The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-03

D9' NJ: HatrOuiIfOt, Count OF Monte
Rotondo. The t1tlee4s at your disposal
as soon as you remit the sum for the
cnancery charges, forg as I have already
lanorInea you, / ask no remuneration for
ny services Please accept, Nine. Ia.
Comtesse, the homage of my most pro-
found respect. -
Fernando de Ia Mimosa"
Nine la Comtesse at last! What joyi
me little woman was visibly affected,
and grew alternately red and white, and
was seized with a desire to laugh and
cry at the same-tfmes
What Is the matter, love?" asked the
pacific Caesar
Nine Patrouillot hesitated, but decided
1t was best to keep the Joyful news from
her trusting spouse until she had the pa
pers in her own hands. Besides, In the
midst of her joyful delight she began to
have grave apprehensions as to the
charges Of chancery.
Her apprehensions were well founded,
for M. de la Mfmosa, with the blandest Of
stmles and declaring that he himself per-
| sonally wished no remuneration for his
services, handed her letter, written IN
Italian, of which she understood nothing
except that She must pay 10000 francs be-
fore she could be addressed as Nine. Ia
Comtesse de Monte Rontondo. AT first
the ambitious little woman hesitated, but
| finally pride triumphed and as she her
self, owing to the most trusting of hus-
bands, had full access to the Patrouillot
| ducats, she handed over the required sum
to the diSintereSted Mimosa, and received
| In return an important-looking parchment
| covered with seals and signatures, Great
| Ing the unambitious Caesar Patrouillot
| count of Monte Rotondo for the distin-
| guished services he had rendered the re-
| public of Saint-Martin-in which he had
never set foot
to order from the most fashionable estab-
| lishmentse in Paris dresses, hats and
wraps-indeed, she had her entire trous-
seau renewed and embroidered with an
enormous coronet-even to her corsets,
and she ordered three pairs, red black
and yellow, trimmed with superb lace and
| ornamented with. the coat Of arms of
Monte Rotondo, a mountain of gold in a
blue field. These trifes cost the newly
made countess 1900 francs But noblesse
oblige!
When M. Patreuillot was informed of
his new dignity he simply shrugged his
| shoulders then ffowned when he learned
Its cost. But Caesar Patrouillot was the
most debonair ofkmen, and extremely sus
cept1ble to the influence OF his ambitious
wife, whom he loved just as devotedly as
ne DID in the springtime of their married
| life, and, seeing}her so supremely happy,
| had not the heart to- disturb this happi-
ness by reproachesF OF her extravaganza.
Finally, the simple Caesar himself be-
came infused with his wife's ambition
and persuaded himself that the govern
| ment OF Saint-MaE'tin had merely render
ed justice In comforting upon him the
title Of Count Of Monte Rotondo. He
wrapped himself in hfs new dignity. and
the first result Of his ennoblement was
the loss Of his former friends, who posi-
uVely refused to recognize in M and
Nine. Patrouillot the Count and Countess
of Monte Rotondo.
These good people, all of them honest.
thrifty shopkeepers without aristoc mtic
aspirations, laughed and ridiculed the
Patroulllots. and finally turned their
packs upon them. One old friend of
thirty years standing gave the new aris-
tocrats congo in the most verdant of let
tiers, thus addressed: ITO Monsieur la
Comte de Monte Rotondo, ne Patrouillot -
M and Nine. Patrouillot de Monte Ro-
tondo treated these adverse criticisms
with disdain.
so much the worse for them said
the count with a ashrug of his noble
"They have forestalled our intentions /"
SAID the countess. I'm our new position.
my dear, 1t would be impossible for MS
to receive shop-keepers, so in withdraw
ing themselves they simply save us %he
PdlnIul duty Of refusing to recognize
tnem. Besides, we shall move into a.
new quarter where these peoples names
shall never be mentioned"
10 all Of which the Count of Monte
| Rotondo assented.
A short time afterward, the noble
couple installed themselves in superb
apartments In the very heart of the Fan
pourg Saint German. The splendid fur
n1ture, the plate, and even the ceilings
We're ornamented with the noble escut-
cheon Of Monte Rotondo. The new count
engaged carriage by the month with
the proV1so that the arms of Monte Ro-
tondo should be emblazoned upon the
paneEs OF the carriage door in sufficiently
large dimensions to be visible at some
considerable distance. All of this eIe-
gance and style cost very dearly.
Nobility likewise required M. and Nine
Patrouillot to make visits in the aristo-
cratic world, and the once simple hearted
Caesar, accompanied by his new fedged
countess, called upon several of their
former customers, members of the Old
ar1stocracy, who, while they received
them kindly, did not return their visits
True, the old Baroness de la Pinchar-
dfere, who was considered by some as
| poor, by othersl as yavaricious testified
her esteem for the new nobility by din
ing with them three times week, to the
great delight of ethe' Patrouillots, whom
she deferentially addressed as count and
! countess.
One morning the Count of Monte Ro-
tondo was surprised to receive a letter
from the chief of police, requesting him
to call Immediately at his office to testi-
fly against a man named Pochard. alias
| Fernando de la Mimosa, who had been
arrested for swindling. The poor count
with presentment of what was coming
went in fear and trembling, and learned
from the commissaire that Pochard alias
Fernando de la Mimosa had long lived
upon human vanity, .disposing at high
\ prices of titles which existed only in his
| own imagination.
Confronted with M. and Nine Patrou-
illot, the rascal burst out laughing, and
with the most absolute cynicism, declared
| that that little affair was the easiest and
most lucrative job he had ever achieved
| 1.-The good Nine. Patrouillot,' said Po-
! chard, Jumped at once into my little
trap with the most delicious naivete!
And never in all my experience did de-
rive more amusement from any Of my
/ dupes than from this simple bourgeois
The chief of police then informed the
duped couple that they must abandon
the name to which they had no legal
/ right. Returning quietly to their sump-
tuous apartments, M. and Nine. Patrouil-
lot deplored the enormous sum of 10000
francs which their temporary nobility had
cost them. Thenmagnificent apartments
were abandoned.6 the rich furniture and
plate sold. and the arms of Monte Ro-
tondo effaced from the ceilings. Hurnili-
fd6 IN 1~rlo