The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-11-30

Chapter III concluded from last week,
BY ROBERT BARR.
Copyright, 1900, by Robert BARR

"You cannot expect one to remember
what happened in Washington five
years ago. You know the administra-
tion changes every four years, and
memories seldom carry back even SO far
as that. .
ST had hoped that my most outspoken
alteration would have left "reminiscences
that might outlast administration. I
have not found forgetting SO easy.
"Are you quite sure of that, Lord
Donalf" asked the girl archly, closing
her fan and giving him for the first
time full view of her face.
The young man seemed for moment
perplexed, but she went on, giving him
little time for reflection, 'tHave your
diplomatic duties taken you away from
Washington p
'.Yes. to the other end of the earth.
am now in st. Petersburg, with ulti-
mate hopes of Vienna, princess. hap
pened to be in London this week, and,
hearing you were to be here, moved
heaven and earth for an invitation =
(Which you obtained only to find
yourself forgotten. How hollow this
world is, ism t it7''
"Alas, yesl A man in my profession
sees good deal of the seamy side Of
life. and fully believe that my rapidly
lessening dependence on human veracity
will be shattered by my superiors send
ing me to Constantinople. But let me
find you a seat out of this crowd where
we NAV talk Of old tines
81 don't care so much about the past
as do about the present. Let us go up
into that gallery. where you will point
out to me the celebrities Isuppose you
know them ALL while I am an entire
stranger to London society"
"That is a capital ideal" cried the
young man enthusiastically. Eyes,
think know most Of the people here,
at least by name. All, here comes the
royal party We shall just be in time to
have a good look at them
The band played the national anthem,
and Lord Donal got two chairs. which
he placed at the edge of the gallery,
well hidden from the promenaders by
spreading tropical plants
"Oh, this is jollyl'' cried Jennie,
quite forgetting the dignity Of prin-
cess. ''Ycu told me why you came to
the ball. Do you know why am heref"
''On the remote chance Of meeting
me, whom you pretended to have for
gotten" replied the young man auda-
ciously.
tOf course, laughed Jennie. "But,
aside from that, / came to see the cos
TUNES. You know we women are libel
ously said to dress for each other.
Away from the world, in the Tyrol, I
have little opportunity Of seeing any
thing fine in the way of dress. and so
accepted the invitation of the duchess.
"Have you the invitation Of the
duchess with your"
"Yes; am going to take some notes
on the back of it. Would you like to
see it3 She handed him the letter and
then leaned back in her chair. regarding
him closely. The puzzled expression on
his face deepened as he glanced over
the invitation and saw that 1t was ex-
actly what it purported to be. He gave
the letter back to her, saying:
$50 you are here to see the fashions.
1t is subject know little about; but.
judging by effect, I should say that the
Princess Won Steinheimer has nothing
to learn from any one present. If may
touch on topic SO personal. your cos
tune is what they call a creation. Is it
not, princessf"
''It isn't bad" said the girl. looking
down at her gown and then glancing
mp at him with merriment dancing in
her eyes. The diplomat had his elbow
| resting on the balustrade, his head
/ leaning on his hand, and. quite obliv-
ious to everything else. was gazing at
| her with such absorbed intentness that
| the girl blushed and cast down her
eyes. The intense admiration in his
look was undisguised. s'Still. z" she rat
tied on somewhat breathlessly. lone
gets many hints from others, and the
creation of today Is merely the old
clothes Of tomorrow. Invention has no
vacation, so far as ladies' apparel is
concerned. Take no thought of tomor-
row. wherewithal ye shall be clothed.
may have been a good motto for the
court of Solomon, but 1t has little rela-
| tion with that of Victoria. -
Solomon. IL the saying is his, was
hedging. He had many wives. you
| know"
swell. as I was about to say, you
must now turn your attention to the
other guests and tell me who's who ]
have already confessed my ignorance,
and you promised to enlighten me.
The young man. with visible reluc-
tance. directed his thoughts from the
one to the many and named this person
and that. while Jennie, with the pencil
attached to her card. made cabalistic
notes in shorthand. economizing thus
both space and time When at last she
had all the Information she desired, she
leaned back in her chair with little
sigh Of supreme content Whatever
might now betide. her mission was full
filled IL she could once get quietly
away. The complete details Of the most
important society event OF the season
were at her fingers ends She closed
her eyes for moment to enjoy the sat
isfaction which success leaves in its
train and when she opened them again
found Lord Donal in his old posture.
absorbed in the contemplation Of her un-
deniable beauty.
81 see you are determined ] shall