, 1891-03-17
BROWNING WAS HIS CARD.


He Played 1t to Win an Entrance Int
m Almost ImPeuetrabIe Society.
l got into a pleasant section Of so
ciety by shrewd manipulation, said a
young man who is now a member of
the most fashionable New York circles,
and is well known in the artistic world.
Of course there was nothing to be said
against my birth or my record when l
came here to live three years ago. but
l did not have recommendation suf-
fcient to make me eligible at once.
In ne first place I was very poor
No one knew it, but l was. Ny father
allowed me a sum upon which could
just manage to dress decently and live
in a back room in an uptown boarding
house. | lived on crackers, devilled
ham and tea / loved the theatre, and
used 10 60 into the top gallery TO see
all the good productions. had a let
ter 10 n very nice woman, who in
vited me to her afternoon receptions.
There | met the real swells but none
Of them knew me or thought Of me aft,
erward, | would have sunk out Of
sight had | not resolved to make a pro
nounced effort to attract attention.
At Just that time the for Brown
ing readings was in progress ! was a
student Of Browning, and | had read a
good deal at college with considerable
success, so | determined to give a
Browning reading in my room TO "A very
select gathering. Now, my room was
very handsomely fitted up. All my
lie | had Lcen collecting tapestries, old
paintings, unique ornaments and an
tique furniture, and though my entire
collection would not sell in an auction
room for 81, 900, it looked, crowded
into my apartment, 1t for the reccp-
ton room Of a duke. | engaged the
colored man Of the boarding house to
act as my servant, and, as | wished
him TO look very fine. he wore my dress
suit, while | was attired appropriately
for an afternoon event of this kind
BY very careful maneuvering l sue.
ceeding in getting n full dozen excel
lent women 10 attend my reading, and
when they saw my curios and had heard
my eloquent rendition of the great poet
they Immediately thought | must be a
very extraordinary young man. And
then when the colored servant, looking
extremely neat in my dress suit, passed
an entirely new sort of biscuit about
among the company, with overland tea
served in cups that could not be dupli
cnted this side OF Rome. my triumph
was complete. The entertainment was
entirely elegant, and yet there was
originality in it. My household gods
and my edibles were out Of the common
run, aud those dozen women made up
taken up. They had known before
that ! was respectable, and now they
knew | possessed taste, and they
thought hat must be %aifluent.
The very next day | received invita-
tions to really swell affairs. Wherever
/ went heard myself spoken Of as the
accomplished young Browning student,
who lived in u nest of tapestries and
silken cushions where tea that had the
scent OF roses and biscuits Of a new
and exquisite sort were served upon
perfect china. That was my start. and
now they are after me to lead cotillions,
and ! can't paint pictures enough %
keep up with the demand. have
spacious apartments and crowds come
to my afternoon teas. None Of them
knows how. at the outset. / put every
thing to the touch to win or lose it all.
The bill for the biscuits that 1 had
bought Of a little French baker in Sew
enth avenue was not paid until six
weeks after they were eaten New
York Sun.