Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-16
1t Vas Worth
That Counted
BY THOMAS .. rzoNTFoRr

Il
They were Kentuckians. and everybody
who knows the Kentuckian OF quality
knows how proud he IL of himself, his
state and his family name.
OF all the members of this proud old
family Col. Joe Clifton was probably the
haughtiest and most exclusive The
/ line with which he had encircled HIM
self. separating his friends and associ-
ates from the common run of humanity,
was very narrow, and there were few
who were able to get inside of it. Neither
wealth nor worth were sufficient to gain
admission for an aspirant unless they
were backed by clean family pedigree.
Col. Joe had only one child--a daugh-
ter Her name was Emily. She was
young, beautiful and talented, and, fur
Their, she was the apple Of the coionels
eye. He loved her with love that was
almost idolatrous, and as she grew up
1t was with feeling OF bitter sadness
that his began to look forward to the
time when she would leave him.
1T would not be SO bad he once OBJ
served, IF she could find q man halfway
worthy Of her. But that Ia impossible.
Even among the best and highest fam
! lilies OF old Kentucky there is not man
who is worthy OF a smile from her lips. :"
In time the colonel began to cast about
! for man to whom he could entrust his
daughter with as much as moderate
degree Of satisfaction. He ran tho whole
gamut OF his acquaintances, and finally,
after weighing each one carefully and
we'll, decided on one who, while he fell
far short of the colonel's requirements,
still came nearer than any OF the others
/ to filling them
This man was Mai Buck, an easy go
ing scion Of a race OF aristocrats. He
was poor, but too proud to demean him
self so far as to improve his conditions
by work. He was several years older
than Miss Emily, and there were some
/ other disparagements between them.
but he had a good family record, and that
answered for the rest.
When he thought the proper time had
arrived for the major and Emily TO meet,
i Col. Clifton sent the former an invita-
tion to visit him. The major gladly ac-
cepted, for to him few weeks or a few
months good, free living was matter
of some moment. His acceptance was
as prompt as anyone could have asked,
but 1t was very little more prompt than
his own appearance at the Clifton home.
In the meantime, Miss Emily, setting
less store by family name than her Ia
| Their did, had found the acquaintance of
a young fellow named Ben Smith Tho
Smiths. In the language of one Of Col.
Clifton's old negroes. was des bout do
nsee mh nJI IA
white trash" And as for family honor
and quality. they never stopped to con-
slider such things.
But in spite OF his connection Ben was
a most worthy young man. He was
honest, Industrious sober and ambitious.
In his way he was proud, too--not or
his family or his ancestors, but OF his
own character and good name.
The acquaintanceship which had
sprung up between Emily and Ben
Smith had soon ripened into friendship,
and. as little as Col. Clifton suspected it,
it bid fair to ripen into a much deeper
and stronger attachment. The colonel
might have had a suspicion of this Ii by
any means he could have conceived how
it could be possible that Clifton could
for moment entertain thought OF fall
ing in love with man whose family con-
those Of Ben Smith.
It wasn't long after Maj Bucks ar
rival when he began to make eyes at
Emily. The colonel noticed this and he
was greatly pleased. Emily noticed it,
! too. but il she was pleased she did not
show II, she was not smiling on him
/ any, and all the time she was meeting
Ben Smith.
Finally the major told the colonel that
| he would like To pay court to Miss Emily
with view Of winning her for his wife.
| The colonel replied that he was willing,
and, furthermore, undertook to convey
! to Emily the majors wishes. This was
/ in accordance with an old custom OF tn q
first families" and was no doubt quite
| proper; but. unfortunately for the major,
Ben Smith was not bound by custom.
and, instead OF asking the colonel to con-
| vey mis- wishes to Miss Emily, he con-
/ veyed them himself.
The first opportunity the colonel had
| Of speaking with his daughter in private
he said to her:
| Emily, have bit OF news for you
4 LuehL GILL 5uAS Will bC DOlu l4EASuub tdnu
| Gathering"
| He paused, and after q short wait she
! said:
Eyes, papa?''
Maj Buck, ahern-rn, has done me the
honor TO ask for permission to pay court
| to you with a view TO winning YOU for his
wife, the colonel went on. 1T Is not
surprising, considering your beauty and
goodness. but. nevertheless, 1t is very
gratifying"
4'1'o you?" Ehe asked.
Certainly. And also to you. hope
Then ! fear must disappoint you,
papa. do not care for the majors So
ciety at ALL
"Why?'
We'll. don love him. /"
sBut you can learn to love him Think
of his family! There's no better stock
| In old Kentucky than tie Bucks"
II don't care Ii the Bucks were kings,
| would not marry the major. won't