The Indianapolis world., 1900-01-27

to ape the barOnet.
your nameT asked Dick.
"Josephs," the other mumbled.
"You are a barber, l presume"
81 follow the profession of hair
dressing" replied JOsephs, with his
first show of spirit.
Had Dick not possessed an inscrut-
able face, Josephs would have known
that his inquisitor was suffering from
a sense of the ludicrous. Dick had just
remembered his father was down
stairs.
"WelI, Josephs, I shall have to hand
you over to the police"
''I think not" said Josephs, in his
gentlemanly voice.
"Why not?" asked Dick.
Because then it would all come
out"
"What would all come out?"
''The way your father was deceived
The society papers would make a
great deal of it, and he would not like
that"
Dick groaned, though the other did
not hear him.
"You read the society journals, Jo-
sephs?"
Rather said .JOsephS.
"Perhaps you write for them?"
Josephs did not say.
"Well. how were you brought here?"
Dick asked.
your friend" said Josephs, sulkiIy,
"came into our place of business in
Southampton Row half an hour ago.
To hr;v
me here at once in cab. l wanted
to put on a black coat, but he would
not hear of it."
"Ah, then, 1 suppose you gave Mr..
Angus the full confession of your
rogUery as you came aIong?"
"He would not let me speak" said
Josephs. "He said it was no affair of
his"
''No? Then you will be so good as
to favor me with the pretty story"
Dick lit n cigar and seated himself.
The sham barOnet looked undecidedly
at a chair.
"Cprtainly not" " said Dick, "you can
stand"
JOSephS told his tale demurely. Oc-
casiOnally with a glPam of humor,
and sometimes with sigh. His am
bitiOn to be a gentleman, but with no
desire to know the way, had come to
him one day in his youth when an
other gentleman flung Il siXpence at
him. In q moment JOsephs saw what
it was to belong to the upper circles.
He hurried to Il street corner to get
his boots blackened. tossed the menial
the siX-pence, telling him to keep the
change. and returned home in an &C.
stacy, nenniless, but with an object In
life. That object was to do it again.
At the age of eighteen JOSephs
Slaved merrily during the week, hut
had never any money by Monday
morning. He was n gentleman every
Saturday evening. Then he lived; for
the remainder of the week he was
barber. One of his delights at this pc
riod was to have his hair cut Mt True
fits and complain that it was badly
done. Having reprOved his attendant
in a gentlemanly way. he tipped him
handsomely and retired in a glory. 1t
was about this time that he joined a
Conservative association.
Soon afterwards Josephs was to be
seen in Rotten Row. in elegant ap-
parel. hanging over the railing. He
bowed and raised his hat to the ladies
who took his fancy, and, though they
did not respond, glOwed with the SEN
sation of being practically a man of
fashion. Then he returned to the
shop.
The years glided by. and JOsephs
discovered that he was perfectly con-
tent to remain q hair-dreSser if he
could be q gentleman now and again.
Having supped once in fashionable
restaurant, he was satisfied for a fort
night or so with n sausage and onions
at home. Then the craving came back.
He saved up for two months on one
occasion and then took Saturday to
Monday at CoOkham, when he passed
as Henry *. Talbot DevereuX. He
was known to TIE walters and boat
men there as the gentleman who had
quite a pleasure in tossing them half
crowns. and for a month afterwards
he had sausage without onions. So
far this holiday had been the memory
of his life He studied the manners
and language of the gentlemen who
came to the shop in which he was en-
ployed, and began to dream of a big
thing annually. He had learned long
ago that he was remarkably good
looking.
For n whole year Josephs abstained
from being a gentleman except in the
smallest way, for he was burning to
have Il handle to his name, and feared
that it could not he done at less than
twenty pounds. His weeks holiday
came. and found Josephs not ready for
it. He had only twelve pounds. With
a self-denial that was magnificent hc
crushed his aspirations, took only two
DAYS of delight at Brighton and contfn
ued to save ~ for the title. Next
summer saw him ut Anglers Retreat
near Dome Castle. ''Sir Clement
Dowton." was the name on his Glad
stone bag. A dozen times a day he
looked at it till it frightened him, anC
then lie tore the label off. Having
done so. he put ~! a fresh one.
Josenhs had selected his baronetcy
with due care. Years previously hi
had been told that he looked like tht
twin-brother of Sir Clement DowtOn
and On inquiry he had learned that tht
baronet was not in England. AS fol
the Anglers Retreat. he went there
because he had heard that it was fre
| Quented by persons in the rank of lift
! to which it was his intention to be
! long for the next week. He had neve
/ boor1 Of ToIoDol hiuror until +bo-