Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-27
Confined Jr0n page 9

tile Countess became subdued and repreSSed
in her presence; the big son and the little
one were respectfully quiescent confess
to certain embarrassment myself
She was handsome woman, with young
figure. good complexion, clear eyes, wavy
brown hair, and rich low voice, perfectly
modulated. No doubt she was nearing fifty;
but thirty-hve would have been your guess,
provided you were bachelor.
| endeavored to set her mind at rest by
politely reminding her that | couldn't have
slept in the bed anyway, having been out
all night, and she smilingly assured me that
it was a relief to find literary man who
wasn't forever saying fiat and stupid things.
| took them over the castle; that IS, part
of the castle. Mrs. Titus wouldn't climb
stairs. She confessed to banting; but drew
the line at anything more exhausting. fear
l was too palpably relieved when she de
clined to 60 higher than the second story
1T isn't necessary, Mr.. Smart she said
sweetly, "to go into the history Of the
wretched Rothhoefens, as Cooks inter-
prefer might do. You see, know the castle
quite well, and have had all the late news
from my daughter"
"Of course agreed. Stupid Of me not
to remember that you are descended from
"AIother isn't half SO stuck up about it as
you might think, Mr.. Smart interrupted
Jasper, Jr., glibly. "She prefers to let peo-
pie think her ancestors were Dutch instead
Of merely German Dutch ancestors are the
proper thing in New York.
"A1y ancestors were Dutch, said quick
ly. @They came over with the original skin
grafters.'
She looked puzzled for moment The
Countess laughed. Then Jasper saw the
point Colingraft was the last to see it, and
then it was too late for him to smile.
We had tea in the loggia, and | dlned
with the family in the Countess apartment
at eight that night. l think Mrs. Titus was
rather favorably impressed when she beheld
me IN my own ralrnent.
Everything went very well that evening.
We were all in fine humor, and the dinner
was an excellent one. perpetrated only one
unhappy blunder. asked Mrs. Titus if she
knew the Riley Werkheimers and the Rocks
worths in New York.
"Visually," she said succinctly, and made
haste to change the subject.
The Countess looked amused, and Colin
graft said something about its being more
than likely that we did not have any mutual
acquaintance in New York His sister
came to my rescue with an amusing and
exaggerated account of my experience with
the Riley Werkheimers and Rocksworths.
Jasper was enthusiastic. Something told
me Ifldl Was gong 10 Ike lllIll
MY real trouble began the next day, and
~ at the rather unseenly hour of eight
o'clock in the morning. Colingraft came
down the hall in bathgown and slippers,
banged on my bedroom door, and wanted
to know why the blazes he couldn't have hot
water for his bath He was too full blooded
and all that sort of thing, he said, to take
cold plunge. Moreover, he wasn't used to
taking his tub in tin cup. That was his
sarcastic way of referring to my portable.
handy bathtub l asked him why he didn't
ring for Britton, and he said he had, but that
Britton was assisting Jasper in wild chase
for bat that had got into the lads room
during the night.
Thank your lucky stars it didn't get into
Mothers room!" lie said surlilv.
He made such a row about his tub that
had to give him the pail of hot water Britton
had placed in my bedroom, preparatory to
my own bath.
At breakfast Jasper complained about the
bats He couldn' for the life of him see why
| didn't have screens in the windows.
Later on Mrs. Titus, who had coffee and
toast in her room. joined us on the loggia
and announced that the coffee was stone
cold Moreover. she did not like the guest
chamber into which she had been moved by
order of the Countess 1t was too huge for