Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-22
A GIIILELESS VETERAN.

Bettershaw came to be a member of the
Greyiiie Club, but, on the other hand. no
one particularly cared. He was. as a mat
ter OF fact, an original member, but he had
been abroad for some years, and when he
returned the character of the Greyille had
undergone very considerable transforma-
ton. 1t had once been a sober and steady
institution, frequented chiefly by barristers.
journalists and rich city men, who PLAYED
mild whist before dinner and slept COM
iortably over The smoking-room fire in the
evening; but, for some reason or another
men about town gifted with cash rather
than with brains took to joining the Gre
vile, and 1t sprang with comparative sud
dennes= into fashion, and even notorietv.
Fast young gentlemen agreed that it was
the correct thing to belong to it; the old
members dropped off one by one, and the
Greville acquired q reputation as the haunt
Of gay sparks, who had sat up till unbal-
lowed hours Of the morning. supped off
deWled bones and champagne, and PLAYED
cards and billiards for stakes which would
nave gFievously mortified the old habitues
lAtNa "a lAAt-ii UGH ltlL 10 tel the flln
Ii was At this period that Mr.. Buttershary
returned from foreign parts, and he fannd
no dllncUlty whatever in Scraping an &C
quaihtance, and even an intimacy, with the
new generation. Mr. BUttershaw had. IN
tact many qualities which enabled him TO
SHINE III the society which frequcnted the
Treyllle. lie was middle-aged but we'll
preserved man, with q considerable flow Of
anecdote and large and varied experience
oil lie. lie seemed to have plenty of mon
eyi gave capital dinners, drove 4 smart
phaeton, and always appeared to have sutfi-
clent spare time to join in any festivitv
Whlch happened to be proposed to him
but there was one popularity about Mr..
buttershaw which endeared him to his new
associates even more than all the rest put
together, and this was his persistent ill-luck
at cards. Not that he gambed very high.
or lost very heavily, but he never won: and
me punters at the Greville speedily recog-
nlzed Tue TACT that Tor Buttershaw to sit
down AZ the card-table meant the distribu-
ton OF at least $50 among the company.
Wherefore they voted him a capital fellow.
were always ready 10 dine with him. drive
with nm, and win his money; and in their
hearts Looked upon him as poor pigeon
VINO mad been sent among them by a mer-
cltul providence for the express purpose of
being piucked.
Now, among the members of the Gre
Vlile there were mobiles of high degree be-
SIDES paronets Of more or less ancient lin
cage, and commoners of wealth and dis.
unctlon, and with all these personages Mr..
BGtershaw contrived to get, not merely
friendly, but familiar Thus, when the
Duke OF Omnlum was making up a shoot
ing party at Gatherum Park. some intimate
friend was sure to say, Ask Buttershaw
he's very harmless, and he always loses :"
when Sir Hector Flash wanted to enjoy the
society OF a few stars of burlesque at Green
wich OF Richmond, Buttershaw was gener-
ally invited, for he was never in the way,
and was Invariably willing to devote him
self to the Oldest and plainest member of
the company, thus smoothing over all
manner of unpleasant jealousies and heart
burning when Mr.. Crusus gave dinner
he alw.y asked Buttershaw, for he never
made mistake in praising the wrong
wines, ana was sure TO discover some beauty
IN Mr.. Cr@sus' pictures or china which had
hitherto been overlooked. So Mr.. Butter
shaw became universal favorite and the
members of the Greville, especially those
Who had won money from him, united in
wishing long life and prosperity to SO use
iul and desirable acquaintance.
1t has previously been SAID that Mr.. But
tershaw gave capital little dinners, the scene
of which was generally laid in his comfort
able chambers in Jermyn street. and on
one of these occasions he invited the Duke
of Omnium, Sir Hector Flash. Mr.. Crosus,
and one or two more congenial spirits.
10 meet his old friend, General Barnabas,
of the United States Army, who had never
been in England before, and wished to see
a little Of London life.
Hes a capital old sportsman Barna-
baS, said Mr.. Buttershaw to Sir Hector
has been everywhere bar England. and
done most things. In fact, he has only one
fault that know of"
And what IS that?' inquired the Baro-
net
Why, nothing will induce him to play
cards"
Oh, wen soon get him over that ~
Well, | wish you would for. of course
its nuisance when one man insists upon
standing out but don't think YOU will be
successful. However, there's no harm in
trying
The evening duly arrived, and Mr.. But
tershaw's guests were presented to the Gen
eral, who received them with stately and
old-fashioned courtesy. He was white
haired old gentleman, of q spare. erect fig
ure, and wore very large spectacles. through
which he beamed upon the company in a
benevolent ana genital manner. During
the meal he told many curious stories of his
adventures, his marked American accent
adding much to their point, while his re-
freshing innocence of certain subjects
amused his hearers vastly. He had never
made bet in his life, had only twice en-
tered theater, and seemed to know as
much about women as a hermit
This old simpieton will be the death of
me. WHISPERED the Baronet to the Hon
Paul Punter, who made one of the PARTY.
"Husb :" said Mr.. Punter. YOU mustn't
CbafT him too much. He NAV have a re-
yolyer in his pistol-pocket, though he is
such an innocent"
After dinner not much time was lost in
getting to business. Mr.. Buttersbaw had
invested in a small roulette table, at the
earnest solicitation of his friends, and, after
how it worked, just for beginning. But
all Sir Hector's attempts to make the Gen
eral ioin in were fruitless. On being We
hemently pressed to declare the reason for
his reluctance. the old man at length mod
estlv acknowledged the cause of his scru
ples.
the fact is" he said, that have only
gambled about three or four times in my