The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-15

whole time aud a great deal Of it,
n NJ X. JOHN FENDENNIs was a
little. quiet old gentleman,
N extremely mild and gentecl,
II who had amassed II very
modest competency by COM
bining the yocations OF apothecary and
surgeon in a humble little shop graced
by the sign of a gilt pestle When
the time came when he could retire llc
gladly and completely forgot that lie
had ever sold brown paper plasters.
and realized his life-dream of becoming,
gentleman.
He bought a little estate in the Wiz
laGe of Clavering which he called
Fairoaks 1t was separated by little
river from what was left OF the plan
tations and woods of the great CLAY
ering family's park.
Here Mr.. Pendennis installed his
young wife, who had been Miss Helen
Thistlewood, very distant and very
poor relative and dependent of the
noble house of Bareacres.
The disappearance of the Pendennis of
the pestle from Bath ushered into CLAW
ering the Pendennis OF Fairoaks Where
they came from heaven knows but
presently a whole range of Pendennis
portraits hung round the dining-rooln
thur Pendennis, of Crecy; General Pen
dennis, of Blenheim
BY the time little Arthur Fendennis
was eight years old all these and still
other Pendennses of the past We're
as real to the family as the gilt pestle
MAS unreal. Although Johns income
OF only about five hundred pounds a
year did not permit him to live with the
great folk of the county. he managed
sIn,, -.
teel life. II the Pendennises were not
the roses, they lived near the roses, as
1t were.
a link which bound Squire Penden-
mis-, as he now called himself to the
great world of London and the fash
ions was his brother, Major Pendennis
He brought the last news OF the nobil.
ity and OF the clubs of which he was
a chief ornament. The major had sold
out after long service in India and
New South Wales and gone on halt
pay. He was desperately poor; but this
number of crested and coroneted iuvi,
tations to great houses that day on his
faHorite table in the club every morn.
ing drove the less fortunate lovers OF
high society to desperation.
The young fellows loved to walk wifi
him, for he touched his hat TO every
body, and every other man he knew
was lord. If there Was any ques
ton about etiquette, pedigree or pre-
cedence Pendennis Was the man I,
whom everybody appealed
His coat, t.ls white gloves his whisk
ers, his, .vesy -ea,ie were perfect. See
ing him from. distance one woul,
take him 10 be thirty il was only. clos
inspection that revealed the crows ZEE
around the somewhat dinrning eyes o
his handsome mottled face and tn
entirely artificial character of his fin
head of brown hair.
Major Pendants Wgs much prouds
OF his brother the Squire OF Fairoaks
than ne ever had been Of his brothc
the medical practitioner Of Bath, ar
ne was delighted beyond measure t
behold his nephew growing up in Sur
complete forgstfuiness ~ the shop tia
everybody in clayering called him III
Prince of Fairoaks.
His little court encouraged him 4
his royal temper. His ;Gotber wax on
of those aifectionate. sslfiess creature
who are made 10 gi9e their I'll! 10 .th
ers. She spoke ana thought o! hs
husband with an awful reverence. Til
major way a very Bagatd among Ina
jors TO her. She worshipad the print
With an ardor that he accepted cool
as princes should.
Pendenn!s was sixteen when Il
father died. In the moment Of llis gfis
and as he embraced siis mother az
tendcrly cohsoied her. ne could n
help but feel that now he wss eht
and lord, and that ne wouian't stan
the bullying at sehool any longer %
should have IL all holidays Ia the Z
ture. The major waz for his ssoiI
back. But Pen adrolii3 "a
his mother a hint as 10 what q MI
dangerous place Grsytriars wae. %
the timid soul al once aecened u Il
desire.
Pen got a very good mare and 70
her eXcelIently we'll across country. i
became very good judge ut ciar,
He did not neglect his Eiuaies alt
gether, for Mr. Smirke, the eura
ambled over from clayerlng daily
sobd--minded pony and read !,
poets with him.
6 Pen zcaiotsiy avoided All books ~
might by chance fan into d schc
II course but he deyoured all others Al
his mind became of gloomy Gyroi
cast. He broke out in the Poets 81
u ner of the County Chronicle with III
mendous verses on Assizc Meetinl
Tears, Love and Politics He wrf
tragedies in which everybody "
killed.
One day he rode into Chatteris
deliver fiery poem for the n,
week paper, and IN the stableyard
the inn beheld grand black land
with scarlet wheels, whose owner y
habited in scarlet, green and VII
Ss glory that made II difficult TO /
whether he was "A prize.figh,er on
holiday or toarhinan In gala siresp
In this spiennid areaturc Paudan
recognized n colleague or his DR.
friars days~--ypuns Fok&r who go
scarcely read In setlonl, and had h.
notorious both for his lack Of cleal
ness and his stupidity. hut yo,
Foker's father was stupeadous.y 1