Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-28
her from being lady herself" said

her from being lady herself" said
the cook
tits much you know Of ladies' II
you think that riches has anything to
do with the making of gentry" was
!, the reproof the butler administered.
He had once been in the service of a
poor Irish lord, and his opinion Of his
present employers would probably
have brought about his dismissal had
1t been made manifest They wasted
no words with their hirelings. They
confined their intercourse with serv-
| ants to the necessary giving Of orders
in tone that somewhat approached
the "Unhand me villain" of the heroine
of melodrama
| With Miss Challoner they were dig
nifed, /lt not familiar, except In
thoughtless moments when the veneer
dropped of. They they recalled
themselves with a sense Of misbe-
havior that was the cause of many an
inward smile to their governess.
She was beginning to find her posi-
tion we'll nigh intolerable. She was
alone many hours of each day; the
children were too young to be COM
|
dreary hours with fretting spirit
that threatened to crush her youth
and health She had entered into her
new role without dreaming of the
petty indignities to which she would
be subjected. She soon learned to
avoid the guests who came and went,
for they, too, belonged to the newly
rich, and after first mistaking the dis
tinguished looking governess for some
member of the family they rectified
the blunder by ignoring or patronizing
her.
Miss Challoner checked of the days
on her calendar and prayed that the
return to New York might not be de-
layed beyond the original date. There
she had few old friends who gladly
claimed her leisure hours, who petted
her and made much Of her.
August arrived and found her still
at her post, rebellious in spirit, but
outwardly calm.
AS she entered the breakfast room
one morning, she become aware of an
excitement in the usually rather heavy
atmosphere. One of the children for.
got the morning salutation in her
keenness to impart the interesting
news.
Miss Challoner," she cried, 1--WE are
going to have real baron visit us."
Are you, Kitty" said the amused
Miss Challoner, thinking of the barons
and sons Of barons, all barons them.
selves, that she had known in the
happy years she had spent in Ger
many
But aren't you excited, Miss ChaL
loner?" urged Marion.
Mr.. Morton frowned at his daugh-
ter. "You speak German, do you not
Miss Challoner?" he interposed.
"Yes," answered the governess.
"you know I was in school in Ger
many for several years.
Didn't you have a governess, like
us?" asked Kitty.
BE still, Kitty said her father.
but, didn't your asked Marion.
mo, never" replied Miss Challoner
conscious that the statement would
cause her to lose caste in the Nor
tons estimation, and wholly indiffer-
ent.
1--WE are going to have young
German gentleman with us for few
days. He speaks English, but no
doubt he will be glad to hear his own
language again." said Mr. Morton.
IT shall be glad to offer him the OPP
portunity," said the governess, think
! ing that she would be willing to talk
to any one for the sake OF hearing
the tongue she loved SO we'll.
During the day there was an I'm.
usual stir and hustle in the house, and
the lonely governess decided that the
baron was to be received with much
pomp and circumstance. The s o'clock
super was served somewhat hastily,
and Jenkins apologized for this and
the fact that he could not be In at
tendance himself, though Miss Chal-
loner well knew that it was duty he
+, had assumed and which he could nave
regulated to one Of the footmen.
After she had retired to her room
she heard the guest arrive and the
4 effusive greeting he received and his
cordial thanks, expressed In the crisp
English the Germans acquire. The
voice had familiar note and recalled
the days when she had believed hap
piness to be her heritage.
!. II am growing fanciful," she thought
4
same way" and she turned her atten-
ton resolutely to her book
} Descending the stairs the next morn
ing, she saw that the family had al
ready congregated in the hall and was
passing into the breakfast room. But
their guest had caught sight Of the
governess and stood motionless at
the foot of the stairs. Miss Challoner
did not glance at him until she reached
the last step, and then she raised her
eyes to see why her progress was
4 barred.
Herr Won Lutzen,' she exclaimed,
turning white.
4 miss Challoner, ach, have l found
/ you at last cried the baron, in q
! rapturous voice. He seized her hands
and lifted first one and then the
other to his lips, while the assembled
Morfons stood transflxed with aston