St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-05-18
W ELL, girls, put on your war
wv paint" said Cousin Fred, as

WI ELL, girls, put on your wal
Wv paint" said Cousin Fred, as
he threw himself into a chair on the
Seranda; your opportunity has ar
rived-or is about to. A German
count, real thing, you know, fam
lily castle and ancestral portraits
and estates and orders. and a name
longer than a trolley line. Coming to-
morrow, SO brush up on German and
the history of the Won Schimmielheim-
er family, and plan the most fetching of
costumes"
In an instant Cousin Fred was the
center Of six excited girls, and was
piled with so many questions that the
very atmosphere seemed one great in
terrogation point.
How do | know? 4 little bird told
me. Besides, Frank Lacy showed me
a letter from the counts secretary;
Frank knew him at the university.
He has to leave for the west, and wants
me to do the honors in his place. Yes,
/. the count is unmarried. young and
eligible; probably hunting. for a girl
with barrel of money. That gives
Fannie and Belle rather the inside
track. Although ina gine Aunt Marga-
ret would make some sacrifices to give
Dora and Helen a show to be a count
ess. 1 guess. Iona, you will have to
Sit on the fence and see him go by.
Of course Mary will sass him and be
sarcastic with alS concerned"
That's where your heads level" re-
sponGed Mary. Il haven't money or ex-
pectations enough TO buy dry goods
clerk, and if | had million, and had
to buy husband. l don't know but
the dry goods clerk would berthe best
investment"
Il confess that / wouldn't object to
wearing coronet," remarked Fannie.
Good" responded Cousin Fred.
zone entry for the prize. Do | hear
another bid?"
Il hope he's handsome" remarked
Dora, as the six cousins started for
their rooms TO dress for dinner.
The next day the count arrived with
his secretary, who apparently was also
his companion. In the evening the two
were presented to the girls by Cousin
Fred. They were intelligent gentle
men of IS or 80.
After the introductions there fol-
lowed an Immediate appropriation of
the count by Fannie and Dora. with
laaguid effort Oh the part of Belle to
interest the titled person. and inef-
fectual attempts by Helen and Iona to
maintain their parts.
Mary soon found herself in converse |
tion with the private secretary, who |
was slightly taller than the count. |
Soon they were joking away with the
utmost freedom. When Fannie took |
the counts arm and swept out on |
the rosd veranda for a promenade. |
giving he other girls a glance Of tri-
umph, AEry could not resist saying
eweetly to N. Schwartz:
.'Your European aristocracy never
make a mistake in picking out the girl /
with money" --
Il beg your pardon!" replied her
companion. surprised.
''Oh. yes. he has instantly discovered
the richest one of the party" Then
noting the astonishment on his face,
she continued:
You mustn't be surprised at any,
thing l do. No one is, after they know
me. l am the incorrigible' of the fam
lily"
Then Miss Curtin is veSy wealthy?" |
.Yes, indeed. Money on both sides
OF the house-nothing lacking but a
I'll, /
sort"
.'Then the count is esteemed great
by those who want that sort of
thing and can afford to pay for it."
she replied.
He laughed with rather more mirth
than the occasion seemed to demand,
and offered his arm for promenade.
During the days that followed the
two Germans became more and more
intimate with the Curtin party, which
intimacy was duly approved of by the
mammas. Fanny retained her lead
with the count. although he took Helen
riding and always danced more with
Belle, but she was by all odds the best
ldHCeT. Nuiic %tue tAaNdtS SSSIStdTN /
and Mary found themselves thrown to-
gether a great deal. He liked her
sharp tongue and unconventional
The mammas of the party
were reconciled (Mary's mamma was
dead). and they even commented that
''it would be just like Mary to marry
some secretary or somebody who had
neither money nor position-but dear
knows, they had done all they could,
and she was such headstrong piece
that it was beyond guessing what she
would do next-perhaps become
and any marriage were
better than that"
The stay of the foreigners. which
had been set for one week, heightened
to two, and then to three; and here
Il vas the fourth week. and the sea- !
son nearly oser. Il yas, evident that ,
: q ss'ss5 e. y