The Washington herald., 1906-11-20
CHAPTER II.
sir simon Gore.

Sir Simon GGre.
Avarice, according TO Byron, is a gentle
manly vice appertaining to old age. 1t
certainly acted like Aaron's rod with Sir
Simon, as it swallowed up all his more
youthful sins. During the early part of
the Victorian epoch the Old man had
been spendthrift and rake. Now he
never looked agreeably upon a woman
and the pretter they were the more he
frowned upon them. AS he was close
upon eighty, it was not TO be wondered
al that his blood ran thin and cold; STILL
he might have retained the courtesy for
which he was famous in his hot youth
But he eschewed female society in the
main, and was barely civil to his pretty,
fascinating niece. who attended to him
and bore his III humoTs. only Mrs. GH-
roy succeeded in extOrting civil words
from him; but then Mrs. Gilroy was nee
essary 10 his comfort, being a capital
nurse and as quiet as a cat about the
house. Where his own pleasure was
concerned, Sir Simon could be artful
Long ago ne had given up luxury. He
never put liquor to his withered lips. he
ate oily the plainest food and surrounded
himself with merely the bare necessities
Of life. All his aims was 10 gather
money, TO see it increase, to buy land,
70 screw the last penny out Of unwilling
tenants, and TO pick up a farthing, in
whatever mud ii might be lying. He
never helped the poor, he grudged re
pairs TO the property. he kept Lucy on
short commons, and expressed such vio-
lent opinions concerning the rectors s
tithes that the poor man was afraid to
come near him. AS Sir Simon, like a
goddess old pagan, never went to church.
the absence Of the clerical element at the
Han troubled him little. He was n
typical miser in looks, being bent, with
cred, and dry. AS a young man he had
bought in his spendthrift days a great
number OF suits, and these he was wear
ing out In his old age. The garments,
once fashionable, looked queer in the eyes
OF younger generation; but Sir Simon
minded no one. lie was always scru-
pulOusly dressed in his ANTIQUE garb. and
looked. as the saying goes, as neat as a
new pin. His health was tOlerable. al
though be suffered from rheumatism and
a constant cough. Owing TO his total
abstinence, he was free from gout but
could not have been worse tempered had
ne indeed suffered, as he assuredly de-
served 70. With his withered skin, his
thin, high nose, his pinched features, and
his bent form. he looked anything but
agreeable. When walking he supported
himself with an ebony cane and had
been known on occasions to use Il on
The backs Of uuderlings. From this prac-
uce, however, he had desisted. since the
underlings. forgetful of the feudal sys-
o. rHnH
resulted In Sir Simon losing money As
the old baronet said. radical opinions
were running the country; for why should
the lower orders not submit 20 the sticko
Il was rarely this agreeable old gentle
man came to town. He lived at the Hall
In Essex in savage seClusou, and there
ruled over a diminished household with
a rod Of iron. Mrs GilrOy, who had been
with him for many years. was-Outward-
ly-as peuuriOus as her master. so he
trusted her as much Gs he trusted any
one. What between the grim old man
and the silent housekeeper, poor Lucy
Randolph. who was only connection.
had dreary time But then. as the
daughter OF Sir Slmon's niece. she was
regarded as an iuterloper, and the old
man grumbled az having 20 support poor
relations Bernard he had tolerated as
his heir. Lucy ne frankly disliked as "a
caterpillar Often would he call her this
name
As usual, Sir Simon came 10 town with
the least expense 90 himself since Il
agonized him 20 spend q penny But an
old friend Of his, more open-handed than
the barOuet had lent him his town house.
This was q small residence in a quiet
kensingt0n square. by no means fash
ionabie. The central gardens. surrounded
by rusty iron ratings. were devoid of
flowers, and filed with ragged elms and
sycamores, suffered 10 grow amidst rank
grass untrimmed and unattended The
roads around were green with weeds, and
the houses appeared 10 be deserted In
deed. many Of them were. as few people
cared 10 live in so dun a neighborhood:
but others were occupied by elderly folk,