The record-union., 1891-03-15
NATURAL NOBILITY.
The Return of the Prodigal Son
and Daughter.

trayed-The Disconsolate Wanderel
The Heart-Broken Variety Act.
ress-One of Natures Untitled No.
blemen-Betrayed, Not Necessarily
Ruined.
written for the SUNDAY UNION by R. J. d.
1t was miserably wet, dreary day in
the early winter months of 1889, tha,
George Ramer stepped ashore from the
deck Of a San Francisco passenger
steamer, at the wharf of (of late years
well-known port on the Puget Sound
The summer months which, in that re-
,gion, are very pleasant, We're being fol-
lowed by winter season usually disa-
greeable and severe-a winter so severe
that its harshness extended along the
whole Pacific Coast, penetrating rudely
into the glories of the California winter
climate, and causing in the minds Of
Eastern visitors to California feeling OF
bitterness and disappointment at the
pected state of the weather. Many
of those visitors who came at so unpro-
pitlous a period, talked as though they
had been Intentionally swindled; as
though the unpleasant weather was q
huge conspiracy on the part of the Cali
fornia people.
However, George Ramer was not a
tourist this time, at any rate, for he was
on his way to his home in the East, which
he had left over six years before, during
which time he had made the circuit of the
globe, and travelled much in distant
countries. He had roamed 'o'er the
of wit I,
Stanley in the wilds of Africa, bivou-
acked in Syria and Arabia, and camped
on the banks of the Hoi-ang-ho in China.
From Australia he had arrived in San
Francisco, and from there, taking passage
to Puget Sound, we find him stand
ing wearily on the wharf of a city, grown
such in his absence, where he had to
transact some business prior to his de-
parture East via the Canadian Pacific
Railway.
AS he rides to his hotel we have ample
leisure to examine his personality. A
manly and good, rather than handsome
face, bronZed by the wind and sun of
different climates. is shaded by soft felt
hat, and wears an expression of care and
seriousness. A profound gloom and de-
lection is apparentin his whole demeanor,
and long-drawn sigh occasionally es-
capes him. With an air of weariness and
of one long accustomed to travel, he
climbed out of the hack, entered the
hotel, registered, briefly gave his orders.
and retired to the room assigned him.
Six years before George Ramer was a
young practicing lawyer in a small town
in Eastern Canada, near his birthplace.
lie was clever, popular, and on the high
way to success. His open, genial light
hearted manner won the confidence of
all, and all predicted that his career would
be triumphant one. An ardent politi-
hot l-o hot nfI I,or
once rising lawyer, now Sir John A. Mac
donald, the Premier of Canada, George
Ramer might, too in time, aspire to the
Premier's chair and, perchance, be made
Knight of the Realm of Great Britain
also.
But, as the Scottish bard hath sung, re
gardlng the indefiniteneSS of human af-
fairs and plans, this grand disposal of
Ramer's future was to gang aglee." And,
of course, as from Antony down to Ma
poleon, and up to present writing, the
whole course of his life was changed by a
woman. A little, sparkling, black-eyed,
French Canadian beauty, the epitome of
Velva Reinette was the belle of the little
town. Up to q certain time she had pre-
ferred George Ramer to any of her in
Vulnerable admirers and suitors, and
finally they had become engaged to be
married within Il few months. 1t was
generally looked upon as a brilliant
match for her, as Velva's father was but
poor shoemaker, and George was re-
garded as a splendid "catch'' by in
frlguing mammas.
But one day festive drummer entered
the little burg, and proceeded to astonish
the natives with his ''city ways.n An
evil star guided the innocent Velva across
his path, and Georges happiness was at
an end. The handsome mustached
St,onUar contivata6 fbaflittJa ona,e e,;,,,zJo
fancy; he was such a pleasant companion
so different from the serious, earnest
young lawyer. George demonstrated.
naturally, and Velva got angry, also nat
urally, but unreasonably, and the result
was that the tiny engagement ring was
torn from the little white hand and hurled
IN the young lawyers face.
That settled it. With bitterness in his
heart towards Velva in particular and
the whole institution of drummers in
general, the rising young attorney de-
cided he didn't want to rise any more: so
he tore down his shingle, and, having "a
considerable inherited fortune of his own,
he departed thence, to wander upon the
face OF the earth for six long, intolerably
weary years.
News of the increasing feebleness of his
old mother reached him in Shanghai, His
sister, a young lady of eighteen. wrote
him, imploring him to come home at
once. He started Immediately, and On
that wet, chill night was resting before
starting on the last stage of his monot-
onous trip overland.
During all these years no word of his
Nelva had ever reached him; for though
away down beneath his bitter sense of
wrong he loved her as devotedly as ever,
yet he was too proud to utter the slight
est inquiry concerning her in his letters
home, which We're, in fact, but few.
A n i
slightly OF really good dinner he was at
a loss how TO occupy his time during the
long evening Though weary, he was
restless and could not sleep; he could not
compose his mind to reading. At last.
approaching the landlord. he INQUIRED if
there was theater in town. There was.
but, unfortunately, there was no play on
for that particular night, but there wouId
be on the following night. Then the
landlord added in a deprecatiup tone of
voice that there was variety theater in
fown-the Elite-which, though the per
formance was rank" as he expressed if.
might serve to while away few hours
Ior the gentleman. Hearing just then
the strains OF brass band blaring loudly
number of blocks away. and being in
formed that it was outside of the Elite
Theater, George concluded to walk down
that way. So, taking his hat and um-
brella, he followed the sound, and soon
came upon DulidIng situated in the
lower region of the city, in front of which
was very noisy band of music and a
large crowd, of rough-looking men and
well-dressed men, fast disappearing
within the portals of the 'Elite''
Why such an ironical appellation was
given to such a place is mystery, for
surely it was the essence of irony to so
designate place which had no claim TO
being elite in any way Imaginable. Al
though many who belong to the so-called
such places in every city, still In very
small proportion that fact cannot
Sllrnly cnnSfituta q inst clain, to tho titl1,