Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-27
DAILY STORY,
A VALUABLE SOUVENIR.
IOriginall

phI l'i Ntllbt'iN A'A NAM NV |
wealth had all disappeared before it |
had an opportunity to interfere with |
his abilities to make his way in the |
world. He went to Alaska on the news |
of the gold discoveries there and by a |
luclly stroke made an immense fortune |
before he was tT4nty-eight. Then, |
having regained the family prosperity, |
he laid plans for the social status. His
family several generations before had
been London swclls, so he went to
London to look for social preferment.
He said nothing there about his
wealth. but announced that he was a
CokeT, with Il view of trying, if the
name would insure him, an entree to
society. Some remembered the posi-
ton held by his ancestors. but no one
seemed to take him up on account Of
it. Then he mentioned his wealth,
but even that--at least the mention of
it-made no impression on society
Finally he fell in with Sir Thomas
Spottiswoode. an impecunious baronet,
who told him that to get into society
he must spend money and spend 1t in
a way to accomplish the Object h. de-
sired. Sir Thomas offered II ii "ect
his expenditures for consideration.
\ bargain was struck by which Sir
Thomas was to receive fl 900 for him
self and an unlimited amount for So
ciety.
The beginning was a dinner given by
Cocker, the invitations to which We're
given 10y the baronet. He knew those
in society who needed money and paid
literally for acccptauccS from the right
people. Among those invited We're
Mrs. Mulholland and her two daugh
tiers. Lillian and Grace, aged respec-
lively tWenty-four and twenty. Cocker
was by no means an unattractive man.
and Grace Mulholland took Il fancy To
him But in sending checks Sir Thorn
as made mistake He sent Il separate
check to the mother and each of the
daughters. Grace MuIholland had been
unaware up to that time how her moth
or maintained her social position in the
face of poverty and was indignant.
She sent her check right back, and to
Mr.. Coker himself
Cocker said nothing about the matter
w lis 0p' l'li ilittll'iS5 NA' III i'it t''ii
that IL the main the baronet was man
aging well. and this turned out to lie
the case. He Stcered Collcr by grad
| ual ZigZag approaches, as military men
| reduce q fertilization. into the best set
in London. Colier after a few months
got beyond the people he had invited
| TO his first dinner. though i'll rare in
stances he met the MulhpllandS. After
| a time he broke through the GOODNESS
with which Miss Grace treated him.
| having excused himself for his action
| toward her on the ground that he had
| desired to enter London society and
| had placed the management of his
| entree into the hands of another. In
| time her prejudice was worn away,
| but scarcely before the American rose
to social position SO high that he was
| quite beyond the Mulhnllands. and he
| never met them.
Coker spent several years in Lon
don. reaching the topmCst round of the
social ladder; then, at thirty-four. he
| had exhausted whatever pleasure
there had ever been in it for him. He
| resolved to return Ia his native land
| and lay out for himself Il career. What
| that career was has nothing to do
with this story. Shortly before leav-
| ing he was driving by the house where
the Mulhollands lived and saw red
flag flying. Upon inquiry he learned
that Mrs. MulhollandS management of
her affairs had not been a financial
success and the home given the family
for services to the state 10y the first
Mulholland must go by the board.
a few days later Coker sent out in.
vitations to farewell dinner. 1t was
a souvenir oCCasiOn-that IS, q souvenir
was to be given to each guest. He
sent an invitation to the AIulhollands
writing one himself for Miss Grace
begging her to accept If she declined
he would consider the dccliuation e
mean that she had not forgiven him
for that which he never would have
permitted had he been previously hon
Ored by her acquaintance. She wrote
an acceptance. saying that she haC
never blamed him and TO make hin
feel comfortable about the matter
would keep the souvenir intended fol
| y
! acquaintance.
When the dinner came off every cut
was surprised to see the Mulholland
at the function. Several young wO
men present who had CndeavOred {,
snare the wealthy American wondered
when they saw him singularly defer
entail TO Grace Mulholland. The din
ner was Il splendid affair and tn
souvenirs were very costly. They wer
= brought in for last course. and whc
the covers were removed many mag
nifiCent jewels glistened in the lights
> All were handsome except that o
Grace Mulholland, which was a GLOW
box containing Il dozen pairs of gloves
, She smiled sincere thanks. cOnsiderin
her comparatively valueless gift
, reparatfon for the check.
When she got home she took out tn
gloves and with the last pair came
=, false bottom to the box, it having bee
=. glued to the gloves. Beneath was
= folded paper of legal appearance. !