Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-31
place of n laugh.

comes Oh ualhlnS 700 Hlu'u VI u stClci |
project not yet completed.
The editor drunmed with his fingers |
on the able for few moments thought |
fully
Every well, then; it shall be as you
say. | should have been very glad to
share the responsibility of failure with
you, but if you prefer to take the whole |
risk yourself there is nothing more to
be said The thousand pounds shall he
placed to your credit at once What
next2'
con the night of the bail / should
like you to have three or four expert
shorthand writers here. | don't know
how many will be necessary. You UNI
derstand more about that than do
But it is my intention to dictate the
report right along as fast as ! can talk
until it is finished, and | don { wished
to be stopped or interrupted; so | want
the best stenographers you have They
are to relieve one another Just as if
| they were taking down "A parliamentary
speech The men had better be in
readiness at midnight ! shall he here
as soon after that as possible If you
will kindly run over their typewriter
manuscript before it goes to the com
| positora | will glance at the proofs
when ! have finished debating.
"Then you hope to attend the bail
yourselfT'
"Porhaps"
"You have Just returned from the
Tyrol and | fear you don quite APP
preciate tho difficulties that are in the
way This is no ordinary society func-
ton, and if you think even 200 will
gain admittance to an unlimited guest
you will find yourself mistaken.
$50 | understood from your letter.
Again the editorial interjection did
duty for laugh
"You are very sanguine, Miss Bax-
ter. | wish felt as confident How
ever we will hope for the hest and if
we cannot command success we will at
least endoavor to deserve it.
Jennie, with the 81 900 at her dis
posal, went to Paris took rooms at the
most aristocratic hotel. engaged Il maid
and set about the construction Of Il ball
dress that would be dream of beauty
Luckily. she knew exactly tbs gown
making resources of Paris, and the
/, craftsmen to whom she gave her orders
were not the less anxious to please her
when they knew that the question Of
cost was not to be considered From
Paris she telegraphed in the name Of
the Princess Won Steinheimer to Cla-
= ridge hotel for an apartment on the
night Of the ball and asked that a suit
able equipage be provided TO convey
her to and from that festival.
Arriving at Claridge's, she was
aware that her first danger was that
some one who knew the Princess Won
, Steinheiner would call upon her, but
On the valid plea of fatigue from hei
I journey she proclaimed that under nC
circumstances could she see any visitor
and thus shipwrcck was avoided at the
outset 1t was unlikely that the Princes,
Won Steinheimer WAS personally known
, to many who would attend the ball--ir
| fact the princess had given to Jennie
as her main reason for refusing the in
vtation tile excuse that she knew ne
one in London She had been invited
merely because of the social position O
o the prince in Vienna and was unknown
3 by sight even to her hostess, the Duches
= OF Chiselhurst
1t is said that a woman, magnificent
ly robed Is superior to all earthly trib
! ulations Such was the case with Jen
ME as she left her carriage, wake,
along the strip of carpet which la.
across the pavement under canop,
and entered the great hall OF the Dul
Of Chiselhurst' s town house, one Of tn
huge palaces Of western London Moth
ing so resplondcnt had she ever wit
messed or even imagined as the seen
which met her eye when she found her
self about to ascend the broad stairway
at the top Of which the hostess stood t
receive her distinguished guests Earl
as she was, the stairway and the room
beyond seemed already thronged. Splen
did menials in gorgeous livery. crimso
the predominant color stood on eac
step at either side of the stair. Uni
forms of every pattern from the gol
goous oriental raimcnt of Indian prince
and eastern pOtentates to the NOR
sober but scarcely less rich apparel {
the diplomatic corps ministers of tn
empire and officers, naval and mil
tary, gave the final note of magnificen
and picturesque decoration. Like tror
ical flowers in this garden of color wer
the ladies, who, with easy grace, move
TO and fro, hestowing a smile here an
" whisper there, and yet despite he
49, agitation, a hurried furtive glanC
10 around brought to Jennie the convit
"a tion that she was perhaps the hes
rs gowned woman among that assembling
ne of well dressed people, which recogn
$ tion somewhat Gained her palpitatin
ne heart The whole environment SCENE
ne unreal to her, and she walked forwar
If as if in a dream. She heard some al
cry, The Princess Won Steinheimer
N and at first had difficulty in realizin
in that the title, for the moment, pei
n tanned to herself. The next instant he
[ hand was in that of the Duchess {
hi Chiselhurst and Jennie heard the lad
- murmur that il was good of her
he come so far to grace the occasion. III
IN girl made some sort of reply which ST
no found herself unable afterWard to r.
as call, but the rapid incoming Of oth'
guests led her to hope that if she ha
r used any unsuitable phrase 1t was G
ther unheard or forgotten in the tensic