The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-09-04
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The Lion Tanner.

Mrs. De Courcey- -Hartwell-hyphen
Hartwell, if you please-was patron
of the arts. Of course, envious people
said she was a lion hunter; but this
statement may be taken with a grain
of salt when it is considered that those
who made it were just on the outer
edge, in fact, on the very fringe OF
that society of which the De Courcey-
Hartwells formed the brilliant and re.
splendent centre.
1t is quite true that the lady in
question had a somewhat inordinate
fancy for people who had done some
thing. But much may be forgiven
one who has good manners, better
cook and surprising cellar. When,
added to all this, ones family has been
wealthy for a half century-twenty
years puts an American out of the
class of the neauveau riche-all the ar
rows of criticism are turned.
The young men who went to Mrs.
De Courcey-Hartwell's lectures, liter
ary evenings and strange, unaccount-
able musicals were a little prone to
laugh over the affairs; for brief mo.
ment to envy the lion his share of the
girls adoring attention, and then to
wander off to the smoking-room whence
they would emerge, after the program,
to congratulate their hostess on the
success of her entertainment.
This devoted patron of the arts was
not only fair, but was wise for the
thirty eight years to which she owned,
and she was not fooled. She used to
say to Archie Courtney, who was a
famous shirker: "Ah, never mind,
Archie, if the mental pabulum l have
provided was not to your taste; take
heart, supper is now on" So it came
to pass that they separated her foibles
from herself, and laughed at them, but
never at her.
Mrs. De Courcey Hartwell's husband
was in leather, as his father and his
grandtather-he had a grandfather
had been before him. He looked on
complacently at his wife's artistic en-
deavors, ever ready to pay the bills,
which, whatever the catechism may
say, is mans highest duty, especially
If that man be a husband. Some ma
licious gossips said that they were still
in love with each other after fifteen
years of married life. But most of
their acquaintances were charitable
enough to give them the benefit of the
doubt, even though the fact that the
husband enjoyed himself in his own
home looked dark. Perhaps, however,
i. was only pose, just because they
were rich enough to be odd.
"Well, what has our hostess on to-
night?' asked Forsythe Brandon of
Archie Courtney as they went bowling
up the street; "is it reformed burglar,
a captured Mahatma or an African
Prince?'
"Ob, chuck it!' said Archie, scorn-
fully. "Why, old man, you're talking
in your Sleep"
"It can't be, it can't be; oh, don't
tell me that it is a party without
lion!"
"Certainly not. Didn't you read
your card?"
"No, I just glanced at it and saw
that it was the De Courcey-H Hartwells', :,
knew that there would be something
good to eat, cried MY tablets, my tab
lets!' and here l ann
"Glutton."
ooh, most worthy exemplary
Archie laughed.
"Well, it's a real card this time.
We're invited to meet that new writer
who has been making such a stir.
Worthington is his name."
"Whew!' whistled Brandon; "you
don't say! Why thought he was
playing the high and mighty, scorn-
ing society and all that!''
II suppose be has been, but they