Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-27

| would not take mo" for an anSWeI
! His is one of the oldest families in
| Prussia. and he is on intimate terms
! with the emperor. The Earl of Micle-
| ton was at Newport when you left-he
| is the Englishn1an. you know-but sent
| me long letter from there explaining
that with my fortune he and l could
put his castle in order and entertain
royalty.
Perhaps if there had not been so
many and such tempting offers 1 might
have taken up with some one Of them.
But no sooner did 1 get my mind fixed
on the advantages Of one than l was
called upon to consider those of an
other. The prince would tell me of the
dinners we would have with the en-
peror and empress and the great social
advantages to be derived therefrom
Then the count would describe the
jewels that have been in his family
for centuries, and the exquisite pleas
ure of possessing them almost tempted
me to decide in his favor. But while
was thinking about them the fact
that the earl is an English peer with
a seat in. the house of lords would
come up before me. and you know the
English nobility is the finest in the
world. But there IS one thing about
the Micletons that isn't a bit nice-the
family derived its estates through one
Of the mistresses of a former king OF
England.
oh, dear, My brain begins to whirl
again at thinking of all these induce
ments that were so lately pulling me
in every direction. I thought how nice
it would be If they could all be united
in one man. To be German princess
and sit at the emperor's table. peer
ess Of England and be received az
Buckingham palace. a Polish countess
and wear family jewels q thousand
years old almost wished we could
have that system that was in vogue
in olden times-Polly Andrew. l think
it was called-whereby n woman could
have as many husbands rs she pleased |
q have looked the word up III the
dictionary. and it's polyandrous) Just J
think, / could have been a German
princess, an English peeress and a
Polish countess. Besides, l could 30
had real husband to love ~. Heigho, |
II had had the making OF social sys-
TENS / would have made them much /
better than l find them
As I was telling you. the day after /
you left I found myself in a very IN
comfortable position. l had promised |
the count an answer. the prince was
Of too high rank TO keep waiting, Gen
eral Dp Pont. who. by the by, didn't
tell you comes of one Of the Oldest
families in France and may be presi-
dent some day. arrived from Paris
a nd ha To vi 1f = I
from Newport What do you suppose?
Polinski was waiting in my private
parlor for his answer when up comes
the princes card. st that moment a
note is handed me from General Du
Pont stating that he had arrived and
would call IT noon dt was then III.
While reading his note another waiter
hands me the card OF the Earl OF
Micleton.
What toGs to do?
I just sat down and cried. But l
only shed few tears. hadn't time
must think. or. rather must act. Ny
first thought was to accept the prince, ]
he being Of the highest rank and con-
sidering his intimacy with the emperor !
md all that. But just could not give I
Up being a peeress OF England. Gen :
eral Du Pont had come all the way
rom France TO plead his cause, and !
here was possible presidency Of the
French republic In his suit AS TO Pc >
inski. had promised him en- answer :
IN that very day and had led him TO ,,
lelieye that IL would be favorable
Besides. got TO thinking of a certain :
sem he had described to me among /
hose family. Jewels. It seemed 10
sparkle just as II 1t was really before
ny very eyes.
It was dreadful. these four men ali ;
pushing their claims and l not able TO b
il my mind on any one OF them TO the
exclusion OF the Others AID then thinl; \
# the Gifieu!iy OF handling so many t
iuiters at once. That alone was Z
enough 10 set one wild G