The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-24

youth-m the mahogany age, early Vic
tOrian, you know
He sighed. and busted the toe o. his
narrow boot with his glove.
rs Lord Burden such a very iIupOr-
tant person ?' asked Miss Britten.
Next to myself, he is At once tie
hope and despair of Europe. He knows
so much to the discredit OF his neigh
bor-the surest means to success"
Passavant rose.
We are observed he said. by the
lady who travels with you. What is
her name-Smale, is it not? I hope she
IS not a relation. She has been watch
ing US from her bedroom window for
some time. and now. having pinned her
veil around her hat--Ought she not to
wear bonnets at her time Of life2-she
is coming down to interrupt. She
thinks I am not respecta ble-probab bly,
because I wear patent leather shoes.
Will you tell her 1 do it in order 10
save the expense Of rewarding the hO-
tel boots? Tell her ] have real lord
for an uncle, and teach IN the Sunday
school attached to the British embas 70
sy at Vienna. Tell her am respecta-
bic. Miss Britten. And If YOU VIII al
low me to suggest it. you might let
the German gentleman continue to
think you are Miss Burden. 1t NAV ne
amusing, and don't let him get into
conversation with Miss Smale Here
she comes. She is surprised and hurt
to see you talking to a Young man
she belongs TO that period
What is Miss Burdens Christian
name. and what are her fastest" asked
Miss Britten. with her energetic Laugh.
Alice: musical he answered, and
wandered away beneath the lilac trees.
During the next two days Europe
continued. as Miss Britten had Jest
inSly said, to watch Zell-am-Zee. Lord
Burdens illness was, in fact, most IL
timed. 4 conference of the powers had
been summoned TO meet at Vienna for
the purpose of amicably dividing 4 ter
ritOry as large as the British isles
1T is to be a rattle" explained Pas
savant to Miss Britten in 2 moment Of
expansiOn-''a sort of lucky bag; put
Lord Burden tied no the packages, 50
they want to keep his hand out Of the
bag if possible"
The representa- tives of certain other
countries were at this time endeavoring
to exclude Lord Burden from the con-
ference by the simple means OF refus-
ing to delay their sitting any longer.
They were so kind as TO name another
noble lord as d suitable substitute for
the sick man-said noble lord being well
known for the length of his descent
and the shOrtnesS of his comprehension.
In the meantime the representatives
exchanged formal calls at Vienna and
displayed an astonishing amount OF
brOtherly love. A German 1awspa per,
however. with singularly little tact.
suddenly blurted out its opinion that
Lord Bur6on's illness was a Tuse TO
gain time, and that England expected
important dispatches by a certain
steamer which could not reach South
ampton before the end of me week
The writer Of the article thought Il
likely that his lOTdShip would De better
on Monday.
Passavant smiled as he read this
journal, and then wrote out a bulletin
which he posted to Vienna. There are
crossroads in a mans career where it
is wOefuliy easy to take the wrong
turning, and Passavant had awaited
his promotion through long, uneventful
years. He had improved upon his
slight acquaintance with Miss Britten
and sat next to her at table d'hOte.
Miss Smale. whose watchfulness over
her neighbor's morals were frequently
interrupted by poignant anxiety re-
specting her own health, was fOrtu-
nateIy stung by a wasp at this time,
Z
wasp, il appears, stung her on the nose
while she was eating its peach.
at was certain to happen sooner. or
later commented Passayant; 'she eats
peaches all day.
There were, however, other ladies
who were duly scandaIized at this time
by the behavior of Mr.. Passavant and
Miss Britten.
He is only amusing himself with
her" said some
she is making a fool of him. -
/ laughed the rest And the German
/ gentleman. who was always endeavor-
/ ing to get speech with Miss Britten,
and was invariably frustrated just in
/ time by Passavant. scowled over his
soup spoon with such ardor that he
split more potage-a-la-ja rdiniere than
usual
Tell them said Passavant to Miss
! Britten one evening, that Lord Bur
don is better and probably will take the
air in a bathchair tomorrow. His lord
ship would like you TO walk by the side
Of the chair"
The next day Passsvant's servant
and Lord Burdens confidential valet
/ took Lord Burden out for a solemn
/ promenade in the sun, with the hood OF
/ the lined chair drawn over him to pro-
/ tect his ancient head from the heat OF
/ the day. Missf Britten walked by the
side of the chair and stopped to arrange
/ the patients cushions from time tC
time with q most touching filial devo-
ton.
The newspapers Of Europe, and more
especially those of Germany, took due
/ note of these facts. They reported thai
Lord Burden. attended by his devoted
daughter, Miss Alice Burden. was nov
convalescent at Zell-am-Zee. His lord.
ship had. however. been forbidden L
attend 10 his official duties. and die
not even receive his usual correspond
ence. Under these circumstances ii wa: