West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-03-14

wife and asccnded the throne. whereon
his progeny In the direct line have sat
| from then till this very hour-with one
| short interval. And, finally, II YOU
| walk through the picture galleries at
Burlesdon, among the fifty portraits or
so OF the last century and half you
will nnd fivc or six. including that OF
the sixth earl, distinguished by long.
sharp, straight noses and n quantity
OF dark red hair: these Ave or six have
also blue eyes. whereas among the
| Rasscndylls dark eyes are the com
moner
That is the explanation and am
| glad TO have finished IL. The blemishes
on honorable lineage are n delicate sub.
ject, and certainly this heredity we
J hear so much about is tho finest scan
! dalmonger In tho world: Il laughs at
| discretion and writes strange entries
| between the lines OF the "peerlgcs."
| IL Will be observed that my Slster.in.
| law, with want OF logic that must
/ have been peculiar to herself (since we
are no longer allowed TO lay IL to the
! charge OF her SEX, tr0ated my com
! pleXion almost as an offense for which
/ was responsible fastening to assume
from that external sign inward quail
| tiles OF which l protest my entire in
nOcence aud this unjust Inference she
! sought 10 buttress by pointing to the
usclessnoss OF the life had led Well.
| be that as IL may, / had picked UP n
| good deal OF pleasure and good deal
OF knowledge had been TO Ger
man school aud Il German university
and spoke German as readily and per
| fcctly as English: ] was thoroughly at
/ home in French; | had smatterng OF
| Italian and enough Spanish TO swear
/ by. 1 was. | believe, strong though
/ hardly n fine. swordsmau and Il good
! shot ! could ride anything that had
! back TO sit on, and my head was a.
| cool one ns you could find, for all its
| flaming cover. If you say that ought
TO have spent my time ia useful labor
am out OF court aud have nothing TO
! say, save that my parents had no busl-
ness to leave me 1900 n year and n
rowing disposition.
"The difference between you and
Robert" said my slster-ln-law, who Of
ten bless herb speaks on n platform
| and oftener still as II she were on one,
"is that he recognizes the duties OF his
! position and you only see the opportun-
| tiles of yours"
| "To man Of spirit, my dear Rose"
! I answered. opportunities are duties"
/ "Nonsenser said she. tossing her
head. And after moment she went
! on. Now here's Sir Jacob BOrrodaile
| Offering you exactly what you might
be equal to-"
"a thousand thanksr ! murmured.
Hes to have nm embassy In six
! months, and Robert says he Is sure
| that he'll take you as an attache. DO
! take II, Rudolf. 20 please me"
Now, when my slster-in-law puts the
! matter I'm that way, wrinkllng her
/ pretty brows, twisting her little hands
| and growing wIstful in the eyes, all on
account OF an idle scamp like myself,
| for whom she has no natural RESPONSE
! blllty, am visited with compunction.
Moreover. ] thought II possible that /
could pass the time In the position sug-
/ gested with some tolerable nmuse-
ment Therefore ! said:
"My dear sister, n I'm six mouths
/ time no unforeseen obstacle has arisen
and SIR Jacob invites me. hang me II
| don't go with Sir jacob"
ooh. Rudolf how good OF you I
| am Rladw
where's he going tor
/ "IIc doesn't know yet. but it's sure
/ - be a good embassy"
/ "Madam." said I. "for your sake I'll
! go II It's no more than n beggnrly lega.
ton. When do n thing. don't do 81
/ by halves"
/ My promise, then. was given. but six
/ months are six months and seem an
I eternity, and lnasmuch as they stretch.
! ed between me and my prospective In
( dustry q suppose attaches are indus
/ triOus; but J know not, for never be.
[ come attache 10 Sir Jacob or TO my
| body else) cast about FOR some de.
/ slrable mode Of spending them. And
/ Il occurred TO me suddenly that 7
/ would Visit Rurltanla. IL may seem
strange that I had mover visited that
/ country yet. but my father On spite Of
a sneaklng fondness for the Eiph.
| bergs. which led him 10 give me. his
second son. the famous Elpbberg
name Of Rudolf had always been
everse 10 my going, and since his death
my brother. prompted by Rose. had ac-
cepted the family tradition which
taught that n wide berth was % be
I given 70 that country.
But the moment Ruritanla had come
Into my head I was eaten up with Gu.
ri)sity to see Il. After all. red hair and
long noses are not confined 60 the
house Of Elphberg. and the old story
seemed preposterously insufficient
reason FOR debarring myself from nc
quointauce with q highly interesting
nud important kingdom. one which had
played mo small part In European his
tory aud might do the like again un-
der the sway Of a young and vigorous
ruler such as the new king was ru-
morcd to be- My determination was
dinched by reading iu the Times that
Rudolf v was TO be crowned at Strel
sou in the course Of the next three
wccks and thot great mamincenco
was TO mark the occasion At once
made up my mind to be present and
began my preparations. But inasmuch
as 1t has never been my practice to
furnish my relatives with an itinerary
OF my Journeys, and in this case / 0n.
tcipatcd opposition 20 my wishes.
gave out that was going FOR a ramblc
in the Tyrol-an old haunt OF mine
and prOpi!iated Roses wrath by de
claring that I intended TO study the
[ political and aOcio1 probloua ~ thf