The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-14

very much weighted with the cares
and responsibilities of his new posi-
tion. He seems nowadays to spend his
whole time trying to live up to it. or
course he called on you?"
oh yes, he called on uS-but then
everybody seems to be doing that,
said Rosey.
People in society naturally would
said our hostess. in tone which was
almost one of reproof. But to us
NorthtowerS folks-(Yes, please Mr..
Critic, she did say folks, and | thought
it would be rude to correct her, 50 that
] let it pass, and, as a truthful chron-
iCler. must reproduce the exact words
here--there is something really funny
in Sir Thomas Peach setting out to
give the welcome of the town to new
comers. OF course. you know he only
got his knighthood for entertaining
royalty-that was ALL
My wife remarked that If the gem
tleman in question was good enough to
entertain royalty, he was quite good
enough to call upOn us. Our hostess
either did or would not see the satire
of Rosey's rejoinder.
"Of course" she said. slightingly,
''some one has to entertain these peo-
pie. and the Thomas Peaches of life are
the only ones who happen to have both
pose"
My little wife laughed as she rose to
take her leave. "Ah, l dare say every
one is very jealous of him." she said,
gayly.
Really, joe" she burst out as we
walked away from the house, lit seems
to me that this Northtowers. which we
thought would be sort Of idyllic, out
Of-the-wOrld kind Of spot, is just as
mean and jealous and petty as most
other places. Did you hear how once
She called him Tom Peach and then
corrected herself? I suppose she is
jealous that her husband did not get
the job of entertaining these people,
as she called the royalty in general
MY dear child" replied. Il certain
ly did not come to NorthtowerS with
an idea that I should find human ma
tUre any different to what human ma
ture is in every other part of the world.
Probably Mrs. Jacksons husband is
quite as rich and even more ambitious
than Mr.. Peach. and naturally she
cries sour grapes
We gathered later on that this was
very much tine real state of the case,
and we found the two men very much
of a muchneSS as regarded their class
and standing, excepting that Sir Thom-
as had distinctly got the best of it. You
see the title carried weight with it. as,
of course. titles are mean to do. and al
though NOrthtowers professed to laugh
in a gOOd-natured sort of way at Sir
Thomas and his hOnors. yet 1t was
plain to be seen that the whole town
was very proud of the distinction which
had fallen upon him.
OF all that l had learned about Sir
Thomas during the first few months of
our life at NOrthtOWerS no infOrma-
ton struck me as being 50 accurate or
so fair as that which came from Mrs.
Blake, the deans wife.
"A very fair-dealing and worthy
man. was her verdict 1.-The dean has
a high opinion of him. Oh. yes, quite
self made. and makes no secret of it:
on the contrary, | think he is rather
proud of it-as he ought to be. Mr.. Dali
las; as he ought to be. Yes. he's with
out wife or child-a widOwer, yes.
Well YOU know. on the whole it was
rather good thing when poor Mrs.
Peach was taken away-an estimable
creature. but quite untitled for an am
bilious man like Sir Thomas. / remem-
ber when he was chosen sheriff that
called on her. She persisted i'm calling
me ma'am or, rather, mum And she
was SO distressed because the dean
would not eat any sweet things with his
tea. She assured him they had cost
three shillings a pound. and it was not
until ne tod her that sugar in any form
was death to him that she would be
pacified. Oh. very good and worthy,
and all that. but always exceedingly
uncomfortable when she found herself
out of her own sphere. Now. Sir ThOm-
as is a man of great ambition, who
takes pride in improving himself.
The whole town does not know it, but
when it fell uDon him to entertain the
duke he behaved in the most sensible
way possible. for he came to me and
asked me plump to coach him in all
that he would have to do"
You don't mean it?'
yes. he did, and as I took great
pains to explain every detail, he got
through beautifully and with much
dignity" Mrs. Blake continued. 81
confess that I take a great interest in
Sir Thomas future. and, II he only
marres well. ne may do great things
In due course Of time Sir Thomas did
marry again. but as he went far afield
for his bride. NOrthtOwers people were
obliged to possess their souls in pa
tience until the bride made her ap-
pearance in the town. I heard from