The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-22
4 GuilclcSS Veteran.

uullVlVUV AUtU1uINs
 No one precisely knew how Mir, Simon Buttershaw came to be member of the SGreville club but, on the other hand, mo one particularly cared He was, as a 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. It had once been a sober and steady institution, ire quentcd chiefly by barristers, journalists and rich city men, who played mild whist before dinner and slept comtorta- bly, over the smoking-room fire in the evening; but, for some reason or an other, men about town gifted with cash rather than with brains took to joining the Greville and it sprang with compar atlve suddenness into fashion, and even notoriety. Fast young gentlemen agreed that 1t was the correct thing to belong to 1t; the old members dropped off one by one, and the Greville acquired rep utation us the haunt of gay sparks, who sat up till unhallowed hours of the morning, supped off deviled bones and champagne, and played cards and bill lizards for stakes which would have grievously mortified the habitues, had any of them been left to tell the tale It was at this period that Mir Butter shaw returned from foreign parts, and he found no difficulty whatever in scrap ing an acquaintance, and even an inti- macy, with the new generation. Mir. Buttershaw had, in fact, many qualities which enabled him to shine in the soci- ety which frequented the Greville. He was a middle-aged and well-prcserved man, with a considerable flow of anec- dote and a large and varied experience of life. He seemed to have plenty of money, gave capital dinners, drove a smart phaeton, and always appeared to have sufficient spare time to join in any festivity which happened to be proposed to him. But there was one peculiarity about Mir. Buttershaw which endeared him to his new associates even more than all the rest put together, and this was his persistent illluck at cards Not that he gamblcd very high or lost very heavily, but he never won; and the punters at the Greville speedily recog- nized the fact that for Buttershaw to sit down at the card-table meant the dis tribution of at least f50 among the com pany. Wherefore they voted him a capital fellow, were always ready to dine with him, drive with him, and win his money; and in their hearts looked upon him as a poor pigeon who had been sent among them by merciful Providence for the express purpose of being gplucked
 Now, among the members of the Gre vile there were nobles of a high degree, besides baronets of more or less ancient lineage, and commoners of wealth and distinction, and with all these person. ages Mr. Buttershaw contrived to get, not merely friendly, but familiar Thus when the duke of Omnium was making up shooting party at Gatherum Park some intimate friend would be sure to say, Ask Buttershaw; he's very harm less, and he always loses" when Sir Hector Flash wanted to enjoy the soci- ety of a few stars of burlesque at Green wich or Richmond, Buttershaw was gen. erally invited for he never was in the way, and was invariably willing to de vote himself to the oldest and plainest member of the company, thus smooth. ing over all manner of unpleasant ieal- ousies and heart-burnings; when Mir Cresus gave dinner, he always asked Buttershaw. for he never made mis- take in praising the wrong wines, and was sure to discover some beauty in Mir Croesus pictures or china which had hitherto been overlooked So Mir. But tershaw became a universal favorite and the members of the Greville, espe cially those who had won money from him, united in wishing long life and prosperity to so useful and desirable an acquaintance.
 It has previously been said that Mir Buttershaw gave capital little dinners the scene of which was generally laid in his comfortable chambers in Jermyn street, and on one of these occasions he invited the duke of Omnium, Sir Hector Flash, Mir. Cr9sus and one or two more congenial spirits, to me&t his old friend General Barnabas, of the United States army, who had never been in England before, and wished to see little ot London life.
 He's a capital old sportsman. Bar nabas," said Mir. Buttershaw to Sir Hec tor, has been everywhere bar England and done most things. In fact, he has only one fault that know of"
 And what's that?" inquired the bar onet
 Why, nothing will induce him tc play cards"
 "Oh, we'll soon get him over that"
 Well, wish you would, for, of course its Q nuisance when one man insist. upon standing out; but don't think