Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-03-07
Count Volinski
He Served an Important Pur.
pose, but His Existence
Was Never Proved.

UVSSS wv aAiS AAtSsSuSS
: Was Never Proved.
10 By ESTHER VANDEVEER /:
ssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Dorothy Fleetwood was the daugh
ter of an elderly widow. Dorothy was
Of an Independent turn Of mind and
was hard to manage. In one way, and
only one, her mother had the whip
hand Of her. The old lady was possess
ed Of fortune, the young lady had
nothing, and her mother was certain of
bringing her to terms by telling her
that II she did not behave herself she
would be cut of with shilling.
And Dorothy knew that her mother
would do that very thing provided she
gave her sufficient provocation, for
the mink realized the strength Of her
own will and that she had inherited
1t from her mother. However, there
was but one way In which she would
likely lose her Inheritance, and that
was in the matter of marriage. To
parents a son or a daughter TAX
ing partner to share In perpetual
ing family is an immensely impor-
tant matter What more distressing,
Irritating, notifying happening than
to spend the best years Of ones life In
bringing up son or a daughter to
marry some one for whom you have
an antipathy and who you feel sure
will wreck your child's happiness for
life?
Mrs. Fleetwood was great home
body. Dorothy wished to see the
world. Mrs. Fleetwood would never
let the sun into her house for fear her
rugs would be spoiled. Dorothy loved
the sunlight. Dorothy begged her
mother to 60 for trip abroad. Mrs.
Fleetwood positively declined to trust
herself on a ship or In a foreign land
in fact, anywhere except In her own
home. But, a rare chance occurring
for the young lady to join party
about to sail for Europe, Dorothy sue
ceeded In persuading her mother to con-
sent to her going.
Miss Fleetwood had been abroad sew
eral months when her mother one even
ing received a visitor. The card read
Victor Fitz Hugh. Mrs. Fleetwood had
never heard Of Victor Fitz Hugh-at
least she could not place him-and
went down to meet him, wondering
who he might be. A very nice looking
young man advanced to greet her, bow
ing respectfully.
II have just returned from abroad"
he said, where have had the pleas
ure Of meeting Miss Fleetwood, and at
her request have called upon you, pre-
suming that you would be interested In
meeting one who has recently left her"
The good lady surveyed the visitor
critically. Dorothy was at an age when
she was liable to form an attachment,
and her mother thought it possible that
this young man might have come to
ask for her hand. But Of course she
concealed any such suspicion, though
she could not repress q certain stiffness
which 1t begot.
"Is my daughter well" she asked
when seated, with her hands crossed
in her lap after the manner Of emf
nently respectable matrons when for
mally receiving visitors.
"Quite well and enjoying her trip i'm
mensely."
Mrs. Fleetwood straightway COM
menced q pumping process to discover
II this or any other young man was In
the party with which her daughter was
travelling. Mr.. Fitz Hugh gave list
Of members of the party as constituted
when he left 1t, but failed to name any
single man. However, In telling Mrs.
Fleetwood Of her daughter making
the ascent Of peak in Switzerland he
made use Of the following words:
"Miss Fleetwood slipped, but fortunate
ly fell into the arms Of the count
Then, as If having committed an indis-
cretion, he looked confused and turned
the subject.
"The count" Queried the anxious
mother. "What countT'
Count yolinski, Polish nobleman,
who was a member Of the party max
ing the ascent"
HAS this count been travelling with
my daughters party long"
"Not very long; FIVE or six weeks,
believe"
Mrs. Fleetwood looked disturbed.
'I fear" continued Mr.. Fitz Hugh
after an awkward pause, that have
committed an indiscretion. Miss Fleet
wood charged me expressly to say
nothing about the single men Of the
party. She said that you would be
worried"
"Has this Count volinski been atten-
tive to my daughterT asked the anx-
ious mother.
Really don't like to be the bearer
of information concerning Miss Fleet
woods affairs"
This of course was admitting that
the count had been attentive. 1t was
not long before Mrs. Fleetwood had
wormed out of Mr.. Fitz Hugh that
Count volinski was doing all he could
to secure the affections Of her daugh-
ter, that he seemed to be succeeding
and that Mr.. Fitz Hugh believed the
pobleman to be an impostor. When
the lady had elected this information
and the young man had departed, aft
er having been granted permission to
call again, she cabled her daughter to
come home at once and unless she
came unmarried she would be disin-
herited. - /
4 Unfortunately for Mrs. Fleetwood.
Dorothy, had the whip hand Of her
mother. Having been ordered home,
she called for funds to bring her home.
She had used the most Of her letter Of
credit, and It would require something
lke H000 francs to land her In New
York. To send the money would not
have troubled the mother II she could
have relied on her daughter using Il
for the purpose intended But sup
,poss Dorothy's heart were set on mar
rying this count without her mothers
/ approval of the match, $1,000 would