The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-12-07
"uNIIL

On the following Tuesday afternoon,
toward 5 o'clock. 1 descended from my
apartment on my way to my brough-
am. In my entrance hall 1 met Mon
son coming in.
Hello, you!" said he. Slipping
away to get married?"
No, I'm only making a CALL" re-
piled /, taking alarm instantly.
"Oh, is that all?" said he with a sly
grin. ut must be a mighty serious
matter"
I'm in no hurry" said I. Come up
with me for a few minutes
AS soon as we were alone in my sit
ting room. I denlanded: Whats
wrong with meo"
"Nothing-not a thing" was his an
swer, in a tone 1 struggled with myself
not to resent. I've seen any one
| quite so grand-top hat, latest style,
long coat ditto, white buckskin waist
coat, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. pearl in
pale blue scarf, white spats, spotless
ers, cream-colored gloves. YOU will
make a hit! My eye, III bet she won't
be able TO resist you"
1 began to shed my plunlage. II
thought this was the thing when you're
calling on people you hardly know"
Il should say you'd have to know
EN- uncommon Well to give EN- such
a treat. Rather!"
What shall 1 wear?" I asked. you
certainly told me the other day that
this was roper
"Proper-so it is-too damn proper"
was his answer. "That'd be all right
for a bridegroom or a best man or an
usher-or perhaps for a wedding guest.
1t wouldn't do any particular harm
even to call in it, IL the people We're
used to you But
II looked dressed up?"
Like a fashion plate-like a tailor
like a society actor"
What shall L wear?"
ooh, just throw yourself together any
old way. Business suits good enough"
But I barely know these people
socially. / never called there I OBJ
jected.
"Then don't CALL" he advised. Send
your valet in a cab to leave q card at
the door. Calling has gone clean out
unless a mans got something very es-
pecial in mind. Never show that you're
eager. Keep your hand hid"
They'd know l had something especial
in mind If I called?"
"Certainly, and if you'd gone in those
toys. they'd have assumed you had come
toto ask the old mar for his daughter
or something like that"
I lost no time In getting back into a bust
ness suit.
A week passed and. just as I was within
sight of my limit of patience. Bromwell
Ellersly appeared at my office. 81 can't
put my hand on the necessary cash, MIR.
Blacl1lock-at least, not for a few days.
Can I count on your further indulgence?"
This In his best exhibit of old-fashioned
courtliness-the gentleman" through and
through, ignorant of anything useful.
Don't let hat matter worry you, Ell
lersly,s said L, friendly, for I wanted to
be on a somewhat less ~business-like basis
with that family. 'The markets steady,
and will go up before it goes down"
Good" said he. by the way, you
haven't Kept your promise to CALL"
I'm a busy man. said L. You must
make my excuses to your wife. But-in
the evenings. Couldn't we get up a little
neutrality-suspicious.. Ellersly and YOUR
daughter and you and I-Sam, too. If he
cares TO come"
"Delightful!" cried he.
"Whichever one of the next five even
ings you say I said. LET me know nv
tomorrow morning, will you?" And we
talked no more of the neglected margins:
we understood each other. When he left
he had negotiated a three months loan OF
$4,000.
Thy were SO surprised that they couldn't
conceal it, when they We're ushered into
my apartment on the Wednesday evening
they had liked upon. If my taste in dress
was somewhat too pronounced, my taste
i'll my surroundings was not. / suppose
the same instinct that made me like the
music and the pictures and the books that
were the products of superior minds had
guided me right in architecture, decoration
and furniture. l know l am one of those
who are born with the instinct for the
best. Once Monsoon got in the way of free
criticism, he INDUCED himself without
stint, after the customary human fashion;
liz fact, SO free did he become that had l
net feared to brighten him and so bring
about the defeat of my purposes, l should
have sat on him HARD very soon after we
made our bargain. AS it was, 1 stood his
worst .mpudences without finching, and
partly consoled myself with the amuse-
ment / got out Of watching his vanity lead
him ON into thinking his knowledge the
most vital matter in the Yorld-iust as YOU