River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-02-04
Jones' Joust With
the Duke ~ ~
By CLYDE NORMAN
,opyright, 1903, by Daily Story Pub. Coz


any engagement between us and you
have no claim on me. Mothers heart
is set on nay marriage to the duke ana
he is a very fine gentleman. AND,
George. you know / never could en-
dure a prosy, commonplace life. |
l can't help it if / am romantic and
like castles and coats-of-arms and
family portraits and ancestral tradi-
lions and Iiveried servants and all that
sort of thing"
The girl began the speech with sort
of gentle defiance, but ended in a
lamely apologize tone.
The face of the young man, which
was flushed from his passionate re-
monstrance, grew pale while she spoke
and the fire died from his eyes, which
looked steadily into hers.
But you do not love him and you
do love me-" he said.
you presume too much" she re-
piled, flushing now in her turn. "Sir
Charles is a nobleman both by name
and nature and / admire and respect
him. OF course, I have been fond of
you, George, but you have no right to
assume that / love you"
A slight smile trembled on the lips
Of the young man.
There are some occasions and some
words you seem to have forgotten" he
said. For instance, one moonlight
evening at Lake Geneva"
Now, George, don't be mean" she
interrupted, sharply. "Of course, l
have been fond Of you and | am fond
of you, but girl don't have to marry
the first young man who makes love
to her-even if she has liked him and
let him say foolish things TO her. Now
do be sensible and don't spoil our good
friendship. If it were only the good
old days CT chiyalry when men fought
for their lady loves, you could go In
and settle it between you, but | am
SO dreadfully weak and mamma is so
strong, and her head is set on this
match that / simply cannot oppose
her"
A strange light Ieaped into the
young mans eyes.
IF it were in the good old days and
I rode up in armOr on white charger,
fought your duke to defeat and picked
you up under your mothers nose and
despite your fathers protests and rode
away, would YOU be happy with me?"
ooh, that would be beautiful" she
exclaimed, clapping her hands. "But
what's the use of talking about it. We
live in prosaic times and men are as
weak and spiritless as women. 1t must
be- dreadful for a man like Sir Charles
with all the heroic blood of his race,
to moon about in a dress suit like or
binary men" She ended with a sigh.
Il guess Sir Charles can bear up
under it, replied the young man drily,
providing he can find somebody to
pay for his dress suit and champagne"
That's right, be horrid il you want
tn and drag everything and everybody
down to the level of business and
finance" she retorted II don't believe
you would fight for your ladylove if
the good old days of chivalry were
still here. You'd rather sit in your old
Office and make money-so there!'
THE days of chivalry are always
here" he replied slowly, "and men al
ways have fought for women and al
ways will The only difference is in
the weapons. Good night"
He turned abruptly to leave her.
Now, don't be ugly and horrid
about it. will you?" she said. Sir
Charles is to be here next week to
spend a fortnight Mamma is prepar-
ing to announce the engagement Don't
make it harder for me-
Depend upon me-" he replied, smil-
ing broadly.
In due time appeared Charles Arthur
Fitzmorris, twenty-first duke of Bat
tleborough, viscount of Chiselhurst,
baron of something or other and a
baronet. The papers never did get his
title in twice alike. With him was a
great array of boxes and bags and
trunks, servants ald paraphernalia,
the details of which only travelling no.
bi1ity knows George Jones was duly
introduced to his rival and greatly
puzzled Beatrice Derwent by the con-
descending friendliness of his manner.
He seemed almost to pity the foreigner
and acted more like the successful
sutton than the rejected. 1t was at a
reception at the Derwents and as he
made his adieuX he whispered to Be-
atrice:
II have arranged that joust with the
duke"
And she looked at him aghast and
replied earnestly:
George! Don't you dare make a
scandal"
All the next day she puzzled as to
what Georges mysterious remark por-
tended.
A few days later shortly after six
o'clock in the. evening she was sum-
moned in haste to the reception hall
and found George Jones.
There's somebody at the Milwaukee
depot who wants to see you on a very i'm
portant matter" he exclaimed, breath
Iessly. THE train goes at seven o'clock
and she did not have time to come
here to see you, and asked me to come
and get you. There's carriage wait
ing at the door. Just throw on your
cloak and come on. There's just
time"
Goodness gracious! what is it all
about?' she gasped. "Who is it?"
Il don't know what it is about" he
replied mysteriously, but l suspect
and | know you will be sorry if you
don't go. AS to who it is, l promised
not to tell you, but it is a good friend