The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-04-16

~ II as he threw himself into
A u a chair on the veranda;
@NM IN your opportunity has ar
sXsgYSHy ID rived--or is about to. A
k kllESs3S S@SS. ID German count, real thing,
MsS&MSM;s you know, family castle
Snz99Xsgxau and ancestral portraits
and estates and orders and name
longer than trolley line. Coming to-
morrow, so brush up on German and
the history of the Won chimmielheim-
er family, and plan the most fetching
of costumes"
In an instant Cousin Fred was the
center OF six excited girls, and vas
piled with so many questions that the
very atmosphere seemed one great in
terrogation point.
How do | know? A little bird told
me. Besides, Frank Lacy showed me
a letter from the counts secretary;
Frank knew him at the university. He
has to leave for the west, and wants
me to do the hOnors in his place. Yes,
the count is unmarried young and elig-
BILE; probably hunting for girl with
a barrel of money. That gives Fannie
and Belle rather the inside track. Al
though 1 imagine Aunt Margaret would
make some sacrifices to give Dora and
Helen a show to be a countess. | guess
Iona, you will have to sit on the fence
and see him go by. Of course Mary,
will sass him and be sarcastic with all
concerned"
That's where your heads level re-
sponded Mary. | haven't money or
expectations enough to buy dry goods
clerk, and if l had million, and had
to buy husband | don't know but the
dry goods clerk would be the best in
veStment."
81 confess that wouldn't object to
wearing coronet" remarked. Fannie.
i"GoOd'' responded Cousin Fred. "One
entry for the prize. Do l hear another
bid?'
'I hope he's handsome" remarked
Dora, as the six cousins started for their
rooms to dress for dinner.
The next day the count arrived with
his secretary, who apparently was also
his companion. In the evening the
two were presented to the girls by COu
sin Fred They were intelligent gen.
tlemen of % or 80.
After the introductions there fol-
lowed an immediate appropriation of
the count by Fannie and Dora, with
languid effort on the part of Belle to in
terest the titled person. and Intellectual
attempts by Helen and Iona to main
tain their parts.
Mary soon found herself in CONVEX
sation with the private secretary, who
was slightly taller than the count. Soon
they were joking away with the utmost
freedom. When Fannie took the
counts arm and swept out on the
broad veranda for a promenade giving
the other girls a glance Of triumph,
Mary could not resist saying sweetly to
MIR. Schwartz:
Your European aristocracy never
make mistake III picking out the girl
| with money"
II beg your pardon!" replied her
companion surprised.
ooh, yes, he has instantly discovered
the richest one of the party" Then
noting the establishment on his face,
she continued:
you mustn't be surprised at any
thing do. No one is, after they know
me- I am the incorrigible' of the fam
fly
"Then Miss Curtin is very wealthy"
eyes, indeed. Money on both sides
| of the hOuse-nOthing lacking but a
count or a duke or something of that
Sort
'Then the count is esteemed great
catch?"
by those who want that: sort of
| thing and can afford to pay for it," she
| replie1.
He laughed with rather more mirth
| than the occasion seemed to demand,
| and offered his arm for promenade
During the days that followed the
two Germans became more and more
intimate with the Curtin party, which
! intimacy was duly approved of by the
mammas. Fanny retained her lead with
the count, although he took Helen rid
| ing and always danced more with Belle,
but she by all odds the best dancer,
while the private secretary and Mary
| found themselves thrown together a
great DEAL He liked her sharp tongue
and unconventional comments. The
mamm2s of the party were recOnciled
| (Mary's mamma was dead, and they
even commented that sit would be just
like Mary to marry some secretary or
somebody who had neither money nor
| positiOn-but dear knows, they had
done all they could and she was such
| headstrong piece that it was beyond
guessing what she would do next-per-
haps become school-teacher and any
| marriage were better than that
The stay of the foreigners, which had
been set for one week, heightened to
| two, and then to three; and here it was
the fourth week, and the season nearly
over 1t was evident that matters were
| approaching a crisis between Fannie
and the count. 1t also became evident
one day that there was a breach be-
tween the two Germans. Cousin Fred
rushed out of the billiard-room into the
midst of the girls on the veranda
Great Caesars ghost but that pri-
vate secretary, Schwartz, has been lay
| ing down the law to the count! Both