Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-10-13
AN ARISTOCRATIC
CIRCLE
By DONALD cHAMBERllN
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

went ABROAD. He lQnQeQ at naples
and took train for Rome.
The railway coaches over there ar.
built in compartments. and in o
compartment with Tom was lady
travelling with her maid. The mistress
appeared to be highborn dame, and
her maid treated her with unbounded
reverence. The two conversed in a
foreign language, though Tom. not be-
ing u linguist himself, couldn't tell
whether 1t was Italian or French. 1t
might have been Latin for oil he knew.
Tom tried to get some information
from the conductor, but failed, and the
lady kindly came to his assistance in
broken English. This started con-
versati ton between her and him, during
which 1t came out that she was the
Princess Bobbeloni and that he was
Mr.. Thomas Tomkins Of the United
States. Furthermore, Tom let out dur
ing the ride to Rome that his father
was an American millionaire. He
didn't tell it in so many words, but
managed to get it in so that he might
show something to make him seem
worthy Of the notice Of an italian
princess.
And here it should be explained that
princes and princesses in Italy don't
necessarily belong to the royal family.
Italy formerly was broken up into
small tracts or principalities. They
are now united in Kingdom, but their
princely families retain their titles.
Before reaching home the Princess
Bobbeloni became very gracious to ST.
gnor Tomllins, as she called him, and
invited him to visit her in her villa
on the outskirts of Rome. But he was
not to call for week. since the place
had been closed and needed to be open
ed. She took his address and prom
Used to send him hers later. From
something she said Tom gathered that
she desired time to ask the American
minister something about him.
The week passed, and Tom waited
impatiently at his hotel without receiv-
ing any word from the princess. But
couple Of days later liveried servant
called and presented little note with
crest on it containing an invitation
for S O'Clock English tea at her villa.
Tom presented himself at the hour
named and found the lady in a sump-
tuous home.
"Ah, Signor Tomkins," she said in
charming broken English, II am glad
to see you. confess that having met
you as stranger thought it prudent
to make inquiries about you. And
am happy to announce that they have
resulted satisfactorily. II there were
titles in your country you would be at
least a baron"
'Thank you very much" said Tom
in bad Italian.
GLOW quickly you are picking up our
language" replied the princess. "You
will soon speak it like native"
Tom drank tea with the princess,
spending delightful hour with her:
then she dismissed him, saying:
II will be happy to have you meet
some of my friends Let me see-this
evening there is court ball; tomorrow
I dine with the Duchess Of Chevrini;
Thursday am free. Have you any
engagement for that EVENING""
Tom said he had, but he would break
It for the inestimable privilege Of
meeting the princess friends. His
evening was free, but with true Ameri-
Gun instincts he didn't propose to
cheaper himself.
On the proposed evening Signor
Tomkins presented himself at the
princess villa and was introduced to
several princes, an English duchess,
who was found useful as an interpret
er, and other magnates They were
all very civil to Tom, considering that
he was a titleless American, and he
was delighted at mingling for the first
time in his life with real aristocracy.
Card tables were set, and the princess
proposed bridge whist. Tom was hon
ored by being placed at the hostess
table and especially so by having her
Tor a partner. One Of the gentlemen
proposed to make the points francs,
but the princess would not consent to
more than franc.
Tom did not wonder that she object
ed to stable stake, for she proved a
very poor player. She and Tom be-
gan to lose with the first game and
lost steadily. Then the princess fig
ured that she had lost $500 francs, or
$500. This seemed to trouble her, and
she proposed to make the points stand
for 10 francs each in order to recoup.
Tom was loser equally with her, but
did not object. Meanwhile refresh
ments were served, including wine.
AS the princess lost she kept pro-
posing to double the stakes, and at
midnight Tom found himself playing
for 500 point and had lost $1,000.
His partner was plunging desperately
to regain her losses and raising the
stakes with every plunge. At 3 in the
morning Tom and the princess were
losers each to the amount Of 5000.
and Tom, who usually could drink as
much as any one, found himself at
fected by the wine. At daylight he
gave checks on his bankers for his
losses, and, as the princess begged him
to DO the same for her, he consented.
The next afternoon Tom woke up
and went to his bankers, to find that
ne had given checks for $4,000.
This didn't trouble him, but when
he went to the princess villa to leave
a card he found it deserted. 1t had
been hired for the occasion. His in
PRODUCTION to aristocraic European
society had been costly. and the So
ciety had been swindlera.