Evening journal., 1899-02-01
MR.. PARKER

were Of all nationalities. Such are the
baths where the tedium Of the cure is
enlivened by the various games of
chance. At 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 (even upon the
authority of the newspapers) that
Count r., an italian nobleman, had
lost the whole Of his inheritance, some
where in the neighborhood of a million
lire. But the count Ike BIT his head, and
so regained the greater part Of his for
tune, which had been won from him
by French actress to whom he was
devoted He married the actress, and
thus got his revenge.
Among the visitors TO Homburg, a
young married couple, Mr.. and Mrs.
Parker--who, according to the register,
were direct from London - attracted
great attention. Mr.. Parker was a man
of remarkably elegant manners. lie
was tall, we'll built, blond, in short a
splendid representative of the English
gentleman. He had large, dreamy blue
eyes, and a remarkably fine set of teeth.
most of which he displayed when his
lips parted in a smile. From which
IL will be gathered that his mouth was
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 ladies. They main
tanned, in opposition TO the men, that
all The credit for Mrs Parler's appear
ance should be given to the wonder
full skill of English tailors, who could
transform such a figure as Mrs. Parker
evidently naturally possessed into that
of a Juno. Mr.. Parker, on the other
hand $50, at least, the ladies main
tained). was so splendidly developed
that he did not need 10 depend on the
nrt und skill of 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 waist, and which, when dry
ing In the sun, shone Ike FURNISHED
gold. The fact that the lady had a
small mole on her neck was no longer
secret after the third day of her stay
at lIomburg.
Mr. Parker had the greatest contempt
for gambling. in which he could not
be tempted to indulge, and he took no
interest in the gambling table, while
he attracted attention by the regularity
l. .fal. D. 80. rtie
tol practice in the southern part of the
hotel grounds. By the second day all
the 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 philanthropiC
undertakings found employment for
him during the winter. He spoke Of
an orphanage which he had foundedand
endowed at Hamarby, county of York
England, and made no secret Of the fact
that it was his pet life scheme TO fur.
iher its interests. To that end he de-
voted much time and a considerable
part of his fortune. When speaking oi
the matter he was inclined to underrate
the sacrifices he made, and he treated
as trifing the money which he devoted
to the development of the orphanage
His daily pistol practice he contin'
ued without interruption. il did moi
incommode him in the least when the
visitors crowded around to witness his
skin. OF their applause he took no no
lice, nor did he allow himself to bt
drawn into anything approaching an
exhibition.
A certain trifing service which a
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 il
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. prematurely aged woman
was absolutely devoted TO her boy, anc
showed her devotion most touchingly
but the son had by no means agree
able time. In the first place the diver
sions In Homburg were not. according
10 his ideas, numerous, and besides
under the watchful eye Of dotins
mother, he found himself considerably
trammeled. He had managed on thu
quiet TO play little, and that with sue
cess. and in a quarter Of an hour he hat
won q sum which to such young iel
low was a small fortune. Only. Mrs
Parker, to whom at the second meet
Ing he had, boylike, opened his heart
knew how much he had won. Th'
whole affair was carefully kept secre
from the mother.
The baron was most devoted in hi
attention 10 Mrs. Parker, and SHOWED
quite plainly that be had fallen a vic
tim TO her charms The lady herself
no took not the slightest interest il
her husbands pistol shooting, accepte'
the advances Of the baron very readily
She was seen with him great deal, AM
his elegant Ollendorf English seeme
10 afford her much pleasure. As sh
was rarely seen with her husband, tn
rest Of the ladies became scandalized il
, ,-orr- sborf time The admiration