The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-03
THE DAILY GATE CITY
of trouble, whereupon o'Brien Adair

of trouble, whereupon O'Brien Adair
carried of Lady Alexandra and Lady
Mary to watch game Of Switchboard.
Left alone together, the prima donna
told the duchess all about her favorite
operas. She adored Puccini. but alas!
he did not write roles for her. She
was not suited for his Minus his But
terfys. even his Toscd was not for
her. But she would sing Media, and
Sontussd, and Carmen-ah, Carmen,
Dear Spain, dear Bizet, dear Carmen.
Lady Caddington, possibly remem-
bering that dear Cdrmen's' end was
due to a mana brute husbandr-
changed the subject with more speed
than politeness. And Elvira. oblig-
ingly. opened new conversation
jewels!
Pearls, care only for pearls, be-
cause ] am very dark and they do not
look we'll on me-" she declared. But
wear them for the same reason that
two-headed boy will exhibit himself
in circus. 1t is the unusual that at
tracts to-day, dear duchess. Wearing
diamonds and rubies / look a picture
of queeniy beauty, but in pearls. with
my dark skin, am extraordinarily
ugly. And ugly women are rarer than
beauties, nowadays"
II have some emeralds-the Cad
dington emeralds." said the duchess,
after moments hesitation They
are considered-rather good, be-
lieve."
All, | see," murmured the prima
donna; "emeralds because the Cad
dington family is an Irish one. Quite
a charming idea"
NO, that has nothing to do with it
at all, cried Lady Caddington.
These emeralds-''
II do not like emeralds," said Mad
anne de Pasquali calmly Now my
dear pearls-they tell me shall have
to pay large sum of money when
reach New York because have pearls.
Why does one have to pay large sum
of money to bring pearls to New
York;"
Together they discussed the situa-
ton for all of an hour, Lady Cadding-
ton knowing nothing at all about the
duty on transatlantic jewels. and car
ing less, since money was never mat
ter of interest to her. Shrewd Rosie
knew this. but she pulled the right
/ strings, playing on the duchess's high
ly embittered nature until that lady
stoutly declared with the prima donna
that it was an outrage ito pay much
money to bring jewels to New York
that one has got in Europe"
When Adair returned with the chill
dren. Elyira de Pasquali got up and
made her du reuoir. Then, in the
salon that night, with her paste pearls
clasped around her walnut-stained
neck, she declared to the world at
large that she and the duchess would
never pay one penny duty on their
/ jewels"
1t is one outrage We will throw
/ our jewels into the River Hudson
/ first. Milady Caddington, she says so.
/ and will too
Captain Lachase, when he heard the
| pr1ma donnas sentiments. only
( laughed at them. "Methinks the lady
doth protest too much" he told O'Brien
i Adair, with whom he had struck up
4 friendship. But he worried a little
! over the Duchess of Caddington's part
i in the plan. He wanted no sensational
journalism connected with his beloved
ship, and while he felt positive that
Elvira would do nothing Of the kind
he determined to keep sharp watch
on her grace
1t would be like her to do anything
God defend us from a disillusioned
! American peeress!" he said piously.
Adair himself was delighted with the
stir which Lady Caddington's decision
had evoked. He was proud OF himself,
and of the little drama he had staged.
In his stateroom he chuckled softly to
himself-why, the rest was mere
| child's play! Then he thrust his hand
| in his pocket. and pulled out little
Lady Alexandra's shoe 1t had
slipped off her foot that morning, and
she had grayely given it to him, and
he in turn had forgotten to give it
back to the nurse when the child
! wasn't looking.
Suddenly, impulsively. he raised the
shoe to his lips and kissed It, Then,
thoroughly ashamed. he tossed it away.
Only this great big man loved
! children.
And some day the emeralds will be
hers, too" he said aloud. "She's-a
nice little thing"