Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-29

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laid up in his room that day, but he
/ came down after dinner and groaned
| out as he met me:
MY last hope is gone! Ellen tells
me she has accepted the count, and
the beggar is going to have the fact
published tomorrow
"But suppose you refuse your sane
ton and order the old beggar to get?"
Say, you don't know Ellen. l threat
ened to do that, and she declared she'd
elope with him."
And what If you told the count he
should never touch dollar of your
money!"
He'd smile and smirk and take it
for bluff. BY the horn spoon, but
I'll pay bravo ten thousand dollars
in gold to break his old neck! You
know about these braves Go out and
find one for me and tell him to come
around with sandbag."
The man was really In wretched spir-
It's over the affair. 1t would not have
taken some fathers two minutes to end
it, but he was Ill and morbid, and bis
strength of character was gone for the
time. We sat talking for an hour and
then went up stairs and joined the
couple on the balcony. The daughter
received us in a chilly fashion. but the
count had been drinking and was good
natured and voluble. / had insulted
hut I ofrin 0f tho
charming Miss Saunders and her re-
spected father. and he would overlook
1t. We were little family party, and
we were by ourselves on little bal
cony. and he would take advantage of
the occasion to say that In seeking the
hand Of the fair girl before him he was
melted by love alone. He was forty
five years old and lonely. He wanted
to love and be loved. Money to him
was as to the cobblestones in the
street. He had estates in Sardinia, in
Lombardy and in Umbria. He had
castles in Tuscany, Naples and Sicily.
He had gold mines in the Alps, silver
mines in the Carncs and lead mines
in the Apennines And as to his social
standing. who could desire more than
to be the contidant of the ruler Of the
land?
The old count was sleek, slick liar
and it was entertaining to hear him
talk, but at the same time one could
not help but pity the father and feel
provoked at the daughter. The aged
lover was still exploiting when he sud.
denly pitched forward out of his chair. |
The girl screamed out and ran away to
her room, and | WAS for bringing doc
tor as quick as possible when Saun-
ders protested:
Hold on a bit. The old vasabond
has only tainted away. Let's see what
he Is made Of"
We went to work. and the results
were strange enough. l brought soap |
and water from my room. and the first |
thing we took off was a false brow.
We got enough enamel Off his face to
reveal score of wrinkles. and it was
discovered that every tooth in his head
was false Under his wig was shiny
pate, and his backbone was stiiicncd
with corset. believe that IL was the
tightness of the corset had caused
his faint. There WAS something still to
come. His right leg was supported at
the knee with a brace, and Il nose
which had been broken was neatly
trimmed with wax. When we had
taken the old fellow all to pieces, he
was queer sight to look at. and 1t was
hard to tell whether the heap on the
chair or the heap on the floor was
Count Padoya. BE had partly revived
before we got through, and he eackled
away like an old hen.
"And this groaned Saunders as he
pointed to the heap on the chair-"thls
was to be my son-in-law! This was
what my daughter was to marry in or
der to be called countess; want
her here"
He was back with her in moment.
/ lifted the count to sitting position,
and he was chattering Of love and Gus
ties as the girl got sight Of him.
what have you done?" shrieked TIE
daughter as she turned from the grisly
spectacle to us.
"We've simply taken him apart" re-
piled the father, land the best part Of
him is on the chair there"
When the would be countess had fed,
we sent for help to get Count Padova
to his room. He had to be handled ,
with care. Any sudden move might
have pulled limb or his head off. ,
There was considerable hilarlty among
the servants. and 1t was left to them
TO glue the pieces together again aud
make man. When morning came, he
had disappeared. and he had not even
left a farewell note behind. A day I
alter Saunders said to me:
Lord, man, but feel like dancing /
There Is to be no countess
N our family. Ellen has written to
Toung lawyer in Chicago and said yes
o his proposition. and we are making /
'eady to scoot for home Come out and
nave three drinks and hurrah with I
nev'
Insanity and Genius.