The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-16

wanted family and a. II he had laid
out the lines Of thought along which that
family was toto celebrate-and as IL hs
knew just what be wanted them to d.
on every given occasion.
mot having family Of his own, hi
has taken us, and the funny part of It ID
that we are doing just as he insinuates
that we should. Pa and ma are his ODE
dent slaves. l never knew anything 90
funny. Pa, who Is bored to death by
Stevenson, has been reading his letters
just because Mr.. Holinger suggested that
he ought, and ma, who secretly likes
David Harum,' has never piped since
she heard Mr.. Holinger give 1t as bis
opinion that 1t was not literature"
He got so far after time that he I'M
dertook to see to the winding of the
clocks and the locking OF the doors at
night. and he was always on hand to &c.
company any Of the ladies in the evening
II they were unprovided with another es-
cort. He made a point of seeing that
they wore their rubbers, and on Christ
mas he made both Of the young ladies'
presents of umbrellas.
TT Is essential that they should look
luCIE ut bhlu " kuClk
mother, and Ma Grayson admitted that
1t was quite as II the idea had never oc.
CURED to her before. He told next to
nothing about himself. One would have
said, il one were as astute as Marcia
Grayson, that he preferred the present to
the past. He seemed indeed to be happy,
and he was willing and even eager to
devote himself to others.
ale is one of the finest gentlemen I
ever met" Mrs. Grayson pronounced
after he had been in the house three
months. ITO be like that-always so
considerate Of others, 80 gentle and so
honorable-one must be to the manor
born"
Pa Grayson was less sentimental. He
had some lingering distrust of the pay
ing guest. founded solely upon the fact
that he appeared to be unusual. He
never talked out about bis affairs. as Pa
Grayson opined that frank man should,
and above all he neglected to contide
the source from which his ready money
came. 1t was hard for pa to overlook
thing like that.
The Graysons got habituated to him
In time. They became accustomed to
having him drop thermometer in the
bath to see that II was just right, to hav.
ing him look up the weather predictions
and advise as to wraps and to his fine
solicitude In regard to their intellectual
improvement.
He was able to decide the incest points
Of etiquette for them, and they were not
satisfied with their gowns even till he
had pronounced upon them. The ques.
ton Of money never arose between them.
Once month Mrs. Grayson received a
check by mail signed LEIGHTON Holm.
ger" She ventured to send no receipt.
She liked that way Of doing business.
She thought all business ought to be con-
Quoted with equal delcacy.
One day, to the great distress of all
the family, Mr.. Holinger fell i'll. The
malady developed into pneumonia. and in
a fortnight he passed gently away. un-
conscious at the last and therefore I'M
able to give directions or information.
The Graysons were perplexed about their
duty. They knew Of no friends or rela-
tives Of whom he stood possessed. So
they proceeded to make arrangement for
the funeral, and they published the fact
of his death in all the newspapers.
This latter act brought a response in
the way Of an important and short wind
ed man Of imposing presence, who arriv-
ed at the Grayson house In distinctly
lachrymose condition.
poor old Polly" he wept when he had
been shown the body upon his represen-
tation that he was friend. ~ can't be-
lieve he is really gone! Oh. the rascal, to
leave me after all these ycars tried
to persuade him that It was unfair to me
i didn't know how to do without him,
you know-but he wouldn't listen to rea-
son: said he had always wanted to be
treated like real gentleman. What could
l say? The beggar had an ideal II he
wanted to live up to it. l had no right to
refuse him. had II"
Excuse me, SIR" said Ma Grayson,
"but 1t is not quite clear to me what the
relations were between you and Mr.. Hol-
niger"
II beg your pardon. madam: thought
you knew. Holly was my valet for IA
years, and he read me to sleep every
night he staid with me. really hated IL,
but hadn't the heart to say so. Holly
came near educating me. And to think
he is deadw
1t was something of a shock to Ma |
Grayson. who. it will be remembered, |
had entertained ideas about being to the
manner born. But it delighted the girls.
I'VE know gentleman when we see
one," they protested. ut doesn't matter
what name you call him by. We don't
object to his being valet. He was a
lear. and we shall always love him."
Indeed it would have been u great hap
'iness to him could he have known how
be was mourned. As for his
'ortune-and it was not contemptible-it
vas divided among the handsome Gray
ION girls and the man be had served for
llnost half his lifetime.
Dear old Holly" said the man who
lad been Hoinger's master. "He help
d me out just in the nick of time. | was
ust at the end of my string. That is like
Jolly. He was always helping me out"
Which, all things considered, was not a
'ad cpitaph for any man.-Chicago Trib.
Inc.
The Bereaved Husband.