The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-29

myself in the company of two people
/ had heard of several times before in
Italy. They were James Saunders,
widower. and his daughter, Eileene,
of America. He was a man of sixty
and a half invalid, and she was a girl
of twenty who had an Overwhelming
desire to become an Italian countess.
Mr.. Saunders was frank, blunt spok-
en- man. | hadn't known him an hour
when | knew all his troubles. ne
had amassed wealth and he loved his
daughter, but he had no use Tor d
son-in-law not born in America.
II don't know what on earth poss>
esses the girl he said, when refer
ring to Eileene, who had been PLAIN
Ellen before the steamer left New
York, ''She's Just gone mad on the
title business. At home she'd have
been satisfied with a colonel, a judge
or AN honorable, but now she declares
that nothing less than being a coun.
tess will fill the bill. 1t seems as IT all
the counts in Italy had heard OF her
desires and the size of my bank ac-
count. and they have hung on our
heels by the dozen. It's no use for me
to talk to the girl. She gets hight
tightly the minute we start TO argue
and if I don't cave in to her she suiks
for a week. Do you know anything
about Italian counts?"
VERY little" [ replied.
As near as l can find out they are
a mighty poor lot, take em as tney
run. and | haven't seen one Ia hife
for a coachman. There's one fellow
in particular I'd break in two II |
was twenty years younger and coula
run him down. He's followed us fof
a month, and the girl seems to DC
dead-gone on him. Say, now, put
want YOU to do something Tor me. lie
calls himself the Count Padova, ana
he's dinged his title and castles and
ancestors into my ears till i want 10
kick him. / want you to find out II he
is a real count.
1t was a matter of little trouble 10
discover that Count Padova had a
right to his title. but it also came 10
light that he was almost sixty years
old. Door as a church mouse, and had
been twice married. His character as
a man was very unSavory ana III was
easy enough to guess that he was al
ter marriage which would bring HIM
in money.
THE miserable old dodo. eNclaim-
ed Saunders. when / made my report.
Il mistrusted that he was an old SIN
ner. and that he was trying his best
to knock twenty years Off his age.
WHY. hang the man. I'm sure he's got
a wax nose. false teeth and a wooden
leg. and that without his wig we'd
Nil lIn1,
ball! / want you to help me save
Ellen
But she can't marry without your
consent and assistance" | replied.
''But she'll keep at me till ! give
my consent and assistance he pro-
tested Think of it, will you-the
daughter of James Saunders. Il
straight haired Yankee Doodle Dan
dee, picking up with a lop-shouldered.
s knock-kneed played out old Italian
grand daddy just for the sake of being
called Countess Padova! Why, !
want to upset the stove and break the
dishes when think of it. | want you
to have a talk with the girl and tell
her what a fool she is making of her
SELF
] naturally refused to mix in the
matter. though willing to offer such
outside advice as might strengthen the
father. Indeed, one look at Eileen sat
isfied me that at my first word she q
5 retaliate with mighty snub. 1t WAS
four or five days before | got sight
of Count Padova. He had probably
been obliged to fish around to get his
railroad fare from Florence. l found
him all that Saunders had described
him, and little more. He had been
washed and wrung out and bleached
until one could think only of an old
towel on a clothes line We didn't hit
it off at all. He saw in me a rival, am.
Strengthening up as far as possible
and assuming what he probably
thought was a ferocious dignity ne
ADVANCED upon me and said:
''SirA am the Count Padova.
swell, what of it?' | queried.
And the affianced husband of Miss
Saunders
I'm sorry for her
] thought Challenge would follow.
but it didn't He tottered around and
tried to look blood-thirsty, and finally
shook his finger at me and cried out
in piping tones:
Beware. sir-beware! No man shall
come between me and my love and
live!"
| think he went up stairs and told
his lady love that he had scared me
off the track and then discovered that
/ was no rival, for he soon returned
and begged my pardon and offered
me his hand. ] was reading news
paper and didn't see or hear him.
Saunders was laid up in his room that
day, but he came down after dinner
and groaned out as he met me:
MY last hope is gone. Ellen tells
me she has accepted the count, and
the beggar is going to have the fact
published tomorrow"
But suppose you refuse your sane
tioR and order the old beggar to get??'
Say, you don't know Ellen. !
threatened to do that and she declared
she'd elope with him.
''And what if you told the count he
should never touch dollar of your
money!"
He'd smile and smirk and take it
for a bluff. BY the horn spoon, but
I'll pay a bravo ten thousand dollars
in gold to break mis- old neck. You
know about these braves. Go out and
find one for me- and tell him to come