The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-08
The English of the Countess

non BunnicOmb at a bail in ST. Peters
burg.
Nobody, be it said, ever formed the ac-
| quaintance of the Hon. Algy without
macy, so obviously was he marked out
for ecclesiastical preferment His paiiid
and ascetic. yet faultless. features capti-
waited the ladies' at sight; and he retained
| their homage until they perceived that
| there was really nothing to be got out Of
! the Hon. Algy-he was not even .
| mis0gynist. Never had ne uttered a dis
! paraging remark against the sex; he
! Stunned them, but. alasi not on principle.
| Algy mad the manners and conscientious
ness of a curate; he had. moreover. a
| trick Of looking frightened whenever you
| addressed to him a remark too abruptly
| or too loudly. which was suggestive of a
| fawn-or Of an ass.
The Countess Melkoff, who was young.
widowed. petite, and altogether bewitch-
| ing, met him, as / have mentioned. at a
| bail, and after an hours conversation
fell il love with Algy on the spot. She
| soaked into every fiber Of Algy, and In
( her, for the first time in his life, ne De-
! gan TO perceive dimly the possibilities of
| the sex. His one misgiving may strike
! you as absurd, but he recalled the remark
| of a vulgar acquaintance of his that you
never know where you are at in Rus
| sia,' and he speculated upon the moral
| ity of the Countess. Wherefore, before
| replying to her invitation to Join ao1se
party at her country seat MS clerical
| conscience became alert and he determ-
ind to sound Masterson on the point.
'As right-minded and honest little
sort as ever drove a four-in-hand," he
x-,1 f.Ilc foH I,.af~ Of 1rH
! Mellish, when the son and heir sought
his advice. adding significantly, ''and I
know" which was dubious.
The Hon. Algy went down 20 the Villa
Polpoff. but, as luck would have it, just
as he had found his first opportunity foI
a tete-a-tete with his hostess a telegram
arrived announcing the sudden demise of
his respected sire. the ninth Lord Mei'is1.
Algy went at once to apprise the Coun-
tess and had the felicity to perceive her
Immediately melt into tears.
A warm pressure of the hand, a line
from Pascal. a trembling of the lip, a
/ murmured hope that heayen would per-
mits them to meet again, and the gentle
Countess and the scrupulous Algy parted.
| In the course of time there arrived at
Algy's London address notes from the
| haling opoponaX. 1t was futile for Algy
to attempt to answer them formally;
they We're replied to in the spirit in wnich
! they were written. How spiritual they
were: All, mails ellie etait 81 pur eft digne!
Algy, Lord Mellish, courted Embly's So
ciety at Whites because he knew thai
Emily knew the Countess, and one fine
evening he preached the subject so dear
to his heart.
DO you happen to have heard lately
of the Countess Melkoff?''
mo; what's that wicked little devil
been up to now?" drawled Emily badly.
OF course, when he saw how shocked and
indignant Algy was he tried to explain
but as his friend wouldn't have it, ne
felt obliged to tell him that he thought
the Melkoff was about "as speedy as
they made EN-"
Algy, quivering through and through,
sprang up and asked Emily how he
dared utter in his presence such a-a-a-
scandalous misstatement. And then he
quoted Masterson in extenso, and went
home, dwelling on his impending journey
to st. Petersburg, to find another spir-
itual and scented note from the slandcred
Countess.
When her ladyship heard that the mild
and beautiful Lord Mellish was returning
to st. Petersburg she OWNED the reason,
and clapped the tiny jeweled hands for
joy. She had never before been intino te
with any of the English aristocracy; SIZE
rejoiced at being an adept in our IAN
guage. Was it not a delicate compliment
to pay the Englishman to address him
in his native tongue. Herself. she did
not admire English. Mon Dieu, quelle
langue! Shakespeare had written doz-
ems of plays in it; could there be more
convincing proof of Shakespeare's genius
Lord Melish arrived in the Russian capt.
tai. The Countess was entertaining a
party at croquet on the lawn. Algy, pal
bewitching Melkoff among the other
players.
AS she caught sight of him she sprang
forward with engaging vivacity. Nest
pas difflcile pour une vraie Russo a dis
similar sa joie! Her ladyship's tones fell
clear and sweet from those aristocratic-
ally chiseled lips of hers:
Strike me doty if it amt Lord Mel
lish!' was what greeted AIgy's ear. I'm
mighty glad to see yer again, mitey
strait I am. Swell me bob, but yer looks
dossy!"
Lord Mellish's beautiful features as
sumed a paler tint.
Il do not understand" he gasped.
wat o! Birdie, come off yer pe-ch!'
murmured the Countess, archly. ''Shall
L. she pursued, nodGing daintily towards
her guests, shall I let them blokes
slide?" Yuss? I won't be half a Mo- -
What had happened? She broke off, fear
ing she had been misunderstood. "Qu-
'ot- mil cIa ucL-p
But Algy, Lord Mellish, put his fing-
ers to his ears and fed. Emily was
right, after all.-Beckles Wilson in West
minister Budget