The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-11-04

My father was an American.
Il my mother Italian. But have
lived in Europe nearly all my life
There! You have more of my history
than | intended telling you" The
music went dreamily.
IL knew it, Who but an American
woman would have the courage to do
what you are doing tonight? Who
but one of mine own counTywomen
would trust me so wholly and accept
me so frankly for what | am-an
American gentleman"
''Softlyw she warned. You will dig
a pit for your vanity"
mo, | am an American gentleman.
and am proud of it. though this state,
ment in your ears may have school.
boy ring"
"a nobility in this country? Impos.
sibler'
Not the kind you find in the AL,
manach de Gotha. | speak of the no
bility of the heart and the mind" He
was very much III earnest now.
Indeed" The music stopped, and
she turned. She regarded his earnest
hess with favor. He continued:
Il have travelled much. | have found
nOblemen everywhere, in all chimes,
and also | have found beasts. Oh,
confess that my country is not wholly
free from the beast. But the beast
here is a beast-shunned, discredited.
outcast On the other side. if he be
3 IN,
him sashes and decorations. And they
credit us with being money mad! 1t
is not true"
"But, if you are not money mad, why
these great fortuneST obviously.
AT a certain age fortune in this
tountry doubles itself without any eff
fort on the part of the owner. Few of
us marry for money. and when we do
we at least have the manhood to keep
the letter of our bargain"
And when you marry?' she queried.
well, it is generally the woman we
love. Dowries are not considered
| There is no social law which forbids
a dowerless girl to marry a dowerless
man" laughing. But over there it is
always and eternally a business con
tract simply. You know that
Yes, business contract" listlessly
But they talk of nobility on the
other side That is it; they talk. talk
Italy. France. Germany, Why, 1 had
rather be the son of an English farm
er than a prince on the continent And
| had rather be what | am than the
greatest nobleman in England"
go on. go on! like it What do
you call it--iingo" she laughed
Call it what you will Look at the
men we produce. Three or four hun.
dred years ago Europe gave us great
poets, great artists. great soldiers.
great churchmen and great rascals |
admire great rascal when he is a
Napoleon, a Talleyrand. Machiavelli
But petty one! We have no art. no
music. no antiquity. but we have a
race of gentlemen. The old country is
not breeding them nowadays"
'Signora. dinner is served" the maid
announced
"SignOraw thought Hiliard.
after you. Mr. Hillard." she said
He bowed and passed on before her,
but not till he had passed did he I'M
derStand the maneuver. To follow her
would have been nothing less than the
temptation to pluck at the strings of
her mask. Would he have touched It?
He could not say.
| That dinner! Was he in New York?
Was 1t not Bagdad. the bottle and the
genii? Had he ever. even in his most
romantic dreams. expected to turn
page so charming. so enchanting or so
dangerous to his peace of mind, a
game of magical hide and seek?
And she? A within, a fantastic, IN
| accountable whim-the within of a wo.
man seeking forgetfulneSs. not count
ing the cost nor caring. simply a
within.
On the little table was a Tuscany
brass lamp Of three wicks. fed by olive
oil. 1t was sufficient To light the Ia
bic, but the rest Of the room was sunk
in darkness. tie hair understood tha.
there was "A definite purpose in ln..
| semi-iluminaJicu, She had no wi>&
that he should by chaurr rrr6guiz.
anything familiar in Ills hoU~o
May ask you uu" qur-tiun?" ha
asked
NO" promptly There was SOME
thing in his eyes that made her grow
wary of sudden.
Then ! shant ask it, shah not
| ask you IL Won are married "