Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-06-20

come.
"Oh, no, your excellency," pleaded
Nish; scarcely as bad as all that, If
may say so-not refused exactly.
He will come. at least he promised
| to-
"Ah, that lifts load from my brain
If he promised he'll come! Diplomat
ically speaking, Prince Danilo's word
is as good as his bond"
"Diplomatically speaking, your excel
lency," affirmed Nish, "he agrees to
be here as soon as he has finished the
magnum Of champagne that was in the
| ice Fail beside him when left"
"How much OF it was gone?''
'"The cork was not yet drawn, butt
"Be on the lookout for him, Mr..
Nish. When he comes put ice on his
head If necessary. Sober him at any
cost"
"I fancy it will be cheaper than fill
ing him up. I'll do my best, your ex-
cellency."
But the ambassador at a whispered
word from a servant had already pot
tered out of the room as fast as his
somewhat shaky old legs would carry
him, and the voluble Nish ran along
in his wake.
A commotion swept through the
scattered groups in the foyer-a MUIR
muir, a rustic, whisper that resolved
itself at last into the excited phrases:
.'The widow has arrivedY' Twenty
millions and unincumberedw widow
Of Sadowa. the animated money bag!'
"a Monte Cristo fortune for some
lucky man. "Her name is Sonia Sa-
dowa; twenty riillions-red hair, too.
but a beauty!'' Twenty millionsP'
'The Merry Widow! -:
Down the stairway from the dress
ing rooms and into the salon swept
woman-young, beautiful, vivacious. A
light of mischief danced in her great
dark eyes.
Her masses of auburn hair shone
like IN aureole above her rather
pale, delicate face. About her lowered
half score of gallantS, all vying for
a word, a-look, from the beauty land
fortune) of the Paris season.
Two men-the Marquis of Cascade
and the Count de ST. Brioche-were
lucky enough to claim for a moment
or two her attention. E
"No, nor Sonia was saying in pro-
test. cat home, in Marsovia, men don't
make such pretty speeches. Courtship
there is very primitive and marriage
is for life. When man makes love to
another's wife, he is promptly shot.
When wife flirts, her husband beats
her black and blue-a good plan. Why
not try it in Parish
"Delightfulv' exclaimed Cascade do
you know, madame, we have been
counting the moments until you ap-
pearedT'
81 can well believe it," assented So
MIA. ct must have been just like
counting money"
"Oh, madamer' protested the group,
Mortified.
Don't know?" retorted Sonia, a
little bitterly. Its always like that.
People count me like so much money.
If 1t is coarse for me to say so, re-
member I'm a farmers daughter and
that in my country people call spade
spade"
Popof and Natalie came hurriedly in
to pay theS' respects to the guest upon
whom Marsovia's hopes so depended.
At sign from the ambassador the 9TH
ers drew back.
$50 you were shocking some Of our
Paris gallantsY beamed the ambassa-
dor. What a child of nature you
are!'
you mean," countered Sonia, "that)I
am a peasant dressed up. How wish
sometimes that were a real peasant
again.
"Ahv chuckled Popoff. "Child Of ma
ture, true child Of nature, always
remembering the dear old days on the
farm-the bleating OF the pigs, the new
laid milk, the tomatoes freshly dug
up and all the simple joys OF the coun-
try! But want you to meet tonight
some Of our MarSovian nObaliy-for
instance, Prince Danxlo, q charming
young fellow. He'll DO here presently.
D0nilo h"-
Bot the mischief had died out Of
Don4a's eyes. Her face was palex than
WIS t6 won't and there was a stern
look % Of pain about the daintily
chlsesed mouth.
II have already met Prince Danilo,"
she said curly.
"Realiyr' cried Popon. Then, not
ing her change OF expression, he added
with apprehension:
Il hope 1t was not ON one OF his wet
days-a charming, lovable youngster
In spite OF his
81 am not interested in hearing about
him." broke In Sonia In curiously
level, emotionless voice. cit was long
ago that we met. He will have forgot
ten me even as-as I have forgotten
him. Let us talk Of something else,
please"
Even Popoff could see something was
seriously amiss.
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