The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-18

cause the story is primarily a satire, or
because of any scandal in the story that
readers will like the book; 1t merely
gives an amusing picture of our 'seeth-
ing, sensational. social life The Earl
of rockingham, a distinguished, but
poverty stricken member of English no
bility, comes to this country IN search
of a rich wife. Thus far the plot is or
binary, but no farther. Mr.. Phillips has
made his earl entirely frank in his
purpose and the American characters
thoroughly understood his mission.
More than this American high society
puts forth its best for the earls in
spection. The New York millionaire
heiress who first acquires the earl
throws him over because she has SUBJ
sequently fallen in love with young
American. In Boston the earl almost
succeeds. and the story of his defeat is
curiously interesting. Then he tries
Washington, wins a daughter of rich
senator who decides that he can afford
the price Of the title. His adventures
terminate in Chicago with a real love
ment and the reader is left with the
feeling that, after all, the earl IS not
such a bad fellow and that American
society is probably more to blame for
such ridiculous turns of the marriage
market than are the titled foreigners
who are attracted to our shores. A
characteristic bit of the story is the
view of Washington arlstocracy- The
earl's dinner companion speaks:
DO you see that Intellectual looking
man with the beard on the other side
of the table-next to Ysobel Ballan-
tyne2"
The surly chap?"
"Yes-and he's surly because mamma
has made dreadful mistake. She's put
him two below the place his rank en-
titles him to. He'll act like savage
all evening
Fancy What a small matter to fly
into a rage over"
"A small matter for a large man, but
a large matter for a small man. Some
times I think all men are small. They re
much vainer than women.
Why do you say that2
Because of what I've seen in Wash
ington. They say the women started
this craze for precedence I don't know
whether that's so or not But do know
that in the three years I've been out,
I've found the men worse than the wo-
men. And those things look so much
pettier in a man. too
But thought there wasn't any rank IN
80 / thought-I was educated in France.
I believe in rank and all that-lt seems 70
me absurd to talk about equality. But L
despise this silly squabble over little places
that last only few years at most As elr.
Boughton was saying-you know MI
You mean the second secretary. at our
embassy o.
Eyes. He said to me only last night:
America has an aristocracy just as we
have. but gets from it all the evils ana
none Of the good, all the pettiness, none
of the dignity and sense Of responsibll
ity.'
But they tell me it's different out west
Ct don't know. I can only speak of the
east-especially of Washington There ism
capital in Europe or Asia. the diplomats
say with so elaborate system OF rank
and precedence as we have. Why, do You
know it's so bad that the fifteen hlInQ1eei-
/ fioliar-a-vaar clerks and their families
have a society Of their own between the
I circles Of those who get Fighter hundred
and those who get twelve hundred Ana
they rather die than mix with those who
get less than ther do"
Really Really. now!
most impossible. It's precedence prece-