Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-06
AN ACQUAINTANCE.

AN ACSOAllSl ANVIL.
One evening in August the diligence
from Stanstadt stopped on the road below
the Sonnenschein hotel at Engolbere to
let down two passengers, tall. dark
young man Of distinguished demeanor,
with discreet looking person of Che un-
mistakable valet type in attendance.
The Sonnenschein visitors, awaiting the
table d'hote, were assembled on the terrace
in front of the hotel. The newcomer, as
he took his way through them with q
light, swinging step, was the object OF
many curious glances, especially from
feminine eyes. Handsome young men of
seeming distinction and attended by val
cts are not common at Swiss mountain re-
sorts. A group of ladies seated together
Lady Hunter and Hon. Mrs. Pearson,
with their respective daughters Rosie and
Amy-studied him with great attention.
They belonged to the class whose princi-
pal fields Of operation are foreign hotels.
girls speaking several languages with ma
tive 1uency. They were friends, as Irish
landlords and tenants might be between
whom questions of proprietorship in spe-
cial property are liable to arise. The ladies
had been puzzled to decide the strangers
nationality. Though he looked foreign,
there was something English in his gait
and manner. The entry in the visitors
book next morning settled the matter,
IN. lie Vicomte do Boisville ct domes-
tique, Paris"
An English viscount-with verifying
Debrett to appeal to in the case-would
have been more satisfactory, but neither
the Hunters nor Pearsons had insular
prejudices, beyond possessing certain
amount of nervous dread Of bagman
tunawares. - The latter feeling made them
hesitate to make the vicomte's acquaint-
ance, while they endeavored to obtain
further information through the usual ho-
tel channels. Discretion, however, had
not been vainly written on the lineaments
Of tho vicomte's valet, and the widest la
dies maids found him unapproachable.
Meanwhile public opinion in the Som
nenschein was unanimous on the point
that NJ. de Boisville's manners were as
distinguished as his looks and bore the
best social stamp. Caution and reserve
had a hard struggle to hold their own with
the Hunters and Pearsons, especially as
M. dc Boisville showed unmistakable
though we'll bred signs OF desire to make
the English ladies' acquaintance. We're
Hnl 1,,,k IN, ~,
OF such chances now losing the best OPP
portunity which had ever como within
their reaoh9 While hesitating, the two
mothers kept close watch on each other.
Four or five days had passed when Amy
Pearson ran breathlessly into her mothers
room one morning.
1.-THE Hunters have found out some
thing!"
"HowP whyp" Mrs. Pearson's excite
ment equaled her daughters.
II saw Rosie talking to NJ. de Boisville
in the woods just now!"
Good gracious! And they have kept
1t secret from usl What meanness! But
I will be even with Maria Hunter, for all
that"
Shortly afterward Mrs Pearson had an
interview with tho head waiter-short, but
businesslike In tho evening she did not
occupy her usual place at dinner opposite
the Hunters. She and Amy sat ut the
other end of the table, with M. de Bots
vile between them-
The Hunters, on taking their seats,
were first aware of the change and were
naturally filled with surprise and chagrin.
1.-The Pearsons have found out some
thing" Rosie exclaimed, land was SO
chilling with the man this morning when
he picked up my sketchbook in the woods. "
She cast vindictive glance at Amy, who
was being anything but chilling to the
yicomte at the moment.
st will be easy to correct the mistake,
dear, and the sooner you do it the better.
The Pearsons have found out something
very satisfactory. Trust Caroline Pearson
for that!' said Lady Hunter. You must
be polite to NJ. dc Boisville in the draw
ing room after dinner and introduce him
10 me.
On the basis Of false assumption, which
plays such a leading part in life's transac-
lions, the struggle for the vicomte began
that evening. The Hunters and Pearsons
were SO evenly matched that the contest,
once entered on, engaged oil their atten-
ton Doubt, caution and reserve were
completely abandoned What need to bark
back on them? Each party felt absolute
trust in the worldly wisdom and discrimi-
nation of the other.
The students of humanity-less respect
fully called gossips-who abounded in the
hotel, were observant from the beginning.
The vioomte seemed ductility itself in the
hands Of the rival mothers and responded
with polite alacrity to every ruse which
threw him into tho society OF the rival
daughters. The fact that he only spoke
French made no difference in either case.
both girls speaking that language as flu
emily as their mother tongue Tho battle
had varying fortunes. For some time the
sharpest observation failed to detect q bal
nnce in either direction. After fort
night, however, the opinion that victory
was inclining to the Hunter girl began
to prevail.
Mrs Pearson could not shut her eyes to
the situation. One hope kept her up. This
hope conferred in young Englishman
John yavasour. He had been supposed
in the previous spring, ut Cannes, to be
engaged to Rosie Hunter. The affair.
however-through no fault Of Lady Hunt
er's-had not been finally settled, objec-
lions having come from the Vayasour
family. Absence had not obliterated tho
impression made by Rosie's big blue eyes
on Vayasour's heart. His appearance at
might be looked for any day.
The arrangement had been made before