Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-26


NA be gentleman If he behaves de-
Gently. l hope that kind of gen
W. tleman before had Aunt Annies
money; but you can't be the real sort
unless you born it. My father had kept station
ers shop, and was clerk in merchants Office be-
fore the legacy came. So knew that it didn't make
me one.
don't suppose should have tried to be one if
it hadn't been for my mother. She always fancied
that was good enough for anything. and she
thought more than ever of me after father died.
"yeu must go into society, Tom," she said when
the money was paid over. "and take your proper
position. You may feel a little strange at first, but
you will soon get used to it; and some day you'll
marry lady. and mix with the highest in the land,
as you ought to do"
I'D rather be am, mother" told her. T
don't want to mix with people who'll look down on
me-
She drew herself up, like great iady-she had
rather that way.
Nobody could look down upon my son" she de-
clared. She always said MY Son" as if it writ.
ten in capitalist
knew l should persuade her to think differ
emily and she took things heart after had lost
the old governpr. So had to humor her; and said
I'd go into society if she could get me there
/ thought 1t safe to promise that because she
couldn't do it; but she took quite seriously and
wrote to the lawyer people at Their names
we're Oldham and Trust They two fine old
gentlemen. and had done business for the nobility
for hundreds of years-the Arm I mean. So they
knew everybody in society. They wrote back that
they only represented the financial interests of their
clients and could presume interfere with their
social arrangements.
thought that disposed of the idea; but my
mothers ideas aren't easily disposed of! She went
up to town the next day and called upon them; and
after they had talked to her they sad if l came up
to their office they would see what they could do.
/ suppose they thought might be something like
her.
They asked me lot of questions about my educa-
non, and how would act in different circumstances
They stared at all the time their spectaeles.
and at last Mr.. Oldham nodded at Mr. Trust, and
Mr. Trust turned around and patted me on the
shoulder.
You'll do" he said.
So it was settled that was to go into society
e~SNASN ~4&oSAASN ~ S~A3O
society with me, but she said she was too old to
change, and thought there no need for her to.
So took bachelor fiat; and the lawyers introduced
me to people, and got asked to garden parties
and at-homes and concerts and dances felt hor-
ribly uncomfortable, but don't think showed it
very much I am not that sort
knew how to dress and speak and dance and
ka mic ctalra hufT lot
of little ones People were very civil to me- espec-
ally mothers with plain daughters (the legacy was
100000; but saw when they were laughing in
their sleeves
shouldn't have minded their laughing at my
blunders II they had told what ought to do,
but they only glanced at one another for about
quarter Of second, and never helped me bit-ex-
cept Charlie Brenton.
He was lord and the only son of the Earl of Par.
bury, and a real born gentleman every inch of him;
TALL and slim, and arisocratc looking and the same
age as was (that twenty-hve). He seemed too
careless to take any trouble about anything In So
ciey, but he energetic enough when he played
cricket and football and polo. was good at sports
and that made friendly He gave me lot of hints
in casual sort of way, If he wasn't saying any
thing. He always treated me If I was gentle
man, and introduced to his sister as My friend
Morrison" Her was Mary-Lady Mary
Brenton. He called her Molly She was tall and
slight and stately and very beautiful She treated
me like a gentleman, too. That was when / first
wished that really was
The second time I met her had just made an
ass Of nyseIf-called people by their wrong titIas
and all that sort Of thing Tie ladies' and gentlemen
A w