The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-10-23
EVERY ONE LOVED HIM.
How Jack Euston's Sins. Were
Outweighed by His Virtues.

OuUW0lS10u ny Ills v VlTOu0Ss
Any fine sunny day you might have
seen old Sir Peter Euston driving in the
park with his admirable elder son Jo-
seph by his side. The old gentleman
was II good deal shaken since that
dreadful business about his son Jack.
Society talked of it for quite three days,
and my friend John Carleton was near
ly worn off his legs running about from
club to club repeating the story. Sir
Peters kind old face frightened in re-
turn for friendly greeting, but there
was vast deal more sorrow than joy
in his smile.
Says Mrs. Mountchester to me as we
drove past and exchanged greetings,
airily whipping up her dapper gray
ponies: Now, / really do think the old
gentleman ought to put better face on
it. He had one son who had all the
vices extant, and the other every i'm
aginable virtue; why doesn't he strike
q balance as they do at his bank, and
set off one against the other" Ger
tainly Joseph Euston looked the ncar-
nation of high-class British virtue. Peo-
pie were always making him their .'ex-
.ecutor" and leaving him handsome leg
acies; the middle-aged folks were never
happy till he was guardian and god
father to their children; and the young
folks appointed him "trustee" to any
number of marriage settlements
Now and then you saw h s
name as director of some very
fat and hourishing company, and its
fatness and its flourish were generally
due to the valuc attaching to his name.
When you had secured his patronage for
any undertaking you might be quite
sure it would ride on the top of the tide
and ultimately secure firm anchorage in
the harbor of public opinion. know
that the Society for Christian Potboys
was on Its very last legs when he gave
it his sanction; and now it's scarcely de-
cent to die without leaving it legacy
in your will. Decorum, propriety and
responsibility had ruled his life from the
cradle upward. He was that entirely
odious thing, a weil-conducted boy. !
don't like decorous boys, and didn't
like him. He never tore his clothes nor
got into debt; he could not have climbed
a tree to save his life; and he would
as soon have broken into church as
robbed hcnroost. No one ever was
known to call him Joe, or chaff him, or
play any tricks on him. All the devil
try of the family centered in Jack, and
left nothing but all the domestic virtues
for Joseph. Add to his virtues an ex-
tremely courteous manner, and to his
manner soft, winning voice, and to
both well-secured income of ten thou
sand pounds year, and tell me if Ham
nah More ever conceived more noble
perfect hero.
That very evening 1 was playing a
rubber at old Lady Chelsea's. always
left her house considerably richer in
scandal but decidedly poorer in pocket.
Between the hands Lady G. would dis.
tribute crumbs of the very latest gossip,
and any social chck-a-biddy might pick
them up. So says my Lady Chelsea
81 hear Joseph Euston is secured al
last.
The dealer paused in his deal as a
chorus of inquiries rose. Little Cecil
Digby, who was my partner, raised his
hand and said: "I'll lay ten to one can
spot the girl"
''rhe creature is detcstably slangy,"
says Lady c., leaning back in her chair
Il have great mind to win youl
money, Mr.. Digby think / might
give the party guess all round and YET
Keep my secret.'N
"Why, Lady Chelsea" cries Cecil,
"all the world knew the day before yes
terday that the beautiful Yankee heiress
Miss Dinah b., Chicago, had landed the
prize"
Lady C. shakes her head and says
"All the world is wrong, as usual
Guess again" then hazard the remark
that as Mrs. Wilks Wheeler has beer
angling for him for her third girl fo,
two years (and mark you, Mrs. w
Wheeler was the most successful prize
taker for the last three seasons), it wa.
probable that this accomplished lad,
had at last brought matters to II crisis
head, and further random guesses OF
the part of the guests; then an inttrva
of silence as Lady Chelseas most orac
ular voice announced the name of "Lady
Olivia Plantagenet. Tho rubber was
expressed our surprise.
And now must tell you something
about Lady Olivia. and how it all came
dDOuV. TOT tnrce sctsoHS eVcry Well
thinking mother in Bsgr"ya with az,
daughter had spread her nets abroad fol
Joseph Euston. When his father dice
he would be Sir Joseph, and in thu
meanwhile he was practically the senior
partner in the famous old bank o.
Euston, Curtis 4 Langham. Philan
throphic mothers with tendencies
toward Exeter Hall had laid desperate
and insidious siege to his heart. It il
on record that pretty and skittish Mis-
Boutfower, old Sir Chrlstopher's onl.
daughter, actually became deacones
and renounced the gayeties of whole
London season, all in hopes of secur
ing Joseph. She never indulged in |
single frivolity that season, except on
fancy bazaar to which Joseph was in