The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1900-06-07
CHAPTER I.
THE REQUEST OF THE COUNTESS.

house that morning. There had been
small dance the night before. Uncle
Gardner had been unpleasant enough
over that. He always made it point
to expatiate on the extravaganza of
Mrs. Rodney or the girls, as the case
might be, when he was drawn on for
money. Mr.. Josiah Gardner had made
a fortune and had ruined his temper
doing it. He had had to put his nose to
the grindstone for years, and now that
he was relieved of that humiliating
combination he tried to even up things
by subjecting others to like harrow
ing conjunction.
They were all thoroughly tired of it.
no one more so, however, than Florence
Rodney. She was 1.-the, pretty girl Of
30, a graduate of Vassar and thorough
ly up to date in athletics. It was a
comfort to her to reflect that she lived
in an age when women rode, swan,
fenced, wheeled, and could make fair
showing with men at tennis, golf and
other physical diversions.
Miss Rodney was an admirable ex-
ponent Of the benefit of air. exercise
and freedom for her sex. Her walk was
springy and graceful, and she carried
herself as straight as a soldier. It was
a source of immense solace to her in all
the phases of her physical we'll being to
feel her every muscle firm and strong
and to know that her flesh, her heart
and her lungs were in the best possible
condition.
Mrs Rodney was widow with little
money, two daughters to marry off and
a mind given to the things of this
world. When her husband had left her
impoverished, the sense of blood ties
and family duty had induced her broth
er, Josiah Gardner, to take charge Of
her and her daughters. But he had this
unpleasant fashion of complaining
about money matters. Mrs. Rodney's
one argument in defense of their ex-
penses was the need of getting the girls
we'll married. This meant marrying
them to men Of means and good social
position-rich men, anyhow, for Mrs.
Rodney was convinced that money was
enough of an "Cpen sesame for New
York society at all events If man
had not the blood or manners of thor
ough gentleman, skillful wife who
was lady could pilot him through the
shoals all right. Most American hus-
bands, except the few who are young
society men, do not figure very promi-
nently in the social phases Of their fam
lilies. They generally have the air of
being casual and bored assistants at
functions Of this kind, and not much il.
expected Of them except to pay the bills
Miss Rodney was rather FESTIVE flly
and gave her worthy mother many an
occasion for fretful dissatisfaction. She
had will Of her own, and her tastes,
as has been said, were for athletic pas
times and not for society, though she
was fond Of dancing and handsome
gowns. She did not show that keen de-
sire for bagging some eligible man
which her mother would have liked.
Mrs. Rodney had not infrequently com.
planned Of this in her eldest daughter.
II should think you would want to
get married and settled and not have
to feel that your uncle is breaking his
heart over every penny he puts out fo1
what he thinks is our extravagant liv.
ing You know, I am doing all can.
Miss Rodney would try to keep he,
temper over maternal nagging of this
kind and generally succeeded by de-
Ginning to argue the point. She was
content to 60 her way, and go her way
she did. In justice to Mrs. Rodney il
must be admitted that she gave only
what entertainments she felt she coul6
not escape and keep in the swim at all
She had to keep there, for the sort oil
men whom she wished the girls t
marry wde there, and there must be
opportunity for them to meet such men,
Uncle Gardner was not quite as NEAR
as he appeared to be- They generally
got what they wanted. Hesimply made
the matter more pleasant for himself
by growing over things and rendering
the women unhappy
He had gone away for the night O.
the dance and had not been expected
to return until the second day after it
SO as to allow the house and the in
mates time to get back to the normal
But be had got Disguised with some
thing at the hotel and came home tn
next day, full Of a fault finding DISPOSE
ton. The women groaned in spirit a
this unexpected advent of the head o
the family. Rose, the younger daugh
ter, was perfectly in accord with he
mothers views and helped her in he
aims as far as she could. Her uncle sh
humored and cajoled as well as prett
but not very clever girl could hume
and cajole keen, cranky old man
Mrs. Rodney felt that it was litt]
unfortunate that the characters Of he
two daughters were not reversed. Mis-
Rodney ought to be disposed first in til
matrimonial market, as she was tn
elder. If she were as compliant 6
Rose, this contamination would not /
SO hard one to effect. But Florenc
Rodney was nice to the men that sh
liked rather than to those whom it We
her policy to attract. Her sturdy ind.
pendent American spirit recoiled fro,
deliberate efforts in this direction. Sh
was determined that she awouldn