The Penn's Grove record., 1895-04-12

flee of o private banking house neal
Wall street, and he was supposed to bt
q silent partner of the bankers them
selves. He belonged to two or three
clubs and spent much time in each Of
them, which is not the way of city
men of brisk business manner, such as
Mr.. Bruno possessed; and scores OF
strangers, brought into one or other
OF the clubs by city acquaintances who
did not know what else to do with
them, gratefully remembered Mr..
Bruno as one of the evenings CHIEF
sources of enjoyment. He had a way
OF becoming acquainted quickly and
of making new acquaintance feel en-
tirely at ease with him, and he also
had a way Of remembering a call OF
two he had to make, and in which he
would invite q new acquaintance-of
the proper sort-to join, which was SO
unlike the custom of New Workers in
general that men from other cities
and without New York connections
we're likely to feel under obligations
to him and also to believe that they
had made the entree of metropolitan
,ociety.
As time went on, it was remarked at
the clubs that Bruno himself intro
duced many men from out of town,
but as all of these were anxious to re-
pay all courtesies they received, and
were fairly able to do it, the members
who TOOK most notice of Brune's hos
pitality made no objection, for they
were the professional club loungers-a
class of men who never fail to enjoy
entertainments for which other men
pay. There pours into the great city
a steady stream Of lei and families
who have made money elsewhere and
wantto spend itwherethe mostpleasure
can be bought. To all these who fell
in his way Bruno was as hearty as il
they had been old friends. He did
not introduce them to members of the
'Four Hundred" but he explained to
them, conidentally, that his own
friends were not of that particular set
because they did not care to be in it,
and that they were quite as good and
refined as most of the people whose
names appeared ~oftenest in the fash
ionable news of the daily papers-a
statement which nobody could deny.
He would take unwearied pains, too,
with families who desired to make the
city their home he would take them
to real estate agents who could be
trusted to deal fairly with them, and
he knew the best decorators and up-
holsterers, and dealers in furniture
and pictures and bric-a-brac, and he
would introduce newcomers in a man
ner which would make them truly
grateful. He would also introduce
them to Holden & Trust, the bankers
with whom he had his Office, taking
care first to assure them that there was
o great difference between banks in a
great city; the bigger institutions were
mere machines, while Holden & Trust
was q concern modelled after the Eng.
fish banks, where the accounts were
few but large. and where any customer
was made to feel as much at home as
if he were in a friends parlor which,
indeed the business office of the firm
resembled in its appointments
and quiet.
s No one aver seemed to find reason
complain of Bruno; he never took
lis male acquaintance to gambling
houses or got them drunk, and he
never made love to the young ladies Of
heir families that came to the city.
to his newer acquaintance
his seemed his only fault for a num-
yer of young women who had broken
With their original cavaliers, as be-
anne damsels who aspired to become
.ity bellies. found Bruno much more to
heir liking than most of the city
Touths with whom, through his kind
'fices, they became acquainted. He
lad so much of what women call
and he knew how to say nice
and to suggest new ways OF ]
.i1ling time, and to occasionally pro. ]
ide pleasant surprises that cost I
aoney-a faculty which is quite as
are among city youths, in proportion
their numbers, as in any country
illage. To be the wife of such q man !
'ouid be to become a social queen
Q thought some pretty young women
hose knowledge came principally
rom their day-dreams. !
But Bruno emedprovokingly blind
, all limitations that there were
carts at his feet, waiting only to be i
ieked up; ven when rallied on be- n
lg q bachelor he would escape by I
Iughing and saying that he was really
poor to marry and do justice to o n
ife This appeared strange to many I
no saw how frealy he spent money
hen he wished 10 entertain q party; p
at he was always able to say truly 1
q bachelors personal expenses o
ere comparatively triHing, while to
aintain a home in good style in the j
ty cost a great lot of moneys "
itement which heads of families, Il
hether new or old were always ready y