The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-05


simply vas because 1t had TO be The
non-shooting months OF the year were 80
much unavoidable waste Of time
The duchess also preferred the autumn
Guests very seldom came 70 Stolzenau, for
the duke did not ike the inconvenience OF
receiving them. and. besides. everybody
found the place intolerably dull. but at
this time OF year the house filed there
were a couple OF famous battues, the
duchess, half frightened, enjoyed receiV-
inE the numerous visitors Gradually she
woke up. and liked her dresses and the
brightness and laughter and the amusing
things some a. the gentlemen said. Then
By the time she had got accustomed TO il
all again IL was over. and she sat alone op-
posite the duke
That reminds me-" said the duchess
I'VE shall soon have TO see about tutor
for Wilhelm" Wilhelm was the eldest
son, aged ten.
Il know" replied the duke
You remember" she continued with
slow lnsistence, I'VE agreed that next
winter Wilhelm was to have a tutor IN
any case"
Il know. l know. There's plenty OF
I time said Duke Ernest, taking wine.
She flushed. Here was one Of the many
points OF disagreement between them, for
she was always trying, in the teeth Of his
tacit Indifference, TO get the children
taught something.
You talk as if the boy were TO grow up
for 'schOOlmaster,' he said. The
stoizen2us have always managed 10 get
T on"
! BY their inherent stupidity"
/ Thank you. No; by being Stoleze-
( naus"
/ Those times are over. Nowadays a
man is what he is worth"
What do you know Of the times, my
dear Eleanor? A Stolzenau will always
+ be worth more than most other men. But
f do not excite yourself: as ii happens. 1
have taken steps to secure a teacher for
+ Wilhelm"
Without telling mer' she cried angrily.
Il never tell you about engaging ser
wants The last time told you was about
the new pig-keeper, and you said you did
not care"
But my own son. She struck her fin
ger tips nerVOusly on the tableclOth. Duke
Ernest sniffed.
"'Tis the best piS-breeder in the coun-
Z try he saidi 1--WE shall get first prize
at the show"
And to whom, pray, is Wilhelms fu-
ture 10 be intrusted?"
! "Oh, nothing is settled. l asked my
uncle, the prince-bshOp, to find us a
young theologian He wrote me that he
knew Of nobody at the moment, but that
he had mentioned the subject by accident
to your Uncle SIsismund-"
Uncle Sigismundl The very lastr'
SO | should have thought But we were
both wrong. Your uncle has a suitable
/ person, born and bred on one Of his own
estates. as l understand; a young man
who has just completed excellent studies
he strongly recommends him."
She sat trembling from head to foot
trying not 10 tremble
You have engaged" she said at last,
this protege Of my Uncle Sigismund?"
Yes. Don't be absurd. Eleanor; l had
forgotten to tell you about it. l had so
much in my head; what with the
| farms
She rose from the table.
Il am going up TO wish the children
good night" she said Then she burst out:
Uncle Sigismund, A vaurien! A panier
perce! A man of the world. A Voltairean!
A dandy! To him you apply for a teacher
TO educate my childr'
He stared at her
Il do not understand YOU in the slight
est" he said. What queer violent ex-
pressiOns you use! Uncle Sigismund-'
No, you don't understand me in the
slightest" she said. passing out through
the door he held open for her. An hour
later she once more sat by him in his
own room, as always of evenings He
smoked at his bureau, surrounded by ledg-
ers. She, with a low lamp at her right
hand, made tea. The long silence seemed
TO irritate him. though often if she spoke
he would beat his foot on the floor and
repeat figures aloud.
Why don't you go and play the piano?'
he said. you are giving that up Alto
gether." Then, as he remembered about
kissing the servants" he added gracious
ly: When / married you they said you
We're the finest musician in Vienna"
There was always Bangowsk," she re-
piled, a little bitterly.
of course / didn't mean professionals
But you never touch the piano now"
No; why should /? Do you want me to
20 and sit alone in that big room of even
ngs? In the winter there isn't even a
frer'
You could have a fire lignted. And. be-
sides. this isn't winter"
TRUE, you are quite right There is no
I
But"
But don't This man who is coming
pardon. do not let me disturb you at your
! work.
No; am very anxious to get through
with all this before the shooting party
comes down.
When is that?" she asked, pouring out
The tea.
Il have asked most of them for this day
| three weeks Is there any one you would
care to have besides the usual lot?"
NO, thank you. And the tutor, when
does he Gomez"
About the same time. 1 daresay your
uncle will bring him.
we shall hardly have time to pay much
attention 10 him then"
DO you intend to pay him attentions? ?''
she did not answer. After all, a woman
cannot strike a man. though a man can
! hourly strike a woman She refused Il
revert 10 the subject again, yet il was
constantly in her mind. She was passion
atelS proud Of her eldest son, passiOnately
fond, under frigorific reserve, of all her
flaXcn children.
When the tutor appeared amid the flow
of guests. she received him with uuinten-
tional Indifference. Uncle Sigismund. a
and bright complexion. introduced timid.
Insignificant, dark-eyed young man-Herr
Goertz. The duchess hoped Herr Goertz
would be happy at Stolzenau, and turned
TO some one else. AT dinner Uncle Sigis-
nund sat beside her and was very gallant
and a little risdue. telling many amusing
stories about the wicked world he knew
so well.
Late at night the duchess knocked at
her husbands dresslng-roOm door. His
valet was with him. The duchess motion
ed the man 10 retire.
This Herr Goertz," she began abruptly.
who is TO be the teacher OF Wilhelm-I
know nothing Of him. nor do you"
He LOCKS just the kind OF person that
sort of person ought 10 look" replied his
Transparency. winding his watch
Ernest. all wish TO say is this: | will
let that man become Wllhelm's tutor on
-. .,,,,ai,io, on one coudiIiOn-dO You