The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-09-18


to smoking, and are sufficiently ut leis-
ure to hear me- to tie end.
.sarts.irI1y.. aEekz Il n t,ie-..r and I VII
5oia y0u, and prav -ry ons CT these II
you wll. for ny ffl,le Is quite II your
disposal, : answered AEr. Chelrn. who, II
vzas evident TO liz. vas amused and flrIx-
zle1 lg his visitor.
Thank you. Ee settled himself
comfortably IN his chair, and altar
preliminary pun saia: II I'm ID urdi-
nary felon | an even 1at. strictly
speaking. Enenahle Is the Laws. / am,
however. as have told yen already. .
sham. The world believes me to be q
young fellow Of fortune, whose only
concern is with the cut Of his coat and
the smile Of his mistress. The world
for once is ii error. I'm notlnngf the
sort. Appearances are against me, i
admit Even you, fancy, were deceived.
No, my deur cir. while every one Judges
me 70 be.a mere butterfly OF fashion, L
am an ideahsfs1 r- heart, and the worst of
1t Is that 10 one win believe me. All
that want Is chance, IN opportunity
to prove an taa1 which claim: but
nobody vii give II to me. # 1 venture
to suggest that / am II earnest the state
men1 excites sneers or ndic1Ie. For
nearly tg7o wears 4 have been trying to
find something IS 10, and without s1c-
cess. have exhausted my own city,
and have now come to yours. Your
name ayas faIniI.ar to me as one which
ny fstller rasDecYsi. al,d It occurred to
me 70 tel you a. story. I'm quite
prepared 70 be iEsa gr.ned that tAsre are h
Thousand aanIicants for every Tac1ncT,
and that such a case as mine is not es-
peeiaIly deserving. In one sense of the
word yen would be right. There are
others who suffer more acutely 1h1n I
but few who suffer more unJustly, and
the whole causeis To be found II sim
gle phrase am q gentleman.
"You are IntEHed 70 be pited, said
Mr.. Chelm, wi1asan amused laugh.
And what Is more, 1t Is not my fault.
am not responsible for It; l was born
SO. MY case is precisely opposite to that
of most Of MP contemporaries. They
find II eGsy enough TO SGT occupation,
but very difficult 70 be gentlemen. /
know how TO he1are Ike a gentleman,
bnt can ind noting TO do. Gentlemen
ara evolved, n0Tsnage. Wuuld 10 heaven
/ had been czhsalted On the subject.
But I-agslze 1-~-3ay and found myself
what ! am. Let me rehearse 10 you
briefly ny qualifications. l was sent to
school abroad, and was graduated from
college at homef | speak duently three
modern languages besides my own, zlad
have bowling acquaintance with two
dead ones. Ihave read widely enough II
history, political economy, literature,
science and music TO be superficial /
can write verses, play on the piano and
fute. fence, fiTt and lead the conllon.
All this the puEllc seen to recognlze and
give me credit TOR; but when / ask them
to take me seriously, as yThey would the
ver1es1 beggar n the street, the frivolous
I0ok lncredulous and gggle, and The
Practical frown and point me 10 the
door and why: SIInpiy-asnd TINS VIII,
II may be, anticipate Your criticism
simply because / wear well fitting
clothes, address lady with ga1anfry,
and change my colt for dinner. Let me
add at once, Il you have no assistance to
offer as TO how staI ind employment
except TO 80 from Office TO ONCE with
long face and baSgy trousers, must re-
spectfully decline to take the step. II mas
become a matter q Ilrlde with me; l draw
the hne there. Gail 1t volatile, foolish,
Obstinate, what you will propose TO
be a gentleman TO the last. | VII starve
with a smile on my lace ana a dawless
coat on my back, though II be my only
one. As | have said, gentlemen are
evolved, not made; and we owe II TO our
SONS TO keep up the standard OF the race.
They VIII not even allow, s1r, that am
an American / am received with scorn
and DENIED my nlrtar1ght, not only by
these 10 Whon apply tor work, put oy
the Arabs OF the street and the public
press am not complaining; am
merely staining the facts OF the case.
They even east Ike II nay teeth-Ike the
llnI1er1ons, DeauIlInIiy ugly LIE, ne
added, STOPPING down 10 pat the bull
terrier, VINO showed his teeth and
groWied adeclonateiy. Now Mr.
Cheizn, yon have my story l am ID
earnest WI You help me-
i can understand your difficulties To
some extent, Mr.. Prime, and am not al
together without sympathy Tor you," be
gan the lawyer grayely, after short re-
AeFfshgz