The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-08-20

his tail. Yet all he has actually caught
is some big Latin word. That's all.
Mysterious look indeed! Phrases Of
this kind are Invented by story writer's
to halnboozle their readers, and In
vented mine to bamboozle my own self.
| All l did know was that l was In love
with the young countess--in love like a
ninny, like an IDIOT"
The countess brought with her some
money, but her father went through it
in less than six months. lie was a
good natured. pompous old spendthrIft
and when he was not hoasting Of his
ancestry he was lamcnting the defunct
glory Of Poland, or else he would bore
the lovelorl young officer with verse
In his native tongue.
"Pardon me, sir" the other would
plead, "but Have not the honor of an
acquaintance with the Polish Ian:
guage.'"
"Ah, but the music of the words,
slr!' the old man would return. "Mu-
sic Is the language Of the angels, as one
Of our writer's says, and the angels
ought to~be able to make themselves
understood to good man like yourself
Tell me- sir. have you ever heard any
thing sweeter than And the old pa.
trlot would 20 on recting his ode with
more ecstasy than ever.
Once he broke into sohs over the fate
of the country which had produced this
melodious language. Herr Schmidt
was ut once touched and amused and
the upshot Of 1t was that the Pole bor-
rowcd a few hundred tllalcrs Of him.
Here my Second avenue friend has
tened to explain that the old fellow
was anything but a schemer or an ad-
venturer "IIe was simply weak man
too weak to hold money or his
tongue" he said. III he had not been
SO simple hearted and honest, he would
not have disclosed the real nature Of
his title to me. II appeared that he WAS
one OF the SO called Roman or papal
counts. you know. his father having
received the distinction from the Vati-
can for service In the holy army or
something Of that kind. He insisted,
however. that in tho early history, OF
Poland his ancestors were members of
the highest aristocracy. and he traced
his pedigree to a sister or q cousin Of
somebody who was entitled to the
throne. he said. The worst Of It was
that the title Of the countess dead hus-
band was of a similar character, and Of
course the old fool told me all about 1t.
How the old mans ancestors came to
lose their old position was never made
clear to me.
AT last made my declaration She
gave me long look, the longest and
steadicst I had ever received from her,
! thought, and made n clean breast of It
all. insisted that she was Il genuine
countess and that | would have mar
ricd her il she were a peasant girl, and
ull uiat sort Of thing. She wept and
gagged.
when my mother heard Of it, She
came to that town. Although she
thought me prophet and went into
ecstasies over every piece of rot said.
yet she was a very sensible woman
She was opposed to the marriage be-
cause my fiancce was Il widow as weu
as OH account Of the questionable quail
ity Of their title hut held her own coun-
sci. She had no trouble in sizing up the
old man, and before | knew 1t he had
borrowed Of her a snug amount and
tearfully yielded to her plea not to de.
prive her Other boy. She was perfectly
frank with him. it appeared. She told
him all she thought Of the marriage
aud begged him to take pity on her.
AS III luck would have II. the Polish
count had n sister in America, the wild
ow Of a wealthy physician. who had
promised to take care Of him and his
daughter provided the two went to
join her Well, partly because Of my
mothers plea, partly because Of the
loan she offered him, the, old man, all
hut melted away and declared In II ,e
h;lr,e Of his great ancestors that. he !
WAS not tile man to Let his daughter
throw lietself on any,ofy; that ifs,hk I
title was not good enojign liz would not
nllow her 10 marry me for millions. and
so forth and 50 on. How he rcconcled
all this with the tears he shed over my
mothers broken heart do not know,
but | do know that this middle headed.
hySfcrlcal ninconpoOp could twist his
daughter around his finger. She loved
me-ycs. she loved Me--yet when he
told her they were going to America
and that he would rather see her dead
than married to German snob whose
mother called his nobility in question
she obcyel him.
"This is the way came to lenve my
rativc country and my connections. l
had no difficulty in finding the count
and his daughter. His sister had more
sense than he, and. thanks to her, |
the woman loved. We were
happy, but our happiness was not to
last long. She died of her first child.
birth, and my mother, who was expect
Ing Us to return to Germany, departed
This world during the same week. My
sister was drowned a few months later.
Yes. 1t was year Of deaths and an
sulsh. don't think my heart ever
recovered from it.
II have had my ups and downs In
America. | have tried to return to my
I'D home, but II Is no use. My home Is
lere. | am neither German nor an
American, but the past is gone to re-
urn never more. am used to this part
II New York. and like the respect and
he attention which the people show
nc around here. Ny heart is filed with