Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-26
OF INTRODUCTION.


Boston courier.l
l am not particularly credulous, at
least | have never supposed that |
was; but yet However, the result
will show.
My first English Lord was a success.
He was amiable, we'll bred, cultivated
and agreeable. He had none OF the
disregard for American etiquette
which is SO particularly noticeable in
the scion Of an ancient stock. He did
not put his feet in our faces, or come
to, dinner in a shooting jacket. He
seemed, on the contrary, to be very
anxious to please, and although he
had the hum, and haw, and the diff
cult fumbling for an idea, which seems
to have come over with the Norman
conquest, Lord Thomas impressed us
all favorably. He spent a summer
near us, and fell in love with our pref
ticst girl, who rejected him, thus offer
ing a possible excuse for one of Henry
James, Jr.'s, novels, and was In every
respect calculated to throw rs off our
guard, in res subsequent English mo-
blemen.
The next specimen was not so sue
cessful. Lord Genp came, heavily
freighted with name, title, letters and
insolence. He patronized and he
bullied, he dressed himself like a
guy, he allowed US to feel our infer
iority at every step, he accepted every
snobbish bit Of worship at our hands,
and regarded our girls through one
eyeglass, as if they were horses to be
trotted out for inspection, and was,
without exception, odious. He
smoked in the parlor, he put his foot
across his knee and brushed a lady's
dress with the sole off his shoe as he
did so. He was brutal in language,
and borrowed money of everybody.
These were all set down to his credit;
these little habits were supposed to be
the natural recklessness of blue blood.
A far different character was his
friend. Mr.. Westminster, also an
aristocrat Of the oldest, who was the
most ~singularly well bred man | ever
saw. He evidently felt very much
annoyed at the manner Of Lord
GeDp, who, although his friend and
travelling companion, was not at all to
his taste evidently.
1--WE were chums at Elton, you
know" said Westminster, and Lord
Genp has been toadied all his life.
He is a man CT rank without wealth
enough to support his attitude. you
see, anil that is always unfortunate /:
but a good heart, a thoroughly good
fellow, | assure you. All quite SO |!
only a little rough. The Genps are
all eccentric quite the most ill-man
nered people in England; yet sturdy
-sterling-I assure you, quite so.
Their manners are unfortunate, in
herited from the old Duke, who was a
rum chap, you know. Something
wrong here you know"
And Mr.. Westminster tapped the
lowest, whitest, most beautiful fore
head in all the world. Lord Genp
would talk about Mr.. Westminster in
a similar strain.
"Good-looking creature, is he not?
All handsome-the Northumberland
soft, velvety manners. We used to
call him 'Grimalkin Westminster at
Elton. Beastly rich, too; wish l had
his money; good old family, Westmin-
ster: considers me a burr"
| felt very nervous when Lord Genp
huttered around Marion Pomeroy, who
had a large fortune in her own right,
and was our prize beauty. She was
taken with his title, and seemed to
like his old manner. He was good
looking, too, and there were traces in
his features, his beautiful finger nails,
and his white teeth, Of the Norman
descent.
[ invited them both to dinner many
times, hoping that the gentle man
nered and modest Westminster would
be the faverite. But he evidently did
not care for Marion, he was pleased
with Susan James, a modest girl, also
with a large fortune. Susan was plain,
and not quite up to his level, /
thought, and | was a little angry with
Marion, that she allowed this delight
full prize, Westminster, to slip through
her fingers.
However, both men, after Newport,
Saratoga, New London, West Point,
where they had received no end of
attention came up to the country, and
the offers were made in good form
Marion was to be Mrs. Genp, and
Susan Mrs. Westminster.
l felt very sure that the first engage
ment was a mistake, especially when
heard that Lord Genp objected tC
Marion's fortune being settled on her
self Yes, the miserable spendthrift
He doubtless wanted her to buy his
gambling debts, to support him, and
newell, he could go out for a day.
shooting, SO l thought.
How differently Westminster be.
haved, you can well imagine! The for.
tune Of Susan james was his last con.
sideration. He begged of her father
and brothers to tie it down with al
the legal requirements, forsooth, o.
course this was a dead letter in Eng.
land, for all a wife's money is her hus.
bands there, do what you will here
He meant we'll, yes, the idea did hin
credit, and he made immense settle
ments upon her.
81 cannot give you a title. dearest
said this interesting man, but / car
give you the best position in England
next to that, ask Lord Genp if ! can
not"
Lord Genp confirmed this opinion
and indeed if ever a mau acted as ;
fnil 70 hin fr;nnd Ahin dinnnrnnnhI n an