The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-09-18
She Captured q COhnt
By D. A. Chaunceys
SeNEI ELL. girls, Dus on your wa,
g 4 /: . I: = !: s 3
Copyright. 1901, BY Authors syndicate.)

he threw himself into g chair on the
veranda; your opportunity has ar
rived-or is about to. A German
count, real thing, you know, fam
ily 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 Schimnielheim-
er family, and plan the most fetching OF
costumes"
In IN 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 l know? A 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 a barrel of money. That gives
Fannie and Belle rather the inside
track. Although Imagine Aunt Marga-
ret would make some sacrifices to give
Dora and Helen a show to be a count
ess. I 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 all concerned"
That's where your heads level," re-
sponded Mary. 81 haven't money or eS-
pectations enough to buy a dry goods
clerk, and if I had a million, and had
to buy husband, I don't know but
the dry goods clerk would be the best
investment"
81 confess that I wouldn't object to
wearing a coronet." remarked Fannie.
Good" responded Cousin Fred.
"One 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 2S or 80.
After the introductions there fol-
lowed al immediate appropriation Of
the count by Fannie and Dora, with a
languid effort on 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
ton 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 broad veranda for promenade,
giving the other girls a glance of tri-
umph, Mary could not resist saying
sweetly to Mr.. Schwartz:
Your European aristocracy never
make mistake in picking out the girl
with money"
81 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 aay-
thing I do. No one is, after they know
me. am the incorrigible' Of the fam
ily"
Then Miss Curtin is very wealthy?'
"Yes, indeed. Money on both sides
Of the house-nothing lacking but a
count or duke or something of that
sort"
Then the count is esteemed great
catch?'
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
dancer, while the private secretary
srd Mary found themselves thrown to-
gether a great deal. He liked her
sharp tongue and unconventional
comments. The mammas Of the party
were reconciled (Nary's mamma was
dead), and they even commented that
1T 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 headstro1g piece
that Il was beyond guessing what she
would do next-perhaps become
school-teacher, 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
it was the fourth week, and the sea-
son nearly over. It was evident that
matters were approaching a crisis be-
yween Fannie and the count. It also be-
came evident one day that there was
breach between the two Germans.
Cousin Fred rushed out of the billiard
room into the midet of the girls on the
veranda.
"Great Caesars ghost, but that pri-
vate secretary, Schwartz, has been lay
ing down the law to the count! Both
are madder than blazes, and I believe
the trouble is over Fannie. The first
we know there will be melodrama
right here on the veranda. I'll bet a
dollar that it's tempest in teapot,
and Schwartz simply proposes to tel
Fannie that the count hasn't -ed
cent, and is courting her for her money.
Here comes Schwartz now. I'm OF.
Can't catch me in scene"
Sure enough out marched Schwartz,