The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1886-07-10
"A GuiIeIess Veteran.
STORY OF A LONDON CLUB.

No one precisely knew how Mr.. Simon
Buttershaw came to be q member of the
Greville club, but. on the other hand,
no one particularly cared He was. as
q matter of fact, an original member,
but he had been abroad for some years,
and when he returned the character of
the Greville had undergone very con-
siderable transformation. 1t had once
been sober and steady institution, fre-
Quented chiefly by barrlsters, journalists
and rich city men, who played mild
whist before dinner and slept comfort
ably over the smoking-roOm fire in
the evening; but, for some reason or
another. men about town gifted with cash
rather tl1an with brains took to Joining
the Grevile, and it sprang with COM
parative sudleuness into fashion, and
even notoriety. Fast young gentlemen
agreed that it WIS the correct thing to
belong to it; the old members dropped
off one by one, and the Greville acquired
q reputation rs the haunt of gay sparks,
who sat up till unhallowel hours of the
morning supped off devilled bones and
champagne, and played cards and bill
lizards for stakes which wonll have griev-
ouslv Mortified the old habitues, had any
of them been left to tell the tale. 1t
was ut this period that Mr.. Buttershaw
returned from foreign parts, and he
found no difficulty whatever in scrap
ing al acquaintance, and even an lntl-
macy with the new generation. Mr..
Buttershaw had, in fact, many qualities
which enabled hlm to shine in the society
which freunentcl the Greville. He was
middlc-agel but well-preserved man,
with n consi lerahle flow of anecdote and
a large and varied experience of life.
He seemed to have plenty OF money,
rave CAPITAL dinners, ,lr we 4 smart phae-
ton and always :tppe trel to have sufficl-
ent spare time to join i'll any festivlty
which happened to bn proposed to him.
But there was one paculiarisv about Mr..
Butt,rshaw which culearel him to his
new associates even more than all the
rest put together, and this was his per
sistent ill-iuck ut cards. Not that he
gamhled very high or lost very heavily
but he never won; and the punters a
the Grevilie speedily recognized ths
fact ma. for Blttcrshaw to sit down q
the carl-tahle meant the distribution o
at least ESQ amoue the company
Now. among the members of the Gre
vile there were mobiles of high degree
besides barnne.s Of more or less ancien
lineage and comu,ner, OF wealth m,
distinction, and with all these parsonage
Mr.. Butterskaw contrived to get no
merely friendly, bat familiar. Thus
when the duke of Omnium WAS mnlin
up shooting party at Gatheruin park
some intimate friend was sure to say
"Ask Buttershnw; he's very harmless
and he always loses" when Sir Hecto
Flash wanted to enjoy the society OF
few stars of burlesque at Greenwich G
Richmond, But.ershNw was general
invited, for he was never in the way An
Wa luVUIlaDty winning W uO'o~0 AAAAAA'S
10 the oldest md plalnest member OF th
company, thus smoothing over all man
ner of unpleasant jealolsies and hear
burninos when Mr. CrDsns gave diI
ner he always asked Buttershaw. for
never made . mistake in pra;slng Il
wrong Wines and WIS sure to d'scov'
some beauty in Mr.. Crs'nss pictures
china which had hitherto been owe
looked 1t has previously been said tn
Mr.. Buttershnw gave capital little di
ners, and on one OF these occasions
invited the duke of O.un,um, SIR Hect
Flash, Mr. c. % ;ls and ono or two mo
oongenial spir,t~. TO meet ,,is old frien
General BlrlahaS. of the United Stat
army, who had never been in Englal
before, aud wished to see little
London life.
"Hes capital old sportsman. Ba