Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-17
CHAPTER v.


How rich was Sir John Vincent? We
1t was perhaps only when one was com
pairing 1t with the lesser establishment:
Of Medford generally that Hill House
seemed such palace and the state there
maintained so courtlke Butler and two
footmen-these dazzled eyes used only t.
parlor maids. and rendered calmly criti
cal judsn mt Impossible. The house wa.
really of moderate size-nothing but 6
mera box OF bricks to the nlansi IN of Mr.
Waco. the brewer, five miles off at Red
marsh; but the porch was palatial; the
ample hail had black and white pave.
ment. and in the dining room there were
marble columns and a vaultad ceiling
For the rest, tho house was merely com.
portable ana pl aaSant - chintZ-coyere(
chairs, pretty CHINA. Towering plants ir
my ladys drawing rooms and the marnine
room, really shabby old furniture in Sill
Johns library study; and yet the swift
impression given to all local visitors was
or most satisfying pomp and splendor.
lnrough open doors one had a glimpse
OF her ladyship's conservatory; through
the big French windows one looked out or
smooth lawns, gay parterres, yeW
hedges. at mellow walls of kitchen gar
den with glass roofs showing over them
or at the small meadows and one or two
..
ten acres in all, as visitors we'll knew:
there We're at least five gardeners; there
must be an odd man indoors to assist
Mr.. Short. the butler, and his two foot
men in the brown coats and canary col.
lars; there were six or seven horses In
the staDies, with coachman and groom
In brown and canary, and two, possibly
three, helpers in shirt sleeves and belts
How much would it all cost to keep up:
TO Medford. completely and forever daz-
lied, fabulous wealth seemed necessary.
Sir John himself shed forth dignity and
importance. His admirers and they
We're the entire Observation-Disclosures he
was the very type and pattern of we'll
pred Eneilsh country gentleman. He al
ways did the right thing, said the right
thlng, without apparent thought or effort
just naturally. He was an ideal chair
man OF the bench of magistrates Of no
ltlcal meetings. of hospital boards-on
all public occasions he handsomely filled
the most prominent post you could put
him in.
He was tall, thin and erect, with neatly
clipped gray hair. well-trimmeo gray
mustache. a fresh. healthy complexion,
and he looked so much younger than his
age that he might well have been taken
for his sons brother. He was like Jack
vincent except as to the eyes. Mr. Jack
mad his mothers blue eyes, and the eyes
OF Sir John were brown. Lady Vincent
was placid in temperament, and Sir John
was full of restless activity. Born to
greatness doomed by his rank to elegant
ldleness. he had made himself at least a
busy idler
vas III truth quite 1ree from side
~ Sassi' anu YET you could not talk
~ a -. nte minutes without under
standing that he was pleased, enormously
Pc ted II;I, 70 pe of John vincent. baronet.
OF Hill House. In the privacy OF the
home circle he would sometimes with
-
opeilieSS SPEAK OF the necessity of keep
ing up one position of the things ex-
p@Iteu ol one, etc. lie would pish and
p9ha" "Hen ne read birthday list, OF
!ioioiS' anu iouhd 10 MS disgust that
they had again been making baronets. A
pity that. TOO many of US already. He
ioVed ms order; never failed to join so
cletiSs Tor the protection of the privileges
of the baronetage, for the exposure and
pdilisaiTn' oi spurious baEenets. etc. Hs
was Lflniy OF OPINION that fight should
De mace lof the ancient or pretended
custom by virtue Of which the eldest son
OF a baronet might assume the style ola
knight as soon as he was tWenty-one.
Ell JACK YOU might be Sir John
nov, Nhat 90 you say to that?'
on say one Sir John is enough in
d iaiiiiS.
ny. vincent ana MS father were the
pioteu 'lie sou TACK or interest in i'm
porldht matters very small things some
cfines interested the good baronet, and
evoked immense energy and activity. --Mr.
vincent was lhctlned to a sort of languid
righteousness Oh manner when speaking
ol, OF taxing To- the guv'nor.' He adj
urSsSeo MN oIten as Sir John, with q
du.e ainlapie' but a mocking Difference
ana inns sometimes caused annoyance
a. u i,1tr fty,, re