The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-09
S0UTHBAY SOCIETY.
A Romance Of the Prince Of Wales
Garden Party.
From London Society.l
CHAPTER /.

was 10 cOHSluef IlStll uuiNtIst. luo III
habitants, worthy people, most of them,
were SO much in the habit of thinking
their own concerns and the concerns of
their neighbors affairs of paramount i'm
portance, that, if great European war
had broken out, they would not have
considered it of half 50 much importance
as the burning of Farmer Beanstald's s
ricks, or the defalcations of the local tax
gatherer. The death Of the parish-clerk
produced more profound impression
amongst all ranks and classes, than that
Of the Emperor Napoleon; and the
Crimean war was only thought worthy of
. place in the annalsof Southbay because
one of the Squire's sons happened to be
killed before Sebastopol.
h.sThere is a marble in the church about
d. said Southbay, and so summed up the
pampaign.
Never was there so self-contained a lit
tie town. In the season visitors came
and went, took lodgings, paid sufficient
sums of money to landladies and trades
people; but Southbay took no notice of
them, beyond putting down everything
they required, in tine way of eating,
drinking and, clothing, at about double
Its worth, in their bills.
Southbay did nothing for the amuse-
ment of its guests. 1t had no bands, no
regattas, no fower-shows, no promenades;
It would not have even a barrel-organ,
or a monkey clad in Highland costume,
appear in its streets.
To visitors, Southbay was austere, not
to say repellant. Their money was ac-
ceptable, but themselves-no. Southbay
did not like its sands to be dug over by
strange children; it grudged the shells
that infant hands bore triumphantly in
land. 1t had a general idea that there
must be something wrong about the
homes cf persons who left them each
year to the mercy of char-women and
servants; and it viewed with distinct dis
favor the dresses of those ladies who
thought to pleasure Southbay and them
selves by donning all their bravery, and
appearing in church arrayed in silk at
tire, made in the very latest fashion.
The wars of politicians, the intrigues of
statesmen, the triumphs achieved by art,
the discoveries made by explorers-all
these things, which Southbay read about
in its local papers, were merely regarded
rs parts of play enhanced for the pleas
ure of the little town.
If business took took any of the South
baians up to London, themselves and
all their neighbors imagined London
must be excited by the circumstance.
That London was able to get on without
people from Southbay, the inhabitants
understood, after fashion, just as they
understood Jura and the Rhigi still re-
manned standing, even though no tourist
from amongst them CHANGED to be in
Switzerland; but they felt the mountains,
during such absence, must be lonely
= and in like manner they had conviction
hone the less certain because silent
that without visitors from Southbay
London must be empty. The sense Of
personal Importance was upon every one
In Southbay; less because of that import
tance Of individuality, which character
ises even gutter child, but because he
or she belonged to Southbay.
1t was something to have been born
there, and to have had many ancestors
born there likewise, for many previous
generations; but it was also something to
be taken up by Southbay, fguratively
given the freedom of that historic town,
admitted to the ranks of fellowship, and
treated almost upon an equality with
those who had lived there all theil
lives
This was work of time. Not rashly
did Southbay vouchsafe other than cold
welcome to those who bought properties
Of took long leases of houses in theil
midst. Southbay said, and said rightly
thst it knew nothing about strangers
and 50 it was tactily understood that
strangers We're there to be treated as the
English law practically treats those it il
supposed to consider innocent--as most
pestilent criminals.
When new man came to the pretty
watering place, there was no story con
cerning him that might not have hopec
to gain credence.
Ii Southbay head heard he was biga
amist, forger, a swindler, Southbay
would have said, Just what l alway.
thought about him. n "
As for birth, no man could be wei
born who had not Southbay blood in hi
veins. Over tea and supper-tables gen
ealogies were recited that would have
surprised Sir Bernard Burke. Good ole
family-trees, growing in other pastures
were pronounced mushrooms. There was
always some ancient dame, or shaky ole
gentleman, who knew stories to the dis
paragement Of Lord AS grandfather, Of
the Marchioness Of BIS mamma.
Voices were dropped and headsshaken,
and such utterancss as, I. could tell 9
tale about that family or, There were
good reasons why the last earl did moi
marry, only the less said concerning such
matters the better; though it was stated
on the best authority that the scanda
concerning Lady : and 50 forth, al
of which remarks were as 50 much wins
to the inhabitants Of Southbay, making
glad their hearts within them, and show
ing more conolusiyely than the parsor
ever did, how dreadfully wicked th'
world was: that world from which, eacl