Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-08-09
SNARES AND SNOBS.

In story by Sala, in late English
| magazine, the hero is an impecunious
young syendthrift nobleman, who, after
an interval of desperate pecuniary eni-
barrassment. amazes and mystifies his
old acquaintances by suddenly coming
out in brilliant style and with plethoric
purse, as the cavalier of theatre and op-
era parties and watering-place coteries
Of overdressed people whom nobody
knows. The solution of the mystery is
that the victim of duns and bailiffs has
deliberately hired himself, out to the
families of ambitious trading people who
are glad to pay handsomely for the ap-
pearance of having a 'slive lord"
amongst their particular friends.
The social weakness satyrized in this
fictitious sketch was also significantly
suggested by the recent realism of an ad-
vertisement in London papers to the ef-
feet that reduced parsonage of title,
who might be addressed by certain init
ials at the fashionable Carlton Club.
was prepared to serve "newly-rich" peo-
in the capacity of tutor of manners or
trainer for high life,.. for proper remu-
neration. This announcement may
have been. but some ironical jester's
quiz upon the consequently indignant
"swell'' club; yet, like the magazine
sketch, it had basis in the unquestion-
able alertness OF the English middle
class to buy its way into particular asso-
citation.
Americans are not far behind their
English cousins in this lamentable fatu-
ityr but it may be doubted that any spec
ulator therein would have hope of prac-
tising successfully upon socially aspir-
ing New Workers by such scheme as
the Charity Organization Society of the
British Metropolis has just detected a
Mrs. Catherine Anderson in. Some
time since the London Times had an ad-
vel tisement addressed to s'To the
Wealthy and Bnevolent," plaintively
asserting that the sum of $500 was ur-
gently needed to save a lady of high po-
sition from ruin and that"a nobleman, %
who did not desire his name printed,
had promised a contribution of ESQ if
the remainder could be raised by other
means.
Here was an appeal sounding myste-
riously aristocratic enough to catch the
attention of any ambitious household of
wealth and benevolence pining for the
acquaintance of 'sthe quality" and SUBJ
scriptions began pouring in upon Mr.. III.
Gordlake Beard, a gentleman of eminent
| respectability, who had been named in
| the advertisement as treasurer of the So
| licited fund. The inIimation about ''no-
| bleman' was true, too, the sedate Duke
| of Norfolk having really been induced
in some way to promise ESQ on the adj
nobility was fatal, after all, to the
scheme. @ i $500
Upon reconsidering his generosity t6
a woman of whom he knew nothing
and who might be an imposter, the Duke
| consulted with Mr.. Beard and the Char.
ity Organization Society ON the matter
when it was decided that enquiries
should be made. Thence resulted the
discovery that the lady of high position
who wanted so much money to save hel
from ruin was Cheapside milliner o.
the Nine. Mantrlini grade, who, having
embarrassed her business by over-im
portation of modes from Paris, had de
vised the plan of replenishing her capi
tai from the purses of the awealthy ant
benevolent" by impersonating a grea
lady in distress. Both the Duke ant
Mr.. Beard were so indignant at the com
) plication of their names with such
matter that they instigated the Societ.
to prosecute Mrs. Anderson, the milli
ner, for her fraudulent attempt.
At the preliminary examination be
fore the Lord Mayor, the defendan
whose husband is lace merchant il
good circumstances, confessed that sh
had sought to speculate upon a ,socia
. tatuity of her fellow-countrymen
though rather by equivocation thai
wholesale misrepresentation, and wa
remanded for trial. Her sshigh posi-
ton" was that which she took Will
} fitting bonnets to the heads of her fash
ionable patrons, and her impendin
: 'sruin" the bankruptcy from which
: apparently, her own husband did nc
, care to rescue her. The case is in som
respects extraordinary, but with plent
: of ordinary human nature in it.