The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-01-23
PART I.
"1h=n it isn't a question of prone,

lfi#H 1T ISM a question OF property
or next of kin ~ said the consul.
''Lord, no!' said the lady vivacious-
ly. "Why, goodness me, reckon old
Desborough could at any time before he
died have bought up and bought out
the whole lot of his relatives on this
side of the big pond-no matter what
they We're worth. No, it's only mat
ter of curiosity and just sociableness. .
The American consul at ST. Ken
tigorn felt much relieved. He had fear
ed it was only the old story Of delusive
quests for imaginary estates and inn
possible inheritances which he had CON
fronted so often in nervous. wan eyed
enUnuslasvs ana oDstreperous claimants
from his own land. Certainly there was
no suggestion of this in the richly
dressed and bediamonded matron before
him. MOI in her pretty daughter, charm
ing i'll Paris frock, alive with the
consciousness of beauty and admiration,
and yet a little ennuye from gratified
indulgence. He knew the mother to be
the wealthy widow Of a New York
millionaire, that she was travelling for
pleasure in Europe, and chance meet
ing with her at dinner few nights be-
fore had led to this half capricious, half
confidential appointment at the con-
sulate.
"No," continued Mrs. Desborough,
Mr.. Desborough came to America
when a small boy, with an uncle who
died some years ago. Mr.. Desborough
never seemed to banker much after his
English relatives as long as knew
him, but now that and Sadie are over
here why we guessed we might look
'em up and sort Of sample 'em. Desbor-
ough's rather good name" added the
lady, with a complacency that, how
ever, had a suggestion of query in it.
Yes, - said the consul; ''from the
French, l fancy"
"Mr. Desborough was English-very
English, . corrected the lady.
81 mean it may be an old Norman
name, y said the consul.
'Norman's good enough for me-"
said the daughter, rejecting. "We'll
just settle it as Norman. I never
thought about that Des."
sOnly you may find it called Deb
borough here and spelled so said the
consul, smiling.
Miss Desborough lifted her pretty
shoulders and made charming grimace.
Then we won't acknowledge 'em.
No Debborough for me!''
"You might put an advertisement in
the papers, like the next of kim no
tice, intimating in the regular way that
they would hear Of something to their
advantage, as they certainly would"
continued the consul, with bow. cit
would be such a refreshing change to
the kind Of thing I'm accustomed to,
don't you know-this idea of one of my
country women coming over just to
benefit English relatives. By Jove, I
wouldn't mind undertaking the whole
thing for you; it's such a novelty"
He was quite carried away with the
idea.
But the two ladies were far from
participating in this joyous outlook.
''No, J" said Mrs, Desborough promptly,
THAT wouldn't DO. You see," she went
on with superb frankness, that would
be just giving ourselves away and say
ing who we were before we found out
what they We're like. Mr.. Desborough
was all right in his way, but we don't
know anything about his folks. We
amt here on a mission to improve the
Desboroughs, nor to gather in any lost
tribes y
1t was evident that in spite of the
humor of the situation and the levity
of the ladies there was characteristic
national practicalness about them, and
the consul, with a SIGH at last gave the
address of one or two responsible ex-
perts in genealogical inquiry, as he had
often done before. He felt it was i'm
possible to offer any advice to ladies as
thoroughly capable of managing their
own affairs as his fair country women,
yet he was not without some curiosity
to know the result of their practical
sentimental quest. That he should ever
hear of them again he doubted He
knew that after the first loneliness had
worn off in their gregarious gathering
at London hotel they were not likely
to consort with their own country peo-
pie, who indeed were apt to fight shy
OF each other, or even indulge in in
vidious criticism of one another when
admitted to that society in which they
were all equally strangers. So he took
leave Of them on their way back to
London with the belief that their ac-
quaintance terminated with that brief
incident. But he was mistaken.
In the year following he was spend
ing his autumn vacation at a country
house. 1t was a historic house and had
always struck him as being, even in
that country of historic seats, singular
example of the vicissitudes of English
manorial estates and the mutations of
its lords. His host in his prime had
been recalled from foreign service to
unexpectedly succeed to an uncle's title
and estate. That estate, however, had
come into the possession of the uncle
only through his marriage with the
daughter OF an older family whose por-
traits still looked down from the walls
upon the youngest and alien branch.
There were licensees, effigies memo
| rails and "Reminiscences of still o1de,.