The Florence daily tribune., 1899-01-11
MR.. PARKER


baths where the tedlum OF the cure Il
enlivened by the various games OF
chance. Al the particular time OF
which l write Homburg was crowded
and, although the season could scarce--
ly be said fairly to have begun, IL was
rumored and believed (eyen upon the
authority of the newspapersl that
Count B--, an Italian nobieman. hac
lost the whole Of his Inheritance, some
where in the neighborhood of a millioi
lire. But the count kept his head. ant
so regained the greater part of his for
tune, which had been won from hin
by a French actress TO whom he wai
devoted. He married the actress, ano
thus got his revenge.
Among the visitors to Homburg,
Young married couple, Mr.. and Mrs
Parker-who, according to the register
were direct from London attracted
great attention. Mr.. Parker was mar
of remarkably elegant mauuers. IL,
was tail, well built, blond, in short
splendid representative of the English
gentleman. He had large, dreamy blu,
eyes, and remarkably fine set of teeth
most of which he displayed when his
lips parted in smile. From which
il will be gathered that his mouth wns
not small.
Mrs. Parker, on the occasion OF her
first appearance on the promenade, had
attracted the attention, the surprise
and, il must be confessed, the envy
of the rest OF the Indies They main
tained. in opposition to the men, that
all the credit for Mrs. Parker's appear,
ance should h" given 10 the wonder
full skill of English tailors. who could
transform such a figure as Mrs. Parker
evidently naturally possessed into tina;
of Juno. Mr.. Parker. on the other
hand ESQ. at least. the ladies main.
'ained), was so splendidly developct9
hat he did not need to depend on the
art and skill a his tailor Those ladies
who had seen Mrs. Parker bathing told
wonderful stories of her marvellous red
brown hair, which hung in profusion
below her whist. and which. when dry.
ing in the sun. shoue like FURNISHED
gold. The fact that the lady had
small mole on her neck was no longer
a secret after the third day of her stay
at Homburg.
Mr.. Parker had the greatest contempt
for gambling in which he could not
be tempted TO indulge, and he took nc
interest in the gambling table, while
he attracted attention by the regularity
with which he devoted himself to pis.
oil practice in the southern part of the
hotel grounds. by the second day all
he visitors had heard wonderful stories
of his marvellous skill.
Mr.. Parker confessed to two weak.
nesses elephant hunting and
philanthropy. To the former he was
so devoted that he passed a part OF
each year in India. His phiianthropic
undertakings found employment for
him during the winter. He spoke OF
an orphanage which he had founded and
endowed at Hamarby. county of York,
England, and made no secret of the fact
ther its interests. To that end he de-
voted much time and considerable
part of his fortune. When speaking of
the matter he was inclined to underrate
he sacrifices he made, and he treated
as tritiing the money which he devoted
to the development of the orphanage.
His daily pistol practice he contin-
ued without interruption. It did not
incommode him in the least when the
visitors crowded around to witness his
skill. OF their applause he took no no
lice. nor did he allow himself to be
drawn into anything approaching an
exhibition.
\ certain trifiing service which
Young baron had the opportunity of
rendering to Mrs. Parker gave the
youthful nobleman the chance OF max
ing the acquaintance of the beautiful
Englishwoman. Three weeks before,
The baron in question has arrived in
Homburg, accompanied by his mother.
The object of his visit was to restore
his health. which had been completely
undermined by his fast life. His
mother. a prematurely aged woman.
WAS absolutely devoted TO her boy. and
showed her devotion most touchingly.
4,ut the son had a 10y no means agree
,ble time. In the first place the diver
-ions in -Hombiirg were not. according
o his ideas. numerous, and besides.
liuder the watchful eye of doting
emother, he found himself considerably
trammeled. He had managed5 on the
quiet to play little. and that with sue
cess, and in a quarter of an hour he had
won n sum which 10 such a young fell
low was small fortune Only Mrs.
Parker, to whom at the second meet
ing he had, boylike, opened his heart.
knew how much he had won. The
whole affair was carefully kept secret
from the mother.
The baron was most devoted in his
attention to Mrs. Parker. and showed
quite plainly that he had fallen a VIC
tim to her charms. The lady herself.
who took not the slightest interest in
her husbands pistol shooting, accepted
the advances of the baron very readily.
She was seen with him great deal, and
his elegant Ollendorf English seemed
70 afford her much pleasure. As she
WAS rarely seen with her bu ha nd tho