The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-11-25

MIR. Polog V. Atkinson was good
man, and, if he had been poor man,
he would have been happy one. But,
unfortunately, he was rich, and he had
gone to Europc-as that uminblc Sn
Lcpcl Griffin onco sail-to finish an
education thut had never been begun at
home.
Pclog V. Atkinson, without the "Alr. y
which, in obedience to what II0 was as
surcd was u Now York custom, he al
ways Lad engraved on his cards, was
worth much at the foot of IL check.
1t was great numo in tho Philadelphia
marts Of trade. Third street knew and
honorcd it, and it was not unknown in
Wall street. As said, he was rich; he
had "skimmcd the cream of Europe" "
rs he phraSnd it, and no had exhausted
all tho pleasure that could be had from
drinking sautorno Mt luncheon, when he
preferred beer or ice water, uiul Of MAX
ing collection of modorn French
pictures. He had Corot and Mcis-
never bought two specimens OF the same
artists work. lie talked of his pictures
as examples. He had orchids, Gel
lar Of good wine, and two pretty daugh-
ters, and yet he was not happy, because
Mrs. Pcleg V. Atkinson was not happy.
1t is not easy for people accustomed
to the pleasures Of being well to do to
bear the weight of riches. Wien | first
knew the AtkinsOns they were thorough
ly contentcd. They drank ice water
when they chose; they dincd at noon,
and corned beef and cabbage was u de-
light to in2m. On hot days Eir Atllin-
son threw off lis coat after dinner, stuck
n pipe in his mouth, and sat in tic back
door i'll his shirt sleeves, while Clnrissa
or Jennie played "Listcn to the Mock
ing Bird" or 'Silvcry Waves by way
Of refreshing him before he went down
to the Office at the factory. ''On sont
les neigc d'antan?' asks NilIon. And
Mr.. Atkinson, in after years Of splondOr,
often asked the same question, in less
poctical language, as he thought of those
happy days. Alas! there couid be no
more sitting under the grapevine arbor
and smoking the pipe Of peace! Mrs.
Pelcg V. Atkinson would no more make
the mint iulep with her own fAir hands
and come out to wakcn him from bliss
lul sleep as he sat i'll the yard with a
newspaper over his head 70 keep off tho
illcs on blissful and drowsy afternoons.
Then Mrs. Atkinson was satisfied that
her four white stone steps Were equal iii
SIZE and pallor to her ncighhors', and
that there was no window glass in the
whole town of Philadelphia laoro daz-
zling than hers; but ow----!
(,lD)1SS1
Chopin; they could not possibly condo
sccnd even to opera music, although not
avorse to dash into Wagner occasional
ly. He dincd by candlcliSht, in Il
dress suit and still, white shirt bosom,
which he was always tempted to cover
up with his napkin. lie had taken q
house just outside of Washington for the
winter, for Mrs. Atkinson saw no chance
ot making suitable matches for her
daughters i'll her native city. The
pest society WAS closed to her; she
lived on North Broad street, and there
lore ClariSsa and Jennie could not Dossi-
bly, go to the Assembly ball; and above
all things outside Of heaven, of course
Mrs. Atkinson preferred what is called
society.
Mrs. Atkinson, who WAS what is called
capable woman, lad come to know the
social characteristics Of American cities
us we'll as she used to know the points
ola good fowl when she did her own
marketing at Philadelphia, decided that
Washington was the best place to begin
the matrimonial campaign She felt
that foreign establishment WAS prefer
able to an American one and less difficult
to arrange. The rich Americans, as she
knew, were too uncertain Of their own
status to be ready to make what their
arlStocratlc connections would consider
mcsalliance9. Titles for Clarissn and
jennie would make all things easy, and
III time sho might, with such prestige,
even come to glaro ut Mrs. Cadwullader
Smythc at the Assembly ball, where the
elect of Philadelphia gathers, ut whose
portal she stood, like Moore's Peri
"disconsolate.
Mrs. Atkinson had acquired Il haugh-
ty bearing, studied from Miss Mornnt's
Nussian countess, in "Ihc Danichcfs. "
She was plump and rosy and imposing,
with white hair II Ia Nine. &c pompa.
dour. She seemed to be II great lady
until she opened her mouth.
CarlsSa and Jennie had become, like
their father, unwilling slaves TO splcn-
dor But they had acquired knowl-
N"So VI ulc pGeIaSe, ana they knew the
pedigree OF the new British minister to
the romotest quartering 1t was kind of
the family to ask me to spend two weeks
ut their house outside of Georgetown,
because 1t is not often that families of
such quality remember their acquaint
Snces OF the past. / went, and when
gear gear old Mr.. Atkinson met me with n
HDr;o4gh9m at the station my heart sunk.
hlches had aged my old friend; spIcn-
SI, Hof n@d wlthered him; the finger which
hSld immense seal ring bearing his coai.
ol-artnS was thin and trembling. There
were T >, more wrinkles in his face than M
aer the grapevine arbor His ewes we've
restless, but he greeted mo with the "Jlc "jG-
Tune cordi@ity. The brougham cnsT-
Ions were heavily scented with bcIim. i
trope, large crest--a lion comcbant
was embroidered everywhere. Thcro
were two men on the box. One Of thor,
short, stout, red-whiskercd noraonoa.n' %t"l'
III o brown coat, came down and anG9I,1o
to Mr.. Atkinson. " spoke
"You will not mind seeing to Mr.
FitzzpGtrick's baggage, will you, Indo.