Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-05-19
THE COAT OF ARMS.


had no coat of arms. Her husband,
when she married him, owned a
little shop in Paris. During the first
years of their married life the business
had grown wonderfully, until monsieur
was the posscssor of Il pretty little for
tune. Then relative of madame's had
died and left them 100000 francs, and
their income amounted to 15,OOO francs.
70 retire from business, buy Il pretty
house, with Il park, i'll the suburbs of
Paris, was the dream of the man, and Il
dream it seemed likely to remain, for his
wife had quite another inspiration. With
money one could do everything, so why
not buy title? Such thing was not
uHhCard of.
She scanned the papers eagerly, and ut
last her eye fell upon this advertisement:
Foreign decorations and titles for
sale Fernando de Ia Mimosa, 2lO Rue
Montmartrc. from > to t o'clock"
Needless to say that . o'clock found
madame at 24O Rue Montmartrc. NJ.
de la Mimosa was neither old nor young
in appearance and had intensely black
mustHchc and hair.
lie listened to the object of madame's
visit and then cried enthusiastically:
My dear madame, nothing is easier.
L can give YOU, III perfect loIlll. IL uucil
title of the republic of st. Marin.
"Oh, that is too much. Count would
suffice" said the ambitious woman mod
estly.
"Wcll, | can manage that, too" said
the stranger. There are few titles
which will be sold by representatives of
old families there
and what will the price be-" Ma
dame was little anxious
Give hundred francs" said the man,
observing the look of relief on his clients
face. will dcfray the first expenses. !
shall have to 20 there and get the neces-
sary legal papers"
Nine Patroullot went home content
after giving the sum of money.
One day, a month later, as she and her
husband sat at dinner a letter was hand
ed to her.
Madame am happy 10 tell you that my efforts
have been most successful. ! have in my hands
the document which makes your husband the
Count de MontcRotondo. If you will call, | will
deliver it to YOU upon payment of the cost.
Please accept. madame la countess, the homage
of my profound respect,
FERNANDO DE la MiMosA.
She managed to hide her delight from
her husband, to whom she wished to say
his hands.
For the sum of 10000 francs she re-
cciycd beautiful parchment, covered
with decorations, with a coat of arms at
the top and many signatures at the bot
tom, written in Italian, which created NJ.
Caesar patroullot Count de Monte-Ro-
tondo.
The first care of the new countess was
to order Il wardrobe whose elcga' e
should be in keeping with her position.
She spent in one day just 1000 francs.
NJ. Hatrouillot commenced by Shrug-
ging his shoulders when his dignity was
thrust upon him. But he was a good ma
turCd man, simply, easily influenced and
anxious to please his wife, with whom he
was still in love. SO he accepted the sit
uation and allowed his wife to manage
everything to suit herself.
The first result of the new hOnOrs was
that all of their old friends turned their
backs upon them. They were all people
in trade, prosperous and, happily, with
out ambitions toward nobility, and they
found the count and countess ridiculous.
"Thcy but anticipate my own intcn-
tons" said the countess. 1--WE should
have been obliged to drop such ordinary
acquaintanccs. Noblesse oblige! We
must 20 away from this ncighbOrhood
altogcthcr.'
They established themselves in SUI
pcrb apartment in the Faubourg St Ger
main. They furnished it magniticcntly.
They bought Il carriage, with their coat
of arms on the windows. All this was
terribly expensive, but ''nOblesse oblige.
They made many calls upon people of
title who had been among their old Gus
q. 1
But. instead of being discouraged, they
continued to spend money lavishy in the
hope of buying their way into society
and position.
One fine morning the count received a
summons from a police court to be wit
ness against Il person by the name of
Pochard, alias Fernando de Ia MimoSa,
who had been amassing a fortune by
selling t., le whose ambitions outran
their sense titles and crcSts
which entirely in his own mag
nation.
The couple were able to give Informal
ton only too we'll.
"Shc WAS the easiest person | ever
saw" remarked the villain upon the close
of their testimony.
When she learned that the title was a
fictitious one and that the whole expert
cncc had cost inst 100000 francs. Mime.
Patrouillot nearly died of chagrin. She
consented readily enough to hide herself
in the country house of her husbands
dream. and so at the last he had his
hearts desire They sold their furniture
at IL great loss. but there still remained
enough to maintain them in comfort, for
they lived quietly, seeming, as their
ncighhors said. to care nothing for So
ciety.-Chicago News.