The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-01


Italy. They were James Saunders
widower, and his daughter, Eileen.
Of America. He was a man OF siXt
>and a half invalid. and she was a giI
Of twenty who had an Overwhelming
desire to become an Italian countess
Mr.. Saunders was q frank, blunt spok
en- man. | hadn't known him an hou.
when j knew all his troubles. T.
had a1nassed wealth and he loved hi
daughter, but he had no use for 1
son-in-law not born in America.
Il don't know what on earth pOss
esses the girI.' he said. when refer
ring to Eiieene. who had been plaif
Ellen before the steamer left New
York, shes 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 han being d cOun.
tess Will fill the bill. 1t seems as if all
the counts in Italy had heard of hcr
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
10 talk to the girl. She gets highly
tightly the minute we start to argue.
and if don't cave in TO her She sulks
for a week. DO You know anything
about Italian cOuntS?'
Very little" | replied.
AS near as / can find out they are
n mighty poor lot, take 'em as they
run, and | haven't seen one I'd hire
for a c~Oachman. There's one fellow
in particular I'd break in two if /
was twenty years younger and could
run him down. He's followed us for
a month, and the girl seems to be
dead-gone on him. Say, now, but |
want YOU to do something for me. He
calls himself the Count Padova. and
he's dinged his title and castles and
ancestors into my ears till | want to
kick him. | want you to find out if he
is q real count"
1t was a matter of little trouble to
discover that Count Padova had Il
right to his title. but it also came TO
light that he was almost sixty wears
old. poor as q church mouse. and had
been twice married. His character as
a man was very unsayOrE and it was
easy enough to guess that he was af-
fer a marriage which would bring him
IN money.
The miserable old dOdo. excIaim-
ed Saunders. when | made my report.
Il mlStruSted that he was an old sim
ner. and that he was trying his best
10 knock twenty wears 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
lind his head as Dare as a billiard
ball. want You to help me save
Ellen"
But h can't marry without vour
consent and assistance" replied.
But she'll keep at me till | give
my consent and assistance.' he pro-
tested. "Think of it. Will vou-tbe
daughter of james Saunders. d
straight haired Yankee Doodle Dam
dee. picking up with a lop-shouldered.
k~nock-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 vor
TO have a talk with the girl and tel
herNvhat a fool she is making of her
SELF
| naturally refused to mix i'm the
matter. though willing TO offer such
outside advice as might strengthen the
father. Indeed. n look at Eileen sat
ls1led me that at my first word she q
fetallate with Il mighty snub. 1t was
1otr or five days before | got sight
OF Count PadOya. He had bly,
- - W ISI1 dIolIIll TO q MS /
fare from Florence. found
him all that Saunders had described
him. and a little more. He had been
washed and Wrung out and bleachrd
until one could think only Of an OLD
towel on q clothes line. We didn't hit
II on at all. He saw in me a rival. and
SifdlShtenln9 up as far as possible
and assuming what he probably
thought was a ferocious dignity ne
upon me and said:
Sir, L am the Count Padova,"
We'll, what Of H." | queried.
And the affianced husband OF Miss
Saunders.'
Il IN sorry for her.
j thought a Challenge would follow
Dut 1t didn't He tOttered around and
to look blood-thirstv, and finally
his finger at me and cried out
in piping tones:
beware, Sir-beWare, No man shall (
TIVE me and my love and
'"
L thlnk he went mp stairs and told
ms lady love that he had scared mo {
III the track and then discovered that ,
was no rival, for he soOn returned :
and begged my pardon and offered :
ne his hand. | was reading a news :
PAPER and didn't see or hear lin. :
~aunders was laid up in his room that !
Jay, but he came down after dinner '
mo 9roaned out as he met me: >
Ny last hope is gone. Ellen tells :
ne she has accepted the count. and :
beggar IS going to have the fact L
published tomorrow"
But suppose o refuse your sane :;
ION and order the old beoear to oeta" =
Say, you don't know Ellen. :
threatened to do that and she declared :.
he'd elope with him" =
And what If YOU told the count he :
mould never touch a dollar of your .
u
He'd smile and smirk and take Il %
or a bluff. BY the horn spoon. but :
u pay a bravo ten thousand dollars y,
n gold to break his old neck. You :,
now about these braves. Go out ana =,
one Tor me, and tell him to come o.
round with a sand bag" =,
me man was really in wretche1 -
lhrltS over the affair. 1t would not 80,
ave taken some fathers two Minutes -
emo IT, but he was i'll and morbi,I =.