The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-18
A "~GENTLEMAN's INCOME
George " and His Bon viveurs-Wha
Some Town Houses Cost.

George ~ and His Bon Viveurs-What
Some Town Houses Cost.
]. II. Siddons in the Chicago Tribune.
In February, 1927, l beheld His
Gracious Majesty Gum the Fourth"
says j. H. Siddons in the Chicago
Tribune. He was in the cid state car
wage, going to open Parliament. At
tired in a dark blue coat and velvet
collar, his neck encircled with a black
silk stock, and his last new wig care
fully oiled and adjusted, exactly as he
mad been limned by Sir Thomas Lau-
renee, "the finest gentleman in Eu-
rope" looked black and bloated, as if
theupper part ofhis body was mortify-
Ing and on the point of decomposing,
while the vital spark still hickered in
his frame. He was the very type Of
wornout sensuality-"the wretched
remnant ofani i'll spent life" Thecrowd
family cheered him, because it had
been led to suppose that, fulfilling the
obligation OF his coronation oath, he
had s~teadfastly refused to counte-
nance the emancipation ofthe Roman
Catholics within his realm; but he did
not make the slightest effort to &C
knowledge the popular mark OF hon.
age. 1t would probably have burst
the corset lace which held the adipose
accumulation in tolcrable subsection.
Recalling the image Of the hideous
object some ten years later, ! was at
no loss to believe in the accuracy OF
Sir Willoughby Cotton's description
OF the Kings notion OF gentlemanly
expenditure. As one of the royal
aides-de-camp, IL bo%n-vivant, and a
good soldier, Sir Willoughby was a
frequent guest at George Tvs table.
Upon one occasion a general officer
who was present spoke of the difticulty
OF saving money out OF the allowances
OF u military command or the govern
ment of an island. at is really" he
added, impossible even to live re-
specially ona few hundred per annum
in England unless u man buries him
self in Whales or Cornwall"
The question then arose among the
old officers and noblemen at the table
as to what income az really neces-
sary for n gentleman's comfort at
home. For fun's sake the Marquis OF
Worchester asked theroyal host what
he considered a fair annual stipend
for an English gentlemen. The reply
aMy dear fellow, n man who cannot
live at ease on flOO, 900 a year ought
To be ashamed OF himself All agreed
that the sun would certainly
suffice. but not one seemed to be
aware how the money could
be got through. Nothing more
easily" readily resumed the monarch.
in the first place, a man must have
his own town house and his country
seat, for the ordinary purposes of win
ter and summer existence. He hunts
with his own hounds, of course; no
gentleman wouldfollow another mans
pack if he could afford to keep one
himself. Then he must haveh his sport
ing box in Norfolk, his villa and yacht
at Cowes, his box at the opera, his en-
tree and membership at two or three
tirst-c.ass clubs. OF course, he would
play q little; and, if he has a taste for
horsetlesh and the turf, he will breed
and train a few colts and tillies. All
these arrangements involve large es-
Establishments of servants. Cursethem,
they are the caterpillars that devour
a mans income! Then there must be
a goodcellara al each temporary abode,
as we'll as in the permanent mansions.
Once a year a trip to Paris to seeTal-
ma and shake finger at Frascati's will
be de rigueur, Entin, what with new
books, pictures, biiouterie, snutfboxes
to give away, charitable subscription,