The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-08-19

are living In the backw00dS, out Of all
creation. If the two were shipwrecked
on lonely island together 1 should
think'-Kitty was displaying her fine,
even teeth in jovial smile>-"that the
very waves would throw UP a sort of
barrier"
THE religious element here governs
everything" returned Mrs. Cranston,
with patient smile. ''These good,
Christian people would think we were
awfully stuck up If we refused to ad.
NIT worthy young man to our house
just because his father had gone
wrong; besides, he had established him
self before his fathers trouble. We
simply drifted into the situation, and
things went on till now we don't know
where we stand. But to be perfectly
fair to him, Kitty, he's simply mascu-
line marvel. When 1 began to fear
him I began to watch for vulnerable
places in his makeup, but I've found
precious few, tell you-precious few.
You know I've seen good society, If
any Virginia woman has, and I'm 60
ing to tell you that have never met
more polished man in all my life-no,
sir, not in Richmond, nor Boston, nor
Charleston. He has actually made me
blush with shame. I remember once I
disputed his word about one of Bal
zacs heroes: only to have him prove
that / was wrong q few minutes later
In the incest manner.
"He happened to be dining here, too
one night when Bishop Page stopped
over with us on his way to Florida.
There were several young men pres
ent, among them Tarpley cambridge
who belongs to one Of the very oldest
families in Georgia and Is considered
the catch Of the county. Well, he sat
here like stick in the cushion Of ha
chair and let Mr.. Buckley conduct the
entire conversation with the bishop. In
fact, Bishop Page simply directed most
of his remarks to Mr.. Buckley. and it
really was an intellectual treat He
trlppcd the bishop up twice, and the
old man flushed, but laughingly adj
m1tted he was wrong. He was most
favorably impressed with Mr.. Buckley
and. of course, l did not enter into
awkward explanations. Yes, his man
ners could not be improved. He must
have associated with refined people
when he was off at college. I shall
always say that the surest sign of
on the dinner table without seeming to
do 1t. l don't say Mr.. Buckley puts
his on, but he doesn't sit up like
post and not know what to do with his
hands, as some men do. He acts, even
on occasions like that dinner, as If such
things We're an everyday affair. The
maid, in passing around the table, awk-
wardly touched his elbow just aS he
was about to drink from his glass Of
claret and shook some of the wine out
on my best cloth. Now, l once saw
the same thing happen to man IN
Richmond, and he promptly laid the
blame where it belonged, to acQuit him
self of appearing awkward, but Mr.
Buckley treated it with superb indf-
ference. He was telling some story,
and he did not even pause, but, taking
salt cellar, he poured some Of the
salt on the spot, and as he continued
to talk he kept rubbing it in as If lie
hardly knew what he was doing. The
salt saved the cloth from bad stain,
and 1t was all done as q prince might
have done it.
"You know the negroes can never for
give the poor whites for rising into
prominence, and Milly, when she was
clearing away the things from the table
that evening, called to me. Come here,
Miss Amy she said, with sneer;
everybody done lef' deir napkins on de
table 'cept dat po' white trash, en- he
lef' his in his chair OF course it was
q little thing and has no weight one
way or another; but, do you know, the
next month when l was back in Rich
mond, and your aunt Tilly had that
young English lord to dinner, | watch
| ed everything he did and noticed that
he dropped lis napkin in his chair
when he left the table. l have since
learned that it is quite customary over
there. We don't do 1t, you know, but
really they would look nicer in the
chairs than n lot of linen wads stuck
about among the finger bowls and
salad dishes. They would be less sug
gestivc of the lavatory of crowded
sleeping car early in the morning.
Kitty Cosby drew full breath when
Mrs. Cranston paused.
"And on top Of all that you say he's
good looking" she said, with n pretty
smile. 'Well, I'll tell YOU you'd bet
ter send me back to Richmond. My
folks have certain vague matrimonial
plans for me, and don't know whether
I'm safe here or not always did love
to kick over the traces
"Oh, do be sensible, Kittyw
"Well, you certainly have got trouble
ahead" said the girl, more seriously
Lydia would hate to cause discord In
the family, know. but nine girls out
Of ten would fall dead in love with that
sort of man under those circumstances,
and they would want to stick to him
tOOo