Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-03-13

- ''lff
Ihope you don't bear me any qrlldoe for
bu1in1 The old place"
A rumor had gone abroad in the
neighborhood TO the effect that the new
| owner Of twC-thirds OF the old Beverley
estate was very wealthy man. 1t orig
mated with the lawyer, who, to be eau
| tious and well within the limits OF prob
ability, estimated his clients worth at
| fifty thousand dollars. 1t did not stop
at that, OF course, for every one told il
and added on ten thousand more at least
| for the credit Of the story. They never
grasped the actual sum, because as yet
the arithmetic OF the south stops good
way short Of millions, but they speedily
made out enough to know that they had
among them rara avis in the shape OF
a man with a great deal of money.
At first they talked about it among
themselves, and rolled the thousands
over in their minds and mouths to get
accustomed TO the taste of the gold.
Then they began to call and 10 invite
| him TO their houses, for the aroma OF
wealth is pleasant TO the nostrils OF
Puritans and Cavaliers alike, and they
took TO calling his plantation Lower
Repton," to distinguish 1t from Repton
proper, which was still attached TO the
Beverley name, and the overseer's house
they called 1.-THE cottage"
Anthony was not without sense OF
humor, and he enjoyed some quiet
chuckles over the turns OF fortune. He
valued his money and he valued him
self-both more highly than either de-
seryed-but he valued other things
also. He liked to feel himself welcome
and well received among the gentry
that had always seemed to him the
flower of the earth, because OF its ex-
clusiveness, it's traditions and the
position OF his own class in re-
gard to It, He made no ELUSIVE re-
sponse to their kindly advances,
but he was gratified by them; neither
did he haunt their houses, because OF
subtle consciousness of difference, which
oppressed him most in intercourse with
ladies', a shyness that had never afflicted
him in the society of women OF a lower
grade. Still, the knowledge that he
could mingle with cultured and courte-
Gus women on terms OF outward equal
ity at least was flattering to his self love.
With men, this feeling rarely troubled
him, for in his nomadic life he had been
thrown into intimate association with
all grades, from gentlemen to "greas-
ers," and possessed to the full his share
OF American adaptability. de was
clever and observant, and shades of
coarseness in men are rarely conspicu-
ously defined in their intercourse with
one another.
His sturdy self respect prevented any
approach to snobbishness; and il in his
soul he considered sense, or "smart-
ness" as he called 1t, and ability in
getting fair equivalent for birth, and
the bouquet of wealth as fine as that Of
old time gentility, he RETAINED from
overt expression of his views, and did
not swagger tn any offensive extent.
His appearance was also in his favor,
for he was a handsome man, In the flesh
and blood style of the athlete who
bounds into the ring with triple somer-
sault and rides four horses abreast, and
from the high esteem in which man
ners" are held among the common peo-
ME of the south, Ned Anthony's could
mass muster tolerably well. They lacked
grace and suavity, certainly, but the
want was not more conspicuous in him
than il is in many men far better ac-
credited.
n On his return from his initial call on
Yhe new arrival, old Judge Wilmer sum-
med him up to his wife with pith and
perspicuity:
"Hes something OF gentleman, my
dear, but not quite so. In the new
school, | suppose, he would stand rather
above the middle oil the class, but in the
old he would grade lower. There's good
metal in him, but a wonderful deal OF
ALLOW mixed in. Among men he is
shrewd, intelligent and rather agree
able fellow, quick and clever in CONVEX
sation on all practical subjects (Which
are the only sort likely TO be preached
with him. and not aggressively braggy,
considering that he can fill up the
bushel measure and shakeit, while none
of his neiphbors can conveniently even
mn the quart, but think that when you
ladies come to try him on you'll find him
q misft in a good many places"
Mrs. Wilmer. picturesque old lady,
with soft faded hands on which were
ouaint old red gold rings that had been
in her family many generations, looked
mn from her knitting with a smile OF
large indulgence on her sweet old face.
"He is a western man, you know" she
said land that is the reason perhaps
that he appears somewhat different from
ne old fashioned folks who have lived In
one spot all our lives and carried on the
old traditions. The new era is inaugu-
rated now. my dear, ard they say the
changes are fundamental. We old foEy-
ish people. who are too settled for pro-
oression. should be at least tndulgent.
The west is very untrammeled, have
heard"
The good lady's knowledge Of the sub
,ect NJ western ways was nebulous, but
She felt that il was large one, and not
amenable TO rules applicable to Vir-
oinia. She was q kindly woman By na-
fnre and lenient 10 outsiders, although
strict enough In regard 10 her own peO-
ple. which terms Of course included all
the inhabitants Of her native state.
When she spoke Of Anthony's origin as
..western." she established at once in her
own mind q reason for his roughness and
also an excuse.
The Judge poked the fire meditatively.
.,He uses western idioms," he remarked,
.,but il is along with those Of other sec
tions. He used one or two to-day that
never heard except from people who
have lived among negroes. They had
the true cotton and tobacco ring. And
in the next sentence came Maine logging
terms. His language Is cosmopolitan,
but the timber Of his voice is southern,