the old proverb that "all is not
gold that glitters. :
But Mrs. Jenkins was not won
an OF great discernment. She saw
nothing but what might be expected
of an earl, and lnurmured in the ear
Of Matilda that his appearance was
very distingue-by the way, she pro-
nounced the word in way OF her
own. 4
Matilda nodded assent to her
mothers remark, and began to play
off her airs and graces upon the dis
tinguished gentleman. Her delight
was great to find that she was Great
ing an impression. The earl listened
to her very attentively, and even
condescended to exchange little
playful badinage.
II should judge" said Mrs. Jen-
kins at length, "that you were not
an American. There is something
about you which makes me think
you an Englishman." =,
'sYou are right, ma 'am," said the
earl, II am from England
"May ask if you have been long
in our country"
Mrs. Jenkins hardly knew whether
to say sir or not, but finally decided
not to do so.
"Onl Y few MONTHS" was the re-
"a few months" thought she.
"Then he must certainly be travelling
incog. or, we should have heard ofhis
being here by the papers,"
When they were ready to depart
the managing lady turned to the
Englishman and said:
II should be very happy indeed to
see you at our house to tea to-mor-
row evening, if you have no other en-
gagement. I have always had u very
high idea of the English and am glad
to have an opportunity to show it"
'"Thank you ma am" the earl re-
piled with alacrity. II will certainly
call. At what time do 70 u SUPP"
cat whatever hour will prove most
convenient toyou," was the gracious
reply.
Suppose we name it 6 then.''
"Thank you, my-I mean sir. We
shall look forward with great pleas
ure to your coming -, E
"Those people are extraordinarily
polite" thought the young man aft.
er their departure, as he sat in his.
room smoking a cigar u really
think they have taken quite fancy
to me. My good looks I think it
must be, for | haven't a single recon-
mendation besides On earth. Well, if
/ find the girl has money may i'm
prove my advantage and offer my
self in n:atrimony. Money would be
very acceptable just at present."
Had Mrs. Jenkins heard this solilo-
guy she would probably have come
to the conclusion that there WAS
something wrong about her calcula-
tons, but Fortunately for our hero
this was not the case.
1t will be readily imagined that
Mrs. Jenkins exerted her culinary
skill to the utmost in preparing for
her illustrious guest. As he saw the
numerous dainties spread out before
him he felt glow OF joy pervade his
frame, and determined on the spot to
lay siege to the heart of Matilda.
The reader will easily imagine that
his advances were readily met by the
young lady, who was quite enraptur-
ed by the conquest which she had
achieved over the heart of an earl.
Nor was her mother less gratifed.
The good lady held her head highter
than ever, and speedily anticipated
the time when, as the mother-in-law
of an earl, she would take precedence
of all who had hitherto ventured to
look down upon her.
"You know, Matilda," she said,
"that when you are a countess shall
of course be- dowager countess or
countess dowager, I really, don't
know which. / wish I could find
somewhere a book of the British
peerage, then I could find out with
out any trouble, She thought of
going to the bookseller and asking
him to send for the book, but on
second thought decided that it
would be most prudent not to run
any such risk of revealing her
aspirations, even if she were obliged
to remain in ignorance a little while
longer. .<-..5sss ....f w.. :
One point, however, puzzled her a
little. Notwithstanding the very in.
innate terms of.the earl with her
family, he never ventured any allu-
sion to his rank or his English es-
tates or the amount of his income.
which Mrs. Jenkins would have hean