The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-07-29
IN I. COSTUME.

erous memory" she smiled. Count Eg-
mont was executed i'll Flanders, and
Baron Montigny was murdered in Spain"
"Gracious!" exclaimed the duke. ''How
on earth did you know that"
every schoolgirl knows it." said the
dowager. "And you," she went on ac-
cusingly, care popularity supposed to
have been implicated in both these
| Crimes
'I?'' said the duke. sitting up. 81 pro-
test | know nothing whatever about the
matter!"
'Its no use prevaricating," retorted
the dowager. "You will pretend next
that you know nothing about HARLEM"
"Never met the gentleman" he de-
clared, with conviction. ''Never met him
in my life, assure you"
"Haarlem was not gentleman" she
corrected.
"Ah, then, that accounts for it, said
the duke airily. II only associate with
-er-gentlemen, don't you know"
"Haarlem," explained the dowager pa
tiently, "was a city, my friend. After
protracted siege you entered it and,
in defiance of your pledged word, mas
sacred the inhabitants to the number of
over 1000 innocent persons
Dear me-" said the duke, "did l
really?"
Undoubtedly" she assured him. "Do
you mean to say that you forget even
that?' ~ 49,
Again the duke shook his head and
sighed.
."It-ah-it happened, you see, lsuch
deuce of a long time ago." he apollo
gized. "My-er-my uncle would, no
doubt, recollect the sad occurrence" he
added, as happy thought.
"Your uncle? Oh-fe!'' smiled the
dowager. "You shouldn't make fun of
the dear man. After all, he's not So
so very old, remember
"Well, he's older than / am, anyway"
snapped the duke.
"He might marry again, you know"
she reminded him, "even yet"
The duke made an emphatic gesture
of dissent.
"There's not the remotest chance of
it, he declared. mo woman in her
senses would be fool enough to marry
my uncle"
"Then you really think" said the
confidential as she leaned prettily toward
you will well, you know
what-?"
The duke nodded in perfect compre
hension of this cryptic remark. Il en-
terrain not the least doubt on the
point" he assured her.
II am glad of that" she murmured
absently. cit would be rather jolly to
he AID"
Duchess % suggested the duke. The
dowager drew herself up haughtily and
tried to look angry.
"Your grace mistakes!' she began
with extreme dignity ''I-"
my grace does nothing of the Sort"
interrupted the duke impatiently.
"What? Is q man not to be allowed to
know his own feelings, pray?"
"a man." echoed the dowager.
"Well, a duke, then," he corrected, re-
garding her sternly.
"Oh, but 1 was thinking of mine," she
stammered, looking down at the tips of
her pointed little shoes. II was wonder
ing whether it would be well,
right for woman-7-
"a woman?'' said the duke, staring.
swell, dowager, then-to marry "a.
crime stained man like"
"Like?" demanded the duke, severely.
His grace of Alva," replied the dow
ager, with saucy little curtsey.
II am told" said the duke, fixing
stern eye upon her, II am tod
The dowager stiffened perceptibly.
"Pray, and what are you told?"
II am told,' repeated the duke, with
cold precision, "that in the days of her
youth, the Dowager Countess of Elm
park was-well, was not better than she
should have been, at any rate"
"An-an abominable calumny!" gasped
the dowager hotly.
$50 1 should hardly have expected"
calmly pursued the duke-"I should
hardly have expected her ladyship to
entertain any violent scruples of the kind
you mention.'
81 don't believe word of it," protest
ed the dowager, blushing, "or \ ="
''Or what?'' inquired the duke kindly.
COR 1 should not have chosen this
this particular character to come to the
ball in tonight, of course"
Il am very glad you did, said the
duke, 'for assure you it is an infinitely
becoming one."
''That was my only reason explained
the dowager earnestly. "You know the
picture, I suppose? ?"
The duke bowed II see it before me-"
he replied.
mo, no. she frowned. 81 mean the
picture in the national gallery-Ho-
garth's portrait of the Countess of Elm
park
"I made special point of examining
it the other day." he announced, "when
I looked in to study the Duke of Alva's
costume Hogarth's portrait of
the Duke of Alva, you know--room 5.
A fine painting!"
II don't believe you have ever been
to the national gallery in your life" de-
clared the dowager, vehemently. clio
garth never painted a portrait of the
Duke of Alva at ALP
Dear me,' said the duke, "sdidn't he
Why not ?"
Because he happened to live about
200 years after the duke was dead,''
snapped the dowager.
swell, he-er-he might have painted
one rom-from hearsay, you know"
suggested the duke. anyhow, you are
wrong. I did go to the gallery. went
expressly to see the countess portrait
a most charming, a most remarkably
beautiful old LADY,
''Yes, she was considered the most
beautiful woman of the PERIOD the
dowager informed him. "Do you think
I'm at. all like Aer?''
Not a bit,' replied the duke with
decision "I mean," he added hastily
you are ever so much more beautiful.
hoe. Iae, 1x, 10,