The herald., 1897-02-16
: A BACHELORS DINNER !
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AS Time is popularity represented as
an aged man, with flowing beard ana
drapery of white, bearing in one hand
an hour glass and in the other scythe,
so would l conceive figure of Poverty,
except that l would have him carry
bill or sheriff's attachment signltylng
that it Was not his province TO cut me
off at one merciful stroke but TO worry
and bore me to death by continually
ringing my doorbell and thrusting the
awful document before my bloodshot
eyes. Branton is of a different mind.
1T is misconception-gro miscon-
ception," he declared the other night,
resting his feet on the handsome brass
fender and gazing meditatiVely into the
fire that glowed on the hearth OF his IL
brary. Poverty should be represented
as carrying in one hand heart ana IN
the other. perhaps, dart"
"Or fat purse" l said to myself.
But my friends case is an unusual
one. His kindly conception of what
should be grim. repulsive figure had It's
origin, and not without reason, in his
own experience With me it is differ
ent. My financial condition has changed
but little since the day we received my
aunts hurried note announcing that She
had run down from Newport with my
cousin Lyvia, who, by the way, has not
yet been introduced to society, and
charming girl from San Francisco. To
be frank, I am still living in HOLLYWOOD s
pleasant apartment overlooking the
avenue, and must of necessity continue
recipient of his kindness until he
gets back from his tour of the world.
What 1 shall do then / dare not con-
template. But that does not concern
Branton.
When that note of my aunt's arrived
my fortunes We're at their lowest ebb.
For weeks | had been doing my own
cooking and Branton's arrival from the
west where, through no fault of his
own. he had lost the small fortune tina,
had fallen to his possession on the death
of his father an English country gentle
man. who had left large number OF
sons to divide a moderate estate, added
an additional burden to my thin pocket
book. Just why my friend had left the
west he did not explain, further than
that circumstances had reduced him to
Il menial position on ranch. and he was
in a fair way to rise when he suddenly
made up his mind to go home, and landed
in New York pennless and compelled
to accept my hospitality. For four days
he had been seeking work in vain when
| heard from my aunt. 1t was early in
the fall: few people Were in town; her
house was closed and she thought Il
friend of her TO spend an evening in
bachelor hail. Would pardon the sud
den notice and expect them at o'clock
sharp? At the time pardon was not
granted, but l had to make the best of
the circumstances. Even had | known
just where to address my kind relative
l could hardly have dared ask her to
excuse me. particularly on the ground
of my financial straits, for. bred as she
has been in the lap of luxury, poverty is
a thing beyond her understanding. To
her it is a crime. She cannot imagine
that person with a normal amount of
common sense should be afflicted with it.
Fortunately l had still remaining $40
from the last remittance of my father,
which came inclosed in an affectiOnate
cpistle, saying tha. he had given me
the best possible education, fitted me
to battle with the world, and thought
that thereafter 1 had better GO for my
self. With this money we procured
the necessary supplies for simple dim
ner and I dispatched a note to Carter
asking him to join us. Then arose the
question of service. We had no servant,
and naturolly it was necessary that
some one attend to the table. AS 1 was
ruefully eyeing my small stock of re-
naming money, Branton, ever ready
came to my assistance. He knew no
one in town and was going to sail for
home just as soon as he could afford
it. With his clean -shaven face he would
pass for a most respectable butler.
OF course l demurred. but he insisted
and eventually won his point To this
little victory can be traced his kindly
conception of an artistic figure of Pow
erty.
Holwood's silver service presented a
stunning appearance when we arranged
it on the table that evening. The soup
as it steamed on the back of the range,
the roast as it sizzled in the oven, the
few simply cooked Vegetabl in the pots
all ready for serving. looked excellent,
and Branton made the most imposing
butler l have ever set eyes on for he
always was a handsome fellow. So it
was with a feeling akin to satisfaction
that l threw myself into chair in the
study when the menial labor was over
and awaited the coming of my guests
Already Branton was aping a well-bred
lackey, and so inimitably did he play
his part that | almost imagined myself
the proprietor of a wel-appointed es-
tablishment instead of a struggling
young man with no occupation and $4.32
i'll the world.
At length the bell rang and my but
Ter opened the door 1t was Carter. He
passed through the opening to the por-
there's that the obsequious Branton had
maui loi MIN anu WAS Stdltu DtslQt
me After the usual compliments of the
day had been exchanged he glanced
furtively toward the hall, then whis-
pered:
"A new MANI
Yes" l replied. enveloping myself in
cigarette smoke to hide the high color
ing of my face. Il got him today"
Hum he exclaimed. MADE a ten
strike at last, eh?"
He referred to my getting a tenstrike
and a good servant on the same day,
ard | thanked him, put before | had an
opportunity to go into particulars, for
it was evident that he was curious,
heard Branton open the door and a con-
fusion of soft voices. A moment later
| had affectionately greeted my aunt
and cousin, made my obeisance to Miss
Rosa Nell, and ushered my guests to
the room set apart for them, for my
butler had suddenly disappeared and
left this last duty to me.
When | saw Rosa Nell in the full
glare of the study lights I forgot the
inconvenience to which | had been put,
that to keep up appearances / had been
driven to deception, and j was really
honest in the thanks / shoWered on my
aunt for the honor of her coming She
was beautiful girl, with tall, finely
proportioned figure; deep black hair and
eyes and face no feature OF which was
perfect but as a whole was most at
tractiVe. To be frank agan. Miss Mell's
charms were further increased for me
by remark my aunt made as led her
to dinner.
Now Frank. dear. mind YOUR p's and