The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-07-27
BASCOM'S
ARISTOCRACY
BY JASPER C0LINGWOOD
Copyright, 1901 by f. Warner

moved into the IIolhcin studios the
other occupants gathered In the front
windows and jecrrd openly Bascom,
whose hearing was singularly acute
caught the comments as far up rs the
third floor What those ON the fourth
floor thought was scarcely of impor-
lance. The singular unanimity of
opinion among the jewellers of the three
lower floors argued that those up above
would scarcely be moved To comment
npproNingly III defiance of their fcl-
lows
The only trouble with Bascom's eff
fccts WAS that they We're new-ds-
trcSslngly new. From the oilcloth for
the tiny kitchen To the Persian rugs
and Turkish hangings they all came
from first hand stores. The IIolhein-
ties We're unuccustomed To such eX-
traVaganees. They had bought second
hand things when they had first set
up ana thereby had acquired merit In
the eyes of those already established.
II WIS unhohemian, M Tolliver eX-
pressed II, TO have glaring new furni-
turc and things in ones studio. Ii
argued the possession of unseemly
quantities OF money and small artistic
merit. From the moment that the first
delivery wagon backed up To the door
Bascom lost his surname, so far as
his fellows We're concerned, and gained
the title of the Aristocrat Ii was
fHplliNRI'A nipl. n hI1f II anrRn1
idly, and no French communist ever
hated the name more thnn the llol-
bcinltes.
AS soon M the place had been set
tied Raseom went around one morn
Ing delivering invitations for studio
tea that afternoon There were many
moved To accept the invitation. for the
delivery Waeon of II leading grocery
had unloadrd much that locked Mt
tractivc that morning
But IolliVcr made personal can
Vass, and when Bascom hurried home
that afternoon, laden with additional
packages, he was met by neat pile
of regrets carefully pinned upon HIS
door. As II result of Tollivers activity
1t had been decided To snub this arts
tocrat who sought 10y means of the tea
to Haunt his rich possessions before
their eyes. Ii was unhOhemian. and,
while his presence had 10 be tolerated,
friendship and fellowship should be
withheld
IInseom WIS no fool. He readily per
ccivcd Why he was hcing snuhbcd and
quietly accepted the situation. lie
met them In the halls and grayely re-
moved his hat when he passed the wo-
men. For the rest lac went to work
ana found in this an absorption which
did not permit him TO worry about the
attitude uf his ncighbors. He missed
in plenty. Since the artistic colony re
fused 10 recognize him he devoted him
self To his society engagements when
time permitted, thereby bringing forth
additional comment as 10 the gor-
Gcoushcss of his garments.
Then came Miss Alice CasWcl She
WAS hut Il decorator of china. but her
effects We're ptfully meager, and she
WIS AT once accepted by the rest of the
inhabitants us II bohemian
she was n bright, brisk, even tenn
pcrcd girl, and before the week was
ont sire had nude friends even with
the lnHitor, Il feat hitherto supposed
to be iupossihlc She had the studio
across the hall from Bnscom, and be
fore she hnd learned of his isolation
had already formed n friendship with
him. She Ind needed some material
which she did not have time to 20 out
for, and he had generously supplied her
wants She had noted with approving
eye his skill rs craftsman and fine
sense of color After that she soon aC-
quired the habit of dropping in to ask
his advice about her designs, finding
his wide experience of great value.
Ey the time the other dwcllcrs In
the studio building had thought to
warn her of the intruder In their col
ony the intruder had become her men
tor, and she gricycd greatly as one
after another the rest of the artists let
slip some eaustic fling
But he Is II really clever man" she
assured Tollivcr one day as he sat
pcrchcd In the window seat declalming
against the Aristocrat. Il assure you
that his paintings are very much above
the average"
Tolliycr snortcd contemptuously.
"My dear child" he remarked pater-
nally, YOU do some very clever china
work. Don't try to get beyond it and
set up as critic There never was a
man who settled here with new
furniture. lie cant be an artist" Then
the conversation dropped. There was
no arguing with Tolliyer when he call
ed one "deur child"
A few weeks later she had Il birth
day party. Early IN the morning the
occupants of the other studios began
to arrive, each with some little token
md the inyariable inquiry ns to wheth
or Bascom had been invited to the
evening festivities. 1T seemed odd TO
her that they should be 80 Interested
in his possible appearance, but she
readily answered that he would. No
objection being offered. she personally
rounded up Bascom when the time OF
the party arrived and got him across
the hall on the plea that she needed
help in the preparation OF the supper.
Bascom had intcrposed many objec-
tions when she had invited him, but
she had pleaded with him, and on her
assurance that the attitude Of the 9th
ers had materially changed he decided
to risk 1t because she wanted It.
She never realized that the abate-
mcnt of the criticism was because she
was openly his champion and the rest
had decided to respect her "delusion,"
as they termed it, She was 50 happy
getting the spread ready that she never
noticed the clock until all of the prep
had been made.
"Why, It's o. she said wonderlngly.
II asked them to come in about g. III
take little run down the hall and re
mind some of them"
Bascom sank into the easy chair in