The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1896-03-20
CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII
'Roltons" South Kensington-gen-
orally known as The Roltons-waS
i'll the year Of grace 1860, one Of the
fashionable localities of London. The
MAelanes, desirous of mixing with
Fashionable society in London. had
chosen a house in The Boltons'' for
their habitation
Both George and David Maclane
were suffering from what in later
day ..mericanism is generally term
ed "swelled head. And. although
trey could not diveSt themselves of
the traces Of their Western origin. any
re than the leopard can change his
ttS. both uncle and nephew strove
hard to ape London fashion and fash
ionableS.
1t must be admitted that London
fashions and fashiona bes put them
selves out Of tho way to give 4 great
deal of en aoura cement TO the MaClaues
IoGdCn fashions and fashiona beS re-
4uired Il yearly renewal of the supply
Of lions to their social lnana gerip.
Now, real. Zig lions were scarce, and
often very shy: therefore, London
fashions and fashionibieS had some
times II coutent themselves with a
Wretched. starveling Spmhla nce Of the
Eotte least, and. as long as a pretenSc
was fiji Finished hy lions skin and
lnan" London fashion and fashipna-
b'es Were often compelled to ignore
that IN asS'S body was covered hy Il
yellow hide 1t must tre confessed that
London fashion ani fashionaheS over
ln@Eei the defects of their once-,1lught
~ ft, + h..
i1r II ainiahle way threw dust III their
eNn EYES by discovering all sorts OF
virtues 70 which their newly-caught
E.lst could lay but little claim. ana hy
accepting. upon tie mere>t heafsay. AZ
gospel truth and by hnraliing 70 the
world with trumpet blasts every bab-
blcd statemeht that could possibly
bring II credit
In the ease OF the Maelanes, the Lon
don fashion and fashionahles showed
SON. portion Of reason in their mad
ness. through the fact that both he
Maclanes We're lnarriageable and were
wealthy. Now. 4 lion in fashion is a
desirable beast A wealthy lion be
comes a dream Of loneliness But Il
rarrageahle wealthy lion -ye gods
AMI little fishes. where shall find
Ill stiSes and aiverbs sufficiently to
portray tie estimation in which he is
held hy Eyburni;i. Rel., .avia ard May
fair
II WIS but natural that, in the midst
of all this the Maclanes should BE-
spoiled, il the comparative hunanizing
OF two men creatures can be- termed
deterioration
II any Of the traders at the frontier
stations could have come across the
MaclaneS in their London garh they
would have rolled all over the floor in
fits of laughter Both George ana
David initiated the London dandy.
David was waging continual warfare
upon il refractory eye glass that would
not fulfill the purpose for which it
was bought. aud stick III its owners
eve. The tightly-fitting froek coats Of
tho mid Victorian period proved sad
Instruments of tortur. to the two
Wcsterners, who had been accustomed
to wearing the loosely fitting garments
OF the pr;,ireS. Both Of them sported
tasselled canes. and both Of them had
made endeayors- destined to be sad
failures TO mix their Rocky Mountain
tWang with the ''laW. haw, which at
| that time was fashionable in Pail
Mall. London society has accepted the
MaclaneS rs lions upon the mere exhi-
bition Of their bankers pass books
1 and upon the publication Of their cata-
| logue Of virtues by society papers, like
Albert Gate Society journalism In
these days had none of the stings Of
| its more modern AMI more vigorous
/ namesake. 1t was good natlred, kind
/ ly and strictly iaudatory Its purpose
! was to eXtOl the virtues of English so
| cety. and to make English society
j feel happy all round. Society journal.
ism discovered I'LL sorts Of virtues for
/ the Maclanes. and. aS no harm was
done thereby to a lybody, the result
appeared eminently satisfactory to all.
Many and various had been the as
saults by maidens and matrons upon
the single blessedness Of George and
David Maclane. High-born ladies' WED
with one another to draw the lions in
to the nets they were spreading for
them. As we have seen, no less a
| person than the only daughter OF the
Marquis of Glendale consented to link
her name to that OF the young Ameri-
can, and all went swimmingly for
/ poor Dick Ashland's assasslns until
they were frightened nearly out Of
their senses by their sudden meeting
with Lord Clevs.
A guilty conscience had dealt lightly
BY the two wretches As q matter OF