The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-08-28
Sir Humphrey POtter's First Love
HAROLD OHLSUN in '.The Sketch"

Many people considered that the
time had come when Sir Humphrey
Potter, with his wealth and title,
should take a wife. Some of these
had daughters. They were only anx-
ious for the dear girls happiness. No
one, however, cared to speak to him
on such subjects as love and marriage.
He would have thought them frivo-
lous.
He was never frivolous.
Ii was only possible to interest him
in serious matters; business transac-
tons for preference; politics, on which
be had decided views, In his lighter
moods. 1t was difficult to conceive
of him as a lover. His tall, portly
form seemed always to require about
it the red mahogany and shining
leather of his Office. Laughter, while
in conversation with Sir Humphrey,
seemed out of place. 1t was, said an
%irrevent person, as the cracking of
Twins 1hu1A AotSCA
Mrs. Latimer had described him as
~"portentous." She owned that the ex-
act meaning of the word had escaped
her for the moment, but she had an
inner consciousness that it contained
an exact description, and she was not
to be moved by any dictionary person.
He was a self-made man. That was
evident. No one else would have
troubled to make him. However, he
stated the fact constantly.
He was enormously rich, and had
obtained a knightmood by judicious
philanthropy. He did not pay large
salaries to his clerks. but when a
fund was started al the Mansion house
he pressed nobly to the front. Press
ing nobly to the front-people can see
you when you are there-had made
him what he was-Sir Humphrey Pot
ter.
Young ladies had been wont to call
him, in the first course OF private con-
versation. "a fat, pompous beast" The
course Of private conversation does
not always run smoothly. Now he
was dear Sir Humphrey"
He was on the market. He had
wealth and title, although the goods
were a little shop-spoiled.
1t was on a beautiful warm morn
ing in July that Sir Humphrey eau
tiouSly lifted one lath of his bedroom
blind and peered out. He was a mar
of great dignity of presence CHS tail
or, to whom he paid cash, had otter
told him sol, but he felt he did not
look his best at that particular time
His hair fell in a fringe over his fore
head-which did not suit him-and
his face shone with the perspiratiou
e~ngendered by a hot July night. II
also required the refining touch of a
razor. The fat. frowsy man In the
long white shirt Che chung to the ole
fashions), with big, bare rect and
rumpled hair, was as ridiculous an(
unpleasant to the eye as Sir Hum
phrey Potter. an hour latter would be
dignifed and imposing.
1t was not for the purpose of OBJ.
serving the beauties of nature that hi
thus delayed his toilet, but rather thar
he might watch Miss Latimer, the
daughter of an old friend and pres.
ent host, and her cousin Clarissa, whC
were walking in the garden. They
were enjoying the fresh morning air;
Clarissa for the sake of the Thousand
delicate scents that mingled with il
and the sweet, glad song of the birds
Miss Latimer chiefly for the sake OF
her complexion. She did not care
much for the songs of the birds; she
preferred music from the comic operas
And as for the delicate scents of the
waking flowers. She had been known
to purchase patehouli.
Miss Latimer's whole attention was
at that period Of her existence en-
crossed by her numerous love affairs
Her talk was of young men. Her great
purpose was to obtain a husband; il
young and handsome, so much the bet
ter, but the only indispensable adj
junct was wealth. She was little.
plump and pretty, with beautiful eyes
that she could use effectively on very
young men. These walked with her
talked with her (she would giggle
at remarks that should have been re-
ceived with a cold silence), and fiirted
with her.
She was called Flo" II seemed a
necessary consequence. There are
many noble. stately ONE in the
world named Florence but it would
seem an insult to address them as
Flo" However. the name suited
Miss Latimer to perfection.
And Clarissa?
A tall, slender girl. bearing herseli
with a natural grace and dignity that