The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1905-08-16
MyLord 0no His
Daughter
By CONSTANCE TYLER
Copyright, 1905, by T. O. Mcclure

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Mr.. Thomas Hope Of Chelmsford was
not only the proprietor of Hopes bank,
the owner of three or four factories
and the recognized business head Of
the town, but he was president Of three
or four societies and charities and Of
high standing as a church member.
Whatever Mr.. Thomas Hope said or
did was always the correct thing. He
and his wife could have existed with
out Chelmsford, but had they departed
for other climes that town would have
dted-socially.
1t happened that Mr.. Hope had to
make a trip to Paris In financial in
terests. He spoke to no one on his way
over. Several strangers dropped re-
marks to which he could have replied
consistently, but he held himself aloof
with true British reserve. When Brit
ish reserve has money behind 1t, it Is
stone wall. Mr. Hope might have re-
piled to an earl or a lord had such
parsonage addressed him and had he
been certain that there was no imposi-
ton. The banker shuddeEed as he look
ed over the common travellers.
Mr.. Hope was not impressed with
Paris. He had been there before. 1t
was his duty to impress Paris instead.
and when he departed, after a stay Of
three or four days, he felt sure that he
had done so and was very complacent
over 1t. This self complacency serv-
ed to a certain extent to thaw out his
reserve. That is, he deigned to show
himself among his fellow passengers
on the boat instead of locking himself
up In his stateroom, but at the same
time he let it be seen that his dignity
was not to be trifled with.
Suddenly something happened to the
great man. A good looking young wo-
man approached him and, addressing
him as MY lord" asked the privilege
Of speech. Never before in his life had
he been addressed by young woman
"a strange young woman. His dignity
would have received a fatal shock had
she not used the prefix. His lattered
vanity offset the shock. His wife had
several times aVerred that he looked
like an earl, and now here was living
proof that she was right. He put up
his eyeglass and gave the young wo-
man a critical glance and indicated
by a cold bow that she might proceed.
She had a story to tell. She was an
English governess who had passed the
last three years in Partisan family.
AS she had great property expecta-
tons the family wanted her to marry
one Of the sons. Because she would
not-because she had said that as an
English girl she would not marry an
enemy of her countryside had been
charged with purloining certain articles
Of jewelry and driven from the house.
The incensed family might even seek
her arrest.
1t was a pathetic story, with many
embellishments, and Mr.. Hopes heart
was touched-his British heart. It
wasn't touched because the young wo-
man was good looking, but because
she had continually addressed him as
my lord" and had appealed to him as
the British lion itself. She wanted his
protection while landing. That French
family might have set the minions Of
law at work and she might be arrested
and hailed back to Paris and thrust
into a dungeon for years without trial
Under the protection Of my lord"
what officer OF the law would dare look
twice at her? II they looked many
times it would mean war between the
two countries.
Thomas Hope listened, was hattered,
and his iron bound dignity became as
putty. For the first time in twenty
years he had some human feeling about
him. He came out Of his shell and dis
covered that there were joints In his
backbone. Had that. young woman
made the mistake OF appealing to him
as "Mr." or even as "Viscount'' her
petition would have been ignored, but
that little trick Of my lord" worked
like miracle. She should land under
his protection, and II interfered with
grim war and al ItS hoErQng would