The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22


 Righteousness in white wig. who has not been found out, to pronounce judg- ment. I'd like to wager that not ono In three of these people ever did an honest days work in lifetime. One half is rank idle-the other half Is trying 10 live on the remainder. Work 1t out and pass me the wine-and mind you don't get set ting up any images for time to knock down-er, what?"
 Alban would not wrangle with hun, and for little while he ate in silence, watching the sparkling throng and list ening to such scraps of conversation as foated to him from merry tables. Down in Union street 1t hnd been the fashion to decry idleness and the crimes of the rch--the orators having 1t that leisure was criminal and ease Il heinous sin. AL ban had never believed In any such fal- lucy. We are all born lazy" he had said, "and few of us would work unless VIC had to. Vanity is at the bottom of all that we do. lf no one were vain, the world would stand still" In the Savoy, his arguments seemed to be justified a hundredfold, A sense of both convent and dignity came to him. He began all most to believe that money could ennoble as well as satisfy.
 Willy Forrest, of course, knew nothing whatever of thoughts such as these. He was a past master in the art of killing time and he boasted that he rarely knew an idle hour" His programme for this day seemed altogether beyond criticism.
 Well look In at the club afterwards and play game of bridge-you can stand by me and see me win--or perhaps you'd like a side bet. Then we might turn into
 the park to give the girls a treat-eh,
 what?- ?-and go on to the New Bridge club
 to dress. After that there's the old sport ing shanty and bit of mill between
 Neddy Tinker and Marsh Hill. You never saw d fight, I suppose? Man, but your
 education has been neglected
 Alban smiled and admitted his deficien- cies
 I've seen many a set-to in Commercial
 Road and taken a hand sometimes. Is it
 really quite necessary to my edueaton?' Absolutely indispensable. You must
 do everything and be seen everywhere. If I had time I'd give you the personal
 history of half the llghtweights in c;is
 room. Look at that black crow in the
 corner there. He's a Jew parson from EsseX-as rich as bottled beer and always stops here. Last time I rode n welter down his way they told me his favorlte text was Blessed are the poor" He's n pretty figure-head for a bean feast. isn't 1 he? That chirpy barrister next door has
 a practice of fifteen thou The blghter once cross-examined me in a card-snarp- ing case and made me look the biggest | damned fool in Europe Did I rest on my 1 laurels-eh. what? Why. sir. he cant l cross race course now without havlng
 his pocket picked. My doing, my immor- | tai achievement. The little Countess next
 door used to do stunts at the Nouveau | Cirque. Lord Saxe-Holt married her
 when he was hay and Is tanning her. ] That old chap, who eats like a mule. Is | Lord Whippingham. He hasn't got six | pence. and If you ask me how he lives | we'll there are always and means foreign l 10 your young and virgin mind. The old 1 geezer used to run after little Betty Sine | at the Apollo-but she put an ice down ! his back at supper here one night and
 then there were partings. Some day I'll
 take you to the Blenheim and show you | Englands aristocracy in arm-chairs--we 1 haven't time today and heres the coffee
 coming. Pay up and be thankful that
 your new pa isn't overdrawn, and has ! still shekel or two in his milk jug. My l godfather-but you are lucky young | man, and so you are beginning to think,
 l suppose"
 Alban did not eondescend to answer q
 question so direct. He was still quite
 uncertain as to his future, and he would
 not discuss 1t with this irresponsible, who l had undertaken to be his worldly mentor. l When they left the Savoy it was to visit
 a club in Trafalgar Square and there dis l | gentlemen who had unched not wisely l but too well Of all that he had seen in | the kingdoms of money, Alban found this l club least to his liking. The darkness of | its great rooms, the insolence of it's | members toward the servants woo
 waited upon them, the gross idleness, the i trivial settlements of the card room the l secret drinking in remote corners-he
 never imagined that men of brains could | bn md bp ul l timaey to Hyde Park with a measure
 of thankfulness he would not conceal Why do people go to places like that, | Forrest?' he asked as they went. What
 enjoyment do they get out of them?' | Willy Forrest, who had taken a ma | hogany one' in the club and get | ting mighty confidential. answered him
 as candidly.
 Half of 'em go to get away from their | wives, the other half to win money-eh, l what?"
 But why do they never speak to each ! other?"
 1 Put two game-cocks in a pen and then | ask again. It's club, my boy, and so
 they think every other man a rogue or
 fool"
 And do they pay much for the pr.v- | ilege?n
 That depends on the airs they give | themselves I've been billed for half the clubs in town and so, l suppose, I'm
 rather a decent sort of chap. It used to be kind of hall mark to get in a good 1 club but we live at hotels nowadays and don't care a dump for them. That's why half of 'em are on the verge of bank
 ruptcy Don't you trouble about them, | unless you get a Ally that bolts. l shall have to give up clubs altogether l sup
 pose, when l marry Anna-eh, what?' | He laughed at the idea. and Alban re-
 maining silent, he whistled a hanson in
 d way that would have done credit to
 d railway porter, and continued affably. You knew that l was going 10 marry Anna didn't you? She told you on the
 strict a.t, didn't she? oh. my stars,
 how she can talk, l shall buy an ear trumpet when we're in double harness.
 But Anna told you, now didn't she?' "I have only once heard her mention
 your name-she certainly did not speak of being engaged
 "They never do when the old man bucks-eh, what? Gessner don't like me and I'd poison him for a shilling. Why shouldn't l marry her? I ride horse and point gun and throw d fly better than most Can Old Bluebeard go hetter-eh, what?" The old pot-hook,
 I'd play him any game you like to name for a pony aside and back myself to the
 Day of Judgment. And he's the man
 who talks about bagglng Duke for his girl, Pshaw, Anna would kick the coro- net downstairs in three days and the own- or after it. You must know that for yourself-she's a little devil to rear and you can't touch her on the curb-eh,
 what, you've noticed 1t yourselfP'' Alban. declared quite frankly that he l.. hot f1.