Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-11-11
POLLY AND THE YOUNG DUKE.


to the young Duke Of Westminster.
The engagement was denied, and later
! again announced as fact.
The Duke, who had just come of
age, was a charming, foolish fellow,
with an income of 100000. One day
he admitted the truth of the announce
ment. Of course, there was a terrible
rumpus in the Ducal family. The
mother Of. Charlie-"C Charlie was the
! Duke-the haughtiest woman in the
aristocracy, tainted when she heard
the news, and actually went on her
knees to the lad, begging him vainly
to break off the match. His sisters
cried to him, his uncles swore at
him, his younger brother jeered at
| him, his cousins hOwled at him, his
! pals 'jawed" at him. The Duke was
| frm--for a time.
| Suddenly came an announcement
that the engagement was at an end,
quasi-diplomatic appointment in the
colonies which required him to leave
England at once. He went to south
ern cline and staid there two years
His family welcomed him warmly on
! his return, since it was believed his
foolish passion was cured.
One evening, when the Duke was
| sitting at his club trying to make up
his mind on the ever-disputable ques-
! ton whether hors d'oeuYres really eX-
cite appetite or stay hunger, letter
was brought to him, and at the sight
-, of the writing he jumped, then gasped
! He opened the letter and read:
Dear Charlie: Won't you come
and see me? Don't be afraid; I'm dy-
ing, at least the doctor says so, and
my illness has made me hideous, and
l would like to see you once again. |
shall be at home at o'clock tomor-
row. At least, I am always at home
now, and could see you then"
She did see him then-that is, at 4
o'clock the next day-and when he
saw her he was Mortified. The pretty
color had gone from her cheeks, great
black patches lay under her eyes, and
strange lines marked the lately Deauti-
fill face. The eyes were bright, the
| lips still pink, and the hair in pictur
esque disorder had lost none of it's
beauty. Seen there in the darkened
room with the medicines all around
her, Polly really seemed to be at
deaths door. Charlie was allowed to
stay only few minutes, and when he
| left the room he stumbled into the
/ ~
apron, and recognized Polly's old
dresser. She was surly, and, when
he pressed her as to the condition Of
her mistress, bluntly said that the
nature of her illness was her affair
ard not his. When he called the next
day the Duke found Polly a little bet
tel, and there was quite flash of her
old self in her manner. So the Duke
spent a pleasant quarter of an hour
ere Rollit, the ex-dresser, turned him
out i'll a surly fashion, alleging that
he would fatigue her mistress. AS he
was passing through the room the bell
rang
''The doctor!" exclaimed Rollit to
! the young Duke. "Come in" A
minute later an elderly man, with a
grave, dignified manner, entered,
RolIit left the two men together
whilst she went into the sick room.
The young Duke timidly said some
thing obviously truthful about the
weather-the other agreed-then
anxiously he asked, ''Is she very i'll?
What is really the matter?"
ct presume you are friend of the
/ family?"
o, yes, certainly"
"She is very ill. We have had two
consultations, and" He merely
shrugged his shoulders again.
''But what is the lllness?"
Technically could not
catch the lorg Latin actually,
suppose, the public would call it
! broken heart Some young fellow, a
Duke or some one of family know
little of such social matters-jilted her.
She made great effort to fight
against her feelings and so overtaxed
her strength a heavy reaction set in.
Then when she was in most vulner-
able state, of course she caught q
chill which attacked her lungs, and
now it is a mere question of days"
| But surely something can be done,
medical science nowadays is so won
derful. I don't mind any expense"
| Its not that; money can do moth
ing. We've tried change; she insisted
on coming home to die. We"
Rollit appeared. please come at
once, doctor!"
Three days later, when Charlie ar
rived. Rollit refused to let him SEE
Polly. She's too bad, my Lord and,
besides, she's changed; she don't like
to be seen"
II suppose it would be no pleasure
to her now-that it would not make
her any the happier"
'What?"
eff were to marry her"
"Too late; and yet-but here's the
doctor"
NH D,,Iyo Of D.chuoip cfop had q