The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-01-01
CHAPTER III.
A FAMILY OF POSITION,

IL ~ ltlltllDtltAl lIiiu OdkDuIl 10
not Blacktown. Besides Lord Kclston s
well known country seat, there must be
N the parish of Oakbury some twenty
or twenty-five gentlemen's residence.
They can not be called estates, as the
ground attached to each varies respcc
lively from three to fifty acres, but not
n few of them might lay claim to be
described by that well rounded phrase,
dear TO auctionecrs and house agents,
"a country mans on, fit for the occupa-
ton and requirements of family of
position. They are not new, specula-
tive, jerry built houses, but good old
fashioned solid affairs. No painted
and gilt ratings urround them; thick
boundary walls and fine old trees
hide them from the gaze of inquisi-
tive holiday folks. AS the coun-
try around is very beautiful
and richly tmbered; as the prevailing
wind which blows across Oakburv
blows straight from the sea, pure and
uncontaminated; as two of the best
packs of hounds in England meet
within an easy distance; and, prejudice
notwithstan Ting, as the conveniences
offered by a large city are so close at
hand it is no wonder that the rector
of Oakhury numbers many families of
position among his Practitioners.
After this DIES ;ription it will be easily
believed that the Oakbury people are
somewhat exclusive by the Oakbury
people are meant the inhabitants of the
aforesaid twenty houses; the manners
of the villagers and other small fry
who constitute the residue of the popu-
lation need not to be taken into ac-
count. The Oakbury people proper
are very particular as to with whom
they associate, and the most PAL ticular
and exclusive of ali are two gentlemen
named Talbert, thu Joint owners and
occupiers of Hazelwood House
Their ultra exclusiveness was but the
natural out come of the pos ton in
which they were placed The fact that
their income vas derived from money
made by their father in timber. tobac-
co, soap, sugar, or some other lar. o in
dustry of BlacStown-people have
already nearly forgotten which it was
must be responsible for the care the
Talberts were bound to exercise before
they made a new acquaintance.
Because, you see, in their opinion at
least, the faint of trade still chung to
them. They were but generation re-
moved from the actual buying selling
and chatlering. So it was that upon
attaining the earliest years of dscrc-
ton, the sons decided that it was more
incumbent upon them than upon the
generality of persons to be peculiarly
particular in their choice of friends.
As they were amiable, right feeling
young men, they looked upon this duty
as necessity. Had they been tenn ted
to swerve from their line of conduct.
respect for their father should have
kept them steadfast. Before the two
boys were out of the nursery, the great
coup which is expected by every san
guine business man came off Mr..
Talbert realized his capital and sold his
business. He obtained less for it be-
cause he made the stipulation that his
name should no longer appear in con-
nection with it. Then, n widower w tn
one daughter and two sons he bought
Hazelwood Fouse. and settled down to
drift gradually into good society.
He educated his children by this
creed. 1t is the duty of all people to
rise in the world-both in commerce al
and social circles. Thanks to his exer-
tons and good fortune, the first half of
the obligation had been discharged.
The second rested chiefly with his chill
dren. He did not tell them this in
definite words, but all the same
preached it to them most eloquentlv.
and was more than content. and felt
that the fruits of his training were show
ing themselves, when his daughter
married Sir Maingay Clauson, a fairly
respectable and wcll-to-do baronet.
This satisfactory alliance gave the
Talberts n lift in the social scale;
although, so far as Oakbury was con
cerned, 1t was little needed. Mr.. Tai
bert had now been out of business for
at least ten years. He was quiet, gen
tlemanly, and, if not retiring at least
unobtrusive. Content as he no doubt
felt on his own account, he neverthe
less, held up their sisters brilliant
match as an example to his sons, and
talked so much about the necessity of
their choos ng their intimates iittincly
that 1t is marvel the young men did
not speedily develop into fools or snobs.
The worst that could be urge
against the ralberts was this. From
the very first they had told themselves:
I'VE can find as pleasant and as true
friends among the upper ten thousand
among those who do not make their
living by barter-as we can among
commercial people. Let us therefore
only assoc ate with the best. A man
has an undoubtcd right to choose his
own friends. We shall not go out OF
our way to toady 10 the great, but with