The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-31

tanning the earliest years of discretion, tho
sons decided that it was more incumbent
upon them than upon the generality Of per-
sons to be particularly particular in their
choice Of friends. As they were amlable,
right-feeling young men, they looked upon
this duty as a sad necessity.
Had they been tempted to swerve from this
line of conduct respect for their father should
have kept them steadfast. He had always
impressed the great duty upon them. Before
the two boys were out of the nursery the great
coup which is expected by every sanguine
business man came off, Mr. Talbert realized
his capital and sold his business. He obtained
less for it because he made the stipulation that
his name should no longer appear in cornec-
ton with it. Then, widower with one
daughter and two sons, he bought Hazlewood
House, and settled down to drift gradually
| into good society.
He educated his children by this creed. 1t
| IS the duty Of all people to rise in the world
both in commercial and social circles. Thanks
| to his exertions and good fortune, the first
half of the obligation had been discharged.
The second rested chiefly with his children.
| He did not tell them this In definite words,
| but all the same preached it to them most elo-
| quently, and was more than content, and felt
| that the fruits of his training were showing
| themselves, when his daughter married Sir
Maingay Clauson, a fairly respectable and
well-to-do baronet.
| This satisfactory alliance gave the Talberts
| a lift in the social scale; although, so far as
Oakbury was concerned, it was little needed.
| Mr.. Talbert had now been out of business for at
least ten years. He was quiet, gentlemanly,
and, if not retiring, at least unobtrusive. His
wealth was estimated at about three times its
correct amount. With these advantages he
already found himself we'll received by the
| families of position, his neighbors. Content
as he no doubt felt on his own account, he,
nevertheless, held up their sisters bril- mt
match as an example to his sons, aud talked
so much about the necessity of their choosing
their intimates fittingly that it is a marvel
the young men did not speedily develop into
| fools or snObs.
But even now when verging upon middle
age they were neither-although any man
who would decline your acquaintance or
mine ought, of course to be one or the
other-perhaps both. The worst that could
be urged against the Talberts was this From
the very first they had told themselves: 1--WE
can find as pleasant and as true friends among
the upper ten thousand-among those who do
not make their living by barter-as we can
among commercial people. Let us therefore
only associate with the best. A man has an
undoubted right to choose his own friends.
Weshall not go out of our way to toady the
| great, but with our ideas on the subject we
can only make associates of those whom we
consider the proper class of people. A Duke
of Badminton may associate with whomsoever
he chooses. He is always, per Sc, the duke
We are not dukes. Our father made his
money in-well, never mind in what. We
are not even millionaires. We have enough
wealth to live comfortably and like gentle
men, but not enough to roll in. If we go hand
in glove with oil, tobacco, sugar, etc, we
must, on account of the narrow distance
which divides us from the status of commerce.
sink to the level, or ct least get COMPOUNDED
with those useful, respectable, profitable, but,
to US distasteful commodities. Therefore it
behooves us TO be fastidious even to FAULT
Who can blame such sentiments as thesel
To my mind there is a kind of shrewd nobility
in theml
Why, with 81 ch sensible views on things in
general, the two young men did not follow
their sisters example and make brilliant
matches is mater which has never been
clearly explained. When, after an immacu-
late career, they left Oxford, they were tai,
well-built, young fellows; moreover carrying
about them an inherent look of distinction
So far as the world knew they had no vices.
Indeed, in spite Of stature, good looks, and
broad shoulders, IN some quarters they were
accounted milksops. Perhaps because, in adj
dition to the polite, even courtly, style which
they strove to adopt towards every one, they
had many little finnicking, old-maidish ways
which were a source of merriment TO their
contemporaries. Nevertheless, among those
| who were honory,d with their friendship the