THE OLD, OLD STORY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2743, 7 January 1882, Page 2

THE OLD, OLD STORY.

Only twp months ago the corporate cemetery across the bay—often spoken of as Oakland—was agitated to its undermost corpse, so to speak, by the advent of a distinguished arrival from abroad. This was np less than a bona fide, simon pure French Count. The number of lunches ,and croquet parties given oq Jackson street and in' the regions over against Lake Merritt to this scion of nobility would use up the multiplication table to describe. As for the Count himself, he was a young man of fascinating manners, wore clothes of the very latest cut, and atoned for the rather serious drawback of speaking good English, by a condescension of deportment inexpressibly charming to all the matchmaking mammas of the trans-ferry metropolis. The almost certain result followed. After some five weeks of social perturbation and anxiety tlie Count’s engagement v/as announced to the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Oakland, and arrangements made for an immediate marriage. Just at this juncture the Count’s financial afiairs appeared to be in a rather confused condition, and rumor whispered that his landlord was pressing him for payment, and that sundry livery stable and restaurant keepers were “ kicking ” for reimbursement. The blue blooded stranger went to the fathorof his financee and explaining that his remittances were unaccountably delayed, requested the loan of §SOO. The merchant was somewhat surprised by this request, but yielded to the solicitations of his daugh ter and advanced the sum. When the ceremony was performed, the bride groom was again compelled to explain that circumstances over which be had no control compelled him to solicit a further loan of §SOO, to pay expenses as far as Hew York. There was nothing left the father of the girl but to comply, which the shrewd old husbi.>ss man did with many misgivings, which, however, he strove to conceal from his happy and unsuspecting child. Over a month ago the couple started on their bridal tour, which was to terminate at the ancient country seat of the Count in France, and yesterday a letter was Received from the bride dated at London. [Note.—How, the far-sighted, up tosnuff, know-it-all reader has seen all along what was going to happen. The old, old story—confiding woman, unscrupulous adventurer and all the rest of it. Well, we’ll see about that. — Ed.] The letter contained a perfectly genuine check repaying the amount loaned, and other incontestable evidence that the Count was all, and even more than he had professed to be. That’s all, smarty reader. (American Paper.)