Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-08-24
A Shrewd
American Girl
BY HELOISE BRAYTON
BY HELOISE BRA
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
Association.

Duke of Brentnard. Miss Anterior
was in love with the dukes Oldest son
and heir. the Marquis of Middleton
Among the guests ut the dukes resi-
dcnce. Snapper Grange was n Kansas
girl. Miss Edith Brown. the daughter
of one who II he had been titled would
have been called the prince of packers.
Miss Brown was expected to inherit a
large fortune. and this was the reason
for her being at Snapper Grange. for
the BrentnardS were not overburdened
with ready cash. and the marquis was
on the lookout for wealthy American
wife
Now. Miss Brown had no more rev.
erence for n title than for a member
! ship of IA sewing society. She was one
! or the kind TO see through II milestone.
and 4, was plain to her that the mar.
QuiS wanted her for her money, and
Miss Anterior wanted the marquis for
himself
$50 long as / don't want him my
self" unused Miss Brown. why
shouldn't help this young English
| girl to set him?'
Now. there was n skeleton In the
Brentnard closet The duke, who was
an old man, was a kleptomaniac. He
was not allowed when I'm the city to
go into the shops without a footman
TO follow him and pay for what he
stole. When the old gentleman appro
priated an article the footman would
step up TO the clerk behind the counter
| from which it was taken and say:
is grace is shopping today. 'Ow
much for the and mirror e took?"
Il See" the clerk would reply. THAT
one IS three and six"
This would be followed up by other
| purchases acquired in the same way
and duly paid for by the footman
! There was nothing upon which the
marquis was so sensitive as this mania
of his father. He had made every eff
fort to avoid the disgrace. even to an
attempt to shut his father up, but as
kleptomania Is not a form OF insanity
that warrants combining a person in
bedlam the duke maintained his lib
erty
One morning Miss Brown remained
IN her room when the others were down
to breakfast and, being alone on the
/.
took all the Jewelry the poor girl had
carried it 10 the dukes apartment and
slipped it into the pocket of a coat she
found hanging In n closet Then she
went downstairs to breakfast.
After the meal Miss Brown kept Miss
Anterior under observation so that she
might be the first to meet the English
girl after the discovery Of the loss. Just
before luncheon Miss Anterior came
out of her room with n terror stricken
look on her face. Miss Brown was in
the hall.
MY jewels!" exclaimed Miss Ather
ton.
"What of emp" asked Miss Brown
putting a finger on her lip to enjoin
caution.
They're gone"
"Hist! The duke? You know his
failing?"
1--WE heard of it,
Don't say a word about 1t. The
marquis would never forgive you"
'Do you really think it best?"
'I do"
"And 1 must lose the gems?"
Never mind that; they will come
back to you"
That night at dinner Miss Anterior
appeared without a particle of jewel
~. The marquis noticed it, but mad,
no comment After dinner he JOINED
Miss Atherton on the terrace. II,
never noticed the absence of anythin,
belonging to any of his guests with
out dreadlng lest his father had pur
Joined it.
christine" he said. why did yol
leave Off your Jewels today at dinnerY'
"Oh. they're so insignificant" sh
said, compared with what the othe
ladies wear"
miss Brown, for instance"
The lady named had that day az
peared bedizened with q small forum
In diamonds.
"Hers are very handsome"
'Umphl These Americans don
: know when or where to load up wit
stones"
When on future occasions the mai
quis noticed that Miss Anterior sti
RETAINED from wearing her jewels h
> wondered. Then one day Miss Brow
spoke to him of the omission.
"She doesn't wear them" said I'll
marquis. because she's ashamed {
them"
: Nonsense" replied Miss Brow
That's not her reason. She has tC
much kindness i'm her to hurt you
feelings by giving you the true one"
+ Good gracious. You don't mea
[ they have been stolenr'
I 81 do
II