Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-05
CHAPTER XIX.
kHlua% GoAe Throurh Era
PETEY DINK

Mr.. Minot Goes Through Fire.
The Duchess of Lismore elected to
give her dinner and dance in Miss
Meyrick's honor as near to the bright
Florida stars as she could. On the
top floor of the De la Pax was a pri-
vate dining room, only partially en-
closed. with picturesque view of the
palm-dotted courtyard below. Ada
cent to this was a sun room with a
removable glass roof and this the
duchess had ordered transformed into
ballroom. There in the open the
newest society dances should rise to
offend the soft southern sky.
Being a good general, the duchess
was early on the scene, marshaling
her forces. To her there came Gym
thia Meyrick. radiant and lovely and
wide-eyed on the eve of her wedding
How sweet you look, Cynthia said
the duchess graciously. But then,
you long ago solved the problem Of
what becomes you. -
II have to look as sweet as | cam
replied the girl YEARLY "All the rest
of my life shall have to try and live
up to the nobility"
She sighed.
ITO think remarked the duchess,
busy over a great bowl OF flowers,
"that tomorrow night this time little
Cynthia will be Lady narrowly.
suppose you'll go to Rakedale hall for
part of the year at least?"
II suppose So"
II, too, have had my Rakedale hall.
Formal, Cynthia dear, formal Nothing
but silly little hunts, silly little shoots
American men would die there. AS
for American women-nothing ever
happens-the hedges bloom in neat
little rows-the trees blossom-they're
bare again-Cynthia, sometimes I've
been in a state where I'd give ten
years Of my life just to hear the rattle
Of an elevated train!'
She stood looking down at the girl,
an all too evident pity in her eyes.
1T isn't all it might be, fancy
marrying into the peerage,' Cynthia
said.
"My DEAR" replied the duchess, eve
nearly died at times. I never was ex-
aotly what you'd call patriot, but
often I've walked in the night ana
thought of Detroit. My little car rat
Ting over the cobblestones-a new
gown tried on at Madame Harbier's-
matinee-and chocolate afterWard
1t that little place-you remember IT,
And our house on Woodward avenue
the good times there. On the veran.
da In the evening, and Jack Little just
back from college In the east run
ming across the lawns to see me.
What became Of Jack, dear?'
"fIe married Elsie Perkins
"Ah-I know-and they live near
our old house-have box when the
onera comes-entertain the Yale glee
club every Christmas-oh, Cynthia,
maybe it's crude, maybe it's middle
Glass In English eyes-but it's home:
When you introduced that brother or
Lord Harrowby's this astronomical
big splendid chap who said America
looked better than title to him
could have thrown my arms about MS
neck and kissed him!" She came clos
er to the girl and stood looking down
at her with infinite tenderness in her
vashed-out eyes Wasn't there--any
American boy, my dear?" she asked.
"I-I-hundreds of Them" answered
Cynthia Meyrick, trying to laugh.
The duchess turned away.
"It's wrong of me to discourage you
like that" she said Marrying into
the peerage is something, after all
"You must come home every year
insist on it. Johnson-are these the
best caviar bowls the hotel can FUR
nish?"
And the Duchess of Lismore, late
of Detroit. drifted off into bitted ar.
gument with the humble Johnson.
Miss Meyrick strolled away, out up
on little balcony opening off the dH'
ing room. She stood gazing down at
the waving fronds in the court yard
six stories below. If only that foun-
tain down there were Ponce de
Icons! But it wasn't. Tomorro" ,sne
must put youth behind. She must -
FAR from the country she loved-d1d