Arizona republican., 1899-01-13

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 prison this time would teach him a
 lesson for the rest of his life. Think
 O that, when the police was spoilin' for
 the mean devil. and MT. Lispenard
 could a had hira sent up by the wave
 of q finger And he gives to the poor!
 Lord, sir! I've seen him bring tramps
 into this very hall that made me itch to
 look at 'em. And I don't itch easy
 neither" pursued Jameson, with a
 fresh scowl meant to be deeply august i in it's convincing agency. Meanwhile : the object of this euIogiuEa (which went { flowing on, to the mingled surprise and amusement of it's hearerl had reached the drawing rooms on the higher floor and had paused there. surveying their i quiet splendors. They were three rooms in all, the first and second spa cious, the third little smaller, being in fact a dining-roorn, but large enough for good sized throng to feast in, as many a good sized throng had done. Their curtains had been drawn; the clusters of side lights had been lit. There was no profession of ornament. You had a sense of heavy falling tapes tries. of occasional pictures, each ln itself a gem-like masterpiece; of 
 white gIimmering bits of sculpture; of an exquisite little antique head here and bit of choice Japanese enamel ing there But no huGdled masses offended the eye, which roved easily from one point of elegance to the next, finding nothing inferior, nothing with the faintest tarnish of cheapness.
 Alonzo had just stopped to bury his nose in a huge basket of fresh violets, when q voice from a near alcove called to him:
 ''For Heavens sake, go and dress" Alonzo gave sharp start. Good gracious, Phil. is that you?"
 "Yes," replied Philip Lexington, re- arranging cushion to suit his shoul- der-blades. -''I found you out, drifted upstairs, got hold Of this revolting French book and have widowed in it's corruption ever since. I really should think, Long, he continued. with an autocratic little pull at one end of the dark mustache which 50 well becam his olive and oval face, that in your French reading you might draw the line somewhere"
 ''I draw it at just such abomira- tiOns," returned Alonzo. True, the leaves of that horror were cut, but they've only been skinned, and not all of them, either"
 Rising on the great deep couch of tufted silk, Lexington drew out his watch. ''Well, more shame for me. I've actually spent half an ho1r with it. And, my dear boy, you'll forgive me for making myself so terribly at home in your absence, won't you, now?"
 ''That's what you're always saying" laughed his host, land you're always forgiven, and there's never anything to forgive Here .Alonzo threw himself into chair. By the way, you're to be my best man, next April, if you will. Will yop?" .-.f ,.
 Lcxington's darl1 face flushed a lit tie. ''Will l.? Thanks immensely, Long. I--I thought you'd ask Winthrop lDelevan.'' I Did you? Well, you sceI I haven't, so you accept2' .r.1 s.' j,s,G-n fa,tt
 "Acceptt Is there man you know that wouldn't be dclighted?"
 "Oh, don't put it that wayr
 ''But do put it that way" persisted Lexington. Hc left the alcovc and dropped into tho great satin easy-chair near Alonzo, wheeling it still nearer. He was of good family, good position, but he had the reputation of being a snob who cnly courtcd the rich and so- cially powerful. He possessed very small income and was notorious idlcr. Alorzo had made him several large loans during tho past few years, and not dime had yet been returned. So- ciety however. lad no shred of proof A1--- T. T Al intimacy ard drew its own rather cyni- cal deductions. tk Er
 II often tell myself, old fellow" Lex ington went on, "that you're the most modest man in creation. Who you are quite escapes you, and as for what you are, an artist of splendid talents-you never seem to give it a thought"
 'Who I amp" came the airy reply ''Oh, in the name of common sense, Phil, don't try to gammon me by any suggestion that I'm anybody from the Patrician point of view. Kitty and I came of respectable stock, that's all, and you know it as well as I do When your ancestors, the LexinGtons, were swells in New York hundred years ago, mine, the Lispenards, were proba- bly carpenters, grocers, perhaps even bricl-laycrs. l had a lucky father who founded . big banl5ing--house, and edu- catcd his two children. If there were any real aristocracy in this funny pre- tentious town, I wouldn't have the ghost of a claim to call myself part of it. I'm no more q Knickerbockcr than I'm Q Carolua Duran CT 3 Bonnat.
 ''You'rc a very powerful artist, thought ireistcd be9,ington.i
 ''Bosh, my boy! I've got little tall cnt and q tremendous amount of anlbi- ton. If I'd been born poor and obscure my present employment would no doubt have been one of picturesque starva- tion.''
 Lexington heaved reproachful little | sigh. Then you think praise you,'