Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-05-22

Wn8b lllb JTAIlsdCllOuS WtIc ii VIII WtIb
his chief clients. Therefore, on the
principle of omne ignotum pro magnifco,
fabulous reports were circulated about
him. Lie had bought and sold the
Jewels of empires. lie had weighed in
his balances the crowns of the sovereigns
Of Europe. He had bargained with the
shah and the sultan. In his books might
be found the names Of every millionaire of
contemporary times Half the diamonds
of Old World history either were or had
been in his possession, and were re-
placed in the regalia Of their putative
owners by skillful limitations In paste.
So ran the gossip, at which Harry Trent,
wien he happened to hear any Of it,
would laugh heartily and declare that it
was lucky nobody knew how really diff
cult it was for him to make both ends
meet.
The truth, as usual, doubtless lay be-
tween the extremes, but may reasonably
be held to have inclined toward the large
extremity rather than the small one.
Kings and queens and other people of
august station are sometimes in pressing
need Of money, and have little except
their Jewels to offer in exchange for it.
Their jewels may or may not be their
personal property; at all events, paste
reproductions are cheap and easily come
by. Who knows, or can expect to know,
whether the Regent de France, the Pasha
of Egypt, the SanCy, or even the Great
Mogul. are genuine or bogus? If bogus,
where are the originals? Whispers have
even been heard regarding the Kohl
moor; but is to be hoped that, in this
case at least, there is no basis for them.
Meanwhile Harry Trent continued dill
gently at work on his new house. We
have seen many fine houses erected since
then; but it is safe to say that Trents
house is still as good rs anything in the
way of a dwelling in New York city.
Its excellence. however, lay not 50 much
in external adornment as in the fittings
) and furniture inside.
1t stood on corner lot--or rather on
a corner lot and two adjoining Ones
and there was space on both sides of it,
, while at the back was u roomy Enclosure
} and stables 1t was built Cf n reddish
. graystone, with broad projecting win
, dows admitting plenty Of light. The plan
: ! of the rooms and staircases was most
, agreeable; at whatever point you stood
you saw around you only charming Wis
J tas, harmonious lines, soothing ColOrs and
spacious perspecuves. Every room was
; a picture in itself, combining with the
others to form more elaborate picture.
Yet the eye was never Wearicd by petty
"details; tho minor features constituted
,aul contributed to the whole effect in
~ L. ,t-..i
nothing in the house that did not belong
Ito Harry Trent-not only in the ordinary
sense Of prOprietorship, but as being the
fmaterial incarnation Of his thoughts,
tastes and accomplishments. His house
Twas he-and it is paying him no small
compliment to say SO. y mans interior
lis not always SO concly an object Of con-
temptation. Youmight discover, indeed,
hero and there, a picture, statue, a
lsweep Of drapery or passage of color
that indicated regions in the designer
nature Of somewhat sumptuous, sensu-
GUS or voluptuous tendency; but they
r We're never obtrusive, never ont Of due
= subordinatlon TO the rest, and were after
:. all only what would be expected from a
n man Of his artistic and generous tempera
: ment.
a But what was Harry Trent going tC
q do with his new home? He was going
:, to live in it, doubtless; but did he mear
= to live alone? This question had latterly
e thrown good many charming worner
3. into meditative frame Of mind. IL wa.
9 known, Of course, that Harry Trent hat
, been married. but that was in his youth
a his wife had died within "A year and ha(
/ left him childless. There was nothing
then, in the way Of his marrying again
, and upon other grounds such an even
q was probable. For, as has already beer
g intimated, he was still to all intents ant
Ie purposes young man. That quality il
p him that led to his being called Harr,
"a Trent, instead Of Mr.. Trent, or Henry
70 may serve to convey one meaning. lie Wa
" still in the swim; he was not on the re
N tired or retiring list; he was modern an,
y active not fossilized and autiquated. Me-
m younger in years than he had not hal
% his elasticity and vitality. He kept pac
y with the times and looked ahead rathe
n than backward Moreover, he was fon
" of society and constantly in it, and
m man more liked by women could not b
ID found. 1t was not that he dazzled theI
es with his own brilliancy, but he mad
D. them brilliant; he drew from them tn
Is best that was IN them and enchante
to them with themselves.
I'd Mirabeau had the "don terrible de !
or fsmiliarite;" Harry Trent had the II
of less terrible gift of sympathy-mngneti
1t sympathy TO employ once again tina
at abused adjective). There was vigorous
" masculine fiber in him that never fail
vs. to attract the other sex. They felt tina
ma he understood them and could manag
them-could do the thing they wishe
Mt to have done, whatever it might be-
nd This, Of course, is not quite the same @
,lv saying that 1.-The American Castellani
yn (as he was sometimes styled was ma
lie. whom women could afford to trus
ty There were stories about him-nevt
ty fairly authenticated. however - thu
,e- pointed to n different conclusion. If W
nv give ear to the gossip Of the world, WI
he would escapei Harry Trent was ma
asa of the world, and he was highly Gu