The evening world., 1914-03-12

kN Corners.
At half past one o'clock !
- was received by Mrs. Titus
In my own study. The
Countess came down from her eerie
abode to ofiiciate at the ceremonious
function-if It may be 30 stylsd-and
I was agreeably surprised to ind my
new guest In q most amiabls frame
OF mind. True, che looked me over
with what seemed to me an unnec-
essarily and perfectly frank stare Of
curiosity. but, on sober reflection, I
did not hold 1t against her.
As for her two sons. they made no
effort to disguise their Amusement.
Tho elder Of the two young men,
Colingraft Titus. who being in the
business with his father In New York
was permitted to travel most Of the
time so that he couldn't interfere with
1t. was taller than I, ana an OK.
tremeiy handsome chap to boot. He
was twenty-six. The younger, Jas
per jr.. was nineteen. short and slight
Of build, with the merriest eyes I've
ever seen. didn't in the least mind
the grin he bestowed upon me-and
preserved with stanch fidelity
throughout the whole interview-but
resented the supsrcilious, lordiy
scorn OF his elder brother.
Jasper. learned. was enduring .
protracted leave OF absence from
Yale: the hiatus between his fresh.
man and sophomore years already
covered q period Of sixteen months,
and he had tutor who appreciated
tho buttery side OF his crust.
Mrs. Titus. after thanking me
warmly-and think sincereiy--for all
that had done for Aline. apologissd
in q perfunctory sort Of way for hav.
Ing kept me out Of my bed all night.
and hoped that wouldn'e catch cold
or have an attack Of rheumatism.
I soon awoke to the fact that she
was In tho habit Of centralixing at.
tcntion. The usually volatile Countess
became subdued and repressed In her
presence: the big son and the little
one were respectfully Quiescent; ! con-
TESS to certain embarrassment my
self.
She was q handsome woman with a
young figure. a good complexion, clear
eyes, wavy brown hair, and a rich,
low voice perfectly modulated. No
doubt she was nearing nifty. but thir-
ty-five would have been your guess,
provided you were a bachelor. a
bachelor learns something about
women every day OF his life. but not
30 much that he cannot DO surprised
the day after.
endcavored to set her mind At
rest by politely reminding her that I
couldn't have slept In the bed any
way. having been out all night. and
she smilingly assured me that II WAS
a relief to find q literary man who
wasn't forever saying nat, stupid
things.
took them over the castle--that
is. a part OF tho castle. Mrs. Titus
wouldn't climb stairs. She confessed
to banting. but drew the line At any
thing more exhausting. ] fear ! was
too palpably relieved when she de-
clinsd to 90 higher than the second
story.
1T isn't necessary. Mr.. Smart" she
said. sweetly. Ito 20 into the history
Of the wretched Rothhoefens. a.
see, I know the castle quite we'll
and have had all the late news from
my daughter"
"Of counsel" I agreed. Stupid Of
pe not to remember that you are
descended FROM
Mother isn't half a. stuck up
about II as you might think, Mr..
Smart" interrupted Jasper jr., glibly.
she prefers to let people think her
ancestors were Dutch instead OF
merely German. Dutch ancestors
are the proper thing in Jew York"
"Jappie." said his mother severely.
TO speak Of New York a. Jew York?
Some day you will say It to a Jew.
One can't be too careful. Heaven
alone knows when one u In the pres
ence OF n Jew in these days"
"Oh. I'm not Hebraic." said
quickly. my ancestors were Dutch.
They came over with the original
skin grafters."
She looked puzzled for a moment.
The Countess laughed. Then Jasper
saw the point. Colingraft was the
p"EA ~ b-t ~ anu tuNu u WoD wv
lat" for him to smile.
We had tea In the ioggia. and !
dined with the family in the Count
ess's apartment at s o'clock that
night. think Mrs. Titus was rather
favorably impressed when she be-
held me In my own raiment. Brit
ton had smoothed out my evening
clothes. until they almost shone. and
] managed TO carry myself with IN
usual buOyancy.
Everything went very well that
evening. We were all in hns humor
and the dinner was an excellent one.
] perpetrated but one unhappy blum
der. ] asked Mrs. Titus II she knew
tho Riley Werkheimers and the
Rockworths In New York.
"Visually." she said succinctly. and
maLs haste TO change the subject.
The Counters looked amused. and
COlingraft SID sgu,ethtng about II
being more than MsDoS Dat ~ oid
not have aey 0111oAl aoquaAnlaAam