Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-05-23

she said firmly. VI have answered
J you"
} The duke had also risen. lie looket
, her full In the eyes, Angela" b,
said. with the awkward dignity which
J Is Il characteristic Of the st. Giles fam
} lily. III ! do not vote legally from ev
, cry ono Of those constituencies YOU
shall never see me again."
And he took his hat and his depar
! ture.
,
1T is madness, your grace" expostu
J merit
II suppose | can afford to be mad,
the duke replied cOoly.
"Oh certainly, your grace. The es
tatcs arc In most fourishlng condi
ton. and. of course, the prospect OF
your winning the Dandy millions"-
II doa't care twopence for the Dan.
by millions. 1t Is the girl l want"
And then. as IL ashamed Of his show OF
feeling. he went on hurriedly, "And
now tell me what has been doneT
"Wcll. your grace, have had the
schc lulcs made out, and 1t is possible
barely possible-for you to cover the
ground in time But it will cost-spe-
cial trains and all that-it will cost
hundreds of pounds"
81 will risk thousands, but" half to
himself. II must win the girl. Be good
enough to show me an itinerary for my
Journey"
A touch Of bell brought the head
clerk with series Of especially print
cd lists. They were the way bills, ex-
penscs. list Of stopping places, relays
OF horses and similar tables. All the
preparations for the carrying out Of
the dukes daring experiment had been
made
That evening found the duke speed
Ing northward, and next morning he
recorded the first vote Of his long Sc
ries Then a special whirled him into
the west county, where he voted be-
fore dinner time at no less than three
boroughs. At every stopping point
stood barouche and four waiting to
bear him at q gallop to the voting
booths. And that was only the first of
many days.
Presently the word spread far and
wide Of the wanderings of the mad
Duke of Daleshire." Many jeered. but
old Mr.. Dandy chuckled delightedly.
THAT'S a man after my own heart.
| have done him an injustice, but l
will make amends for II by and by.
Perhaps Angela has told him some
thing"
The two weeks of election were
drawing to close. and the crisis Of
the dukes experiment was at hand.
He had voted in thirty-fve constituent
cics. Only two remained but these
elections occurred on the same day,
and one was In the north of Scotland
and the other In the south Of Ireland.
The duke arrived Mt his seat of Bal
lenguich castle on the eve of election.
Next morning the polls were scarcely
opened when his carriage came dash
ing up. The tenants hardly knew him,
so much had the strain Of the last two
weeks told upon him.
Then the special train whirled him
away on the wild race through Scot.
land and England to distant Liverpool
Never did n special make greater
speed. With the way clear the wheek
seemed scarcely to touch the rails.
One-ten, and Liverpool! But griev.
GUS disappointment met the duke. The
packet boat for Dublin was delayed an
hour. He stormed and bribed, but to
no purpose. and was about to betake
himself to his hotel in despair when q
telegram was handed him. 1t was from
Dublin and was signed angela"
Papa's steam launch Champion in Liv-
erpool at your disposal.
Twenty minutes later saw the duke
speeding down the Mersey on the
Champion, fastest of It's kind.
The day was drawing to close In
Ballyconncll. and with 1t the election.
1t was tiny hamlet, SO 1t was small
wonder that there was more interest
taken in the beautiful lady who had so
mysteriOusly appeared on the scene In
a fi1e carriage than in the election. AS
the minutes passed the girl, for she
was hardly more than girl, grew visi-
bly, impatient as she looked and listen
cd for some one who did not come.
Finally she jumped lightly from the
carriage and asked the crowd IL they
would be willing to listen to a speech
In honor of the Tory candidate.
They were In mood for diversion
and not lOath to humOr so pretty a lady. |
so they drew around her. Her voice
even attracted the gentlemen In charge
of the ballot boxes. They did not no.
tice that the hour for closing the polls |
had passed by.
Five minutes past the hour-ten. The
girl was desperate. Could she hold |
them another moment. All the pretty |
color had faded from her cheeks. but |
she talked on.
Suddenly there was the thud Of hoOfs,
a whrl Of dust, and another carriage |
dashed up. Out jumped very travel
worn young man. who hurried into a
booth where his factor had all creden-
tals ready and deposited his thirty.
seventh and last vote. IL the election
judges realized that 1t was past the
hour for voting, they were too much
taken by surprise to say anything.
And then the duke turned to the girl.
She was still trembling. but she made
n brave attempt to smile rs she said:
Let me congratulate you on the ac-
compllshment Of the impossible"