The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-10-14


S.some one" though why I nm sure
don't know unless it's because Mrs.
Kay's brother Is on the city council.
Papa was quite offhand about the
matter.
ut Will rub up the girls French end
give US oil thorough change Of scene,
Maria" he said to mamma. Il quite
hong to .parley-voo' again and to taste
some Of those delicious little French
dishes. Alb! / tell you, travelling en-
larges the mind"
And he went of to smoke In high
good humor.
We were recommended to boarding
house by the Rays. They assured US
that "only the best people will be
found there. We've often stayed there
ourselves"
We engaged rooms and after a horri-
BILE crossing arrived at our destination.
The .-.peasion" was rather dingy and
unprep0ssessing. and the best peo-
plen were certainly very dull. They
were mostly English. and they steadily
avoided one another. II 1t had not
been for bright little FrenchwoInan
and her husband it would have been
deadly. but we went about with them
for the first few days, and then-the
count came.
The whole place was in f1utter Of
excitement, and we were simply long
ing for the evening meal. when, as our
portly landiady assured us, with her
gilt earrings twinkling from emotion.
m. le Comte de Marabout will give US
the honor Of his distinguished com
pany. He Is not proud. NJ. le Comte!
Ron Dieu, no! But an aristocrat-jusqu
au bout des ongles! No uouvcaux riches
Gor Antoinette Barnard! Bah! They
should not show their noses inside her
pension! MaiS vouS verreZ. nlam'selle.
vous verrez-you shall acQuainC your
self with elite OF France. Attendons-
jusqu'a ce soir."
And she hustled away in the volumi-
nous bombazine which she had donned
In honor Of her illustrious guest. l
was surprised to find count made so
much Of in q republican country. but
then, as papa says, travelling does
enlarge the mind"
We smartened ourselves up good
deal for the evening. My sister Laura.
who is very romantic--I think 1t must
come from reading the Woman's Home
Gazette, for It doesn't run i'll the fam
ily-made up all kinds OF castles In the
air while we were dressing. These so
distracted me that heated the curling
irons too hot and burned off my fringe
I was very veIed. for tnew that the
count would never look Al such guy"
as Jim called me. when he met US
going down to dinner. And Laura
looked particularly pretty that evening.
The count almost came up to our eS'
pectationS. It's true he was rather
short and inclined to embonp0int
Chats q delightful word for fat.
which we learned from our "Trip
abr0adi, buA he had beautiful dark
eyes and very lovely waxed mus
rache and q little pointed beard and
white hands, with two diamond rings
on them. He sat opposite to us. and
to our delight papa began converse,
tion with him over handing the sauce
(He had looked ut Laura pretty often
during soup Before dinner was
over We were all on very frleadl,
terms, and he spoke English very
well, so we hadn't to trouble about
French must add that, though papa
had been so anxious to ''parley-voo"
again while we were still at Paw
tncket, yet he never let US hear any Of
1t. He always sent US on in front
when he had to speak to native.
Boulogne was quite different place
to us from the day the count came.
BE was our constant companion, and
1t was delightful to go about with q
real live nobleman. We used to say
"count" especially loud when We pass
ed English people. 1t made them sit
up," as Jim said. 1t was d pity the
count was so poor-papa always had
t>,,k hn ,tSa1 fn Qnn1n,