Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-09-28
CAROLINE
#.$*~*.>...:~
ey William Freeman.

In the table or precedence, as ex
empiihed in the household of His
Grace the Duke of Kingston. Knight
OF the Garterg. and Heaven knows
what beside. Caroline. think, would
have place very near the bottom.
The boot-boy ranked below her, and
the odd men who hung about the gar
age In the capacity OF chauffeur
laborers, but they were all. For her
work. although appertaining to the
kitchen. was unskilled. and OF negligi-
BILE value. and such mental gifts as
she possessed were not thought
worthy Of testing.
His grace and his beautiful, languid
duchess Caroline knew by sight, as
ole may recognize the fixed stars.
AMI her intimacy with them was upon
tht same level. Monsieur Tardet, the
chef. she regarded with an awe which
reduced her to incoherency in his
presence.
Mrs. Blain, the housekeeper. whose
husband had been curate and
whose father was -rumored to have
lost fabulous fortune on the Stock
Exchange, was irimitable above Caro-
line and all Caroline's concerns.
The superior servants she called
"sir" and miss" and to the inferior
ones preferred humble friendship
with no very great success.
For Caroline was pale of face and
wispy OF figure and endowed with au.
burn hair too plentiful to be always
under control. Further, she was pain
fully shy and addicted to attacks OF
the purest, richest Cockney.
None but an optimst OF the deepest
dye, or a man very much in love with
her. would have predicted a brilliant
future for Caroline.
And yet within three months of her
coming to Kingston House, romance.
undisguised and triumphant. entered
into her life.
The beginning dated from her hrst
whole days holiday. Caroline's purse
had been left behind, and three
penny fare was due, and the motor
II was then that the clean-shayen
young man. who had been watching
her from the opposite seat, came to
her rescue.
And il may here be mentioned that
CarGline's only relatives consisted OF
q brother and sister-in-law. who kept
little greengrocer's shop in the Edg-
ware Road, and two small nephews.
and that ii was one of the nephews.
recovering from pleurisy at st. Chris
tophexd, Hospital, whom Caroline was
en fpf-way TO see.
To encounter friend when one is
very much in need, is delightful.
To find that same friend awaiting
one when there is a return journey TO
be made, is, to say the least OF Ii, fiat
te,ing. Caroline's foolish little heart
was palpitating absurdly when Mr..
Francis Wygram, OF Upper Norwood
The had introduced himself on the
motor us), came forward to meet her
at the hospital doors.
I've been waiting for the past
twenty minutes" he said. lifting his
r6st but would have waited twice
as many hours rather than have miss
ed you"
MET" cried Caroline. blushing
fur:ously.
who else? And il l might be
granted the boon OF few moments
[ MIR. versation in private" His tones
Es. uld have done credit to the finest
IA ae-scene in the weekly NOVELTIES
Which were her staple literary food.
Caroline, her head whirling and her
blood atingle under the combined In
fuences of youth and spring, nodded
q mute permission. The day was an
April one, with mild sun and a sky
bluer than one had any right to ex-
pect in the heart of the metropolis.
She had a clear haif-hour to spare,
and - Francis" Wygram, pacing de-
votediy at her side, made the most OF
Il. What his manner lacked in aristo-
cratic repose it made up in fervor.
He had, it appeared, seen Caroline
from afar many times before. He had
loved her almost from the first. Not
until now had he dared to make his
love known. His future hung upon
her answer.
Caroline, her bushes coming and
gong, stood loking down at her new
glaco shoes and trying to cope with
this unique situation. 100,
"Ali that may be right enough"
she said, twisting her gloves until
they were mere sttentuated wisps,
"b-b-but / don't know nothin' abaht
yer, nor you abaht merely. Give
me time ter"
"A lifetime" said Mr.. Wygram
passionstsiy tthey were by now with.
in the romantic puriieus OF West
bourne Park Station) would be little
enough to sacrifice In your service!
brfhe upshot of which was that Caro-
lire permitted him to imprint one rev
srential kiss upon her cheek, and