Middletown transcript., 1908-07-25
:. OF THE SANE MIND !.
BY FRANK CHAFFEE

this is to hold lndeeu an enVid-
BILE position. He came OF good }
cid family which had been
wealthy for generations, and as
consequence his use of his money
and position was as an adept, not
as an experimentalist. He was
q clever chap, and found much
Of amusement and somewhat OF
interest in studying Vanity Fair.
Sometimes he dabbled in Bo-
henia. He had lived much in
Europe, and had many friends
in England, among them one fine
fellow that he regarded with
more than the average of friendly
feeling, whom he had invited to
pay him a visit in New York. -,
Come along over late in the
spring, old chap, he had said,
and I'll show you some of our
country house life; then we can
do the watering places; and in
the autumn go West for a little
shooting.
So it came to pass that one fine
morning as Goring sat in his
rooms over late breakfast, feel
ing bored with life, a card was
brought to him, and on it was
the name of his young English
friend. He made an exclamation
of pleasure, and hurried down to
meet his guest. Cad! he said,
Algy, old man, but I'm glad to
see you! Why didn't you let d
fellow know you were coming?
Thought I'd surprise you. Just
got in. Drove right away here.
If you can't put me up, can go
to a hotel; chap on steamer told
me a good one. The Englishman
said all this in a slow, hesitant
way, with a careful economy of
words, as if he feared his supply
might give out.
Nonsense, Langham replied
Goring. Of course you'll stop
right here! Well spend a few
days in town. and thea I'll take
you to my sisters country house
in Westshester.
Langham gladly agreed to this,
and the two friends sat down to
a quiet smoke and chat as to
plans for their season.
Langham was short, slight,
Though well put together, dressed
with extreme neatness, but in
conspicuous and unimpressive in
every way. He was near sighted
in both eyes, which is unusual in
the visiting Englishman, and
carried his head slightly forward.
About him, however, hung that
atmosphere of good breeding that
characterised the really high-class
Englishman.
After considerable talk on var
ious topics, he looked at Goring
steadily for a moment through
his eye glasses, then said, I say,
Goring, think I'll look about for
wife ever here. Like American
girls. Think I can find one to
take me, eh?
Find one Great Scott, man!
began Goring, then burst into a
fit of laughter.
Langham flushed and said diff
tidently, Know what you mean,
old man; find plenty marry title,
money, and all that Jolly rot
Don't want that sort, you know
get those at home,-want girl to
marry just me. I'm not such
bad sort, eh?
Best chap I know, you dear
old simpleton! said Goring en-,
Enthusiastically, and any girl ought
to be mighty glad to get you
without any of the stage trap
pings.
Langham looked pleased at the
praise, and Goring said:
Does anyone in this country
know that you are here
No, answered Langham, look
ing puzzled. Told you came
here at once.
All right, said Goring, leave il
to me. Englishmen that are
worth while are at a premium
over here. II you are considered
worth while, you will be bored tc
death, and as for wives, enough
will be flung at you to make yoU
q Mormon or a Turk. You must
30 considered net worth while
I'll arrange it. From this or
you are a simple English gentle
= man over TO see about some lanG
scheme. You are simple enough
Heaven knows! Can you get {
wife? Oh, Lord and Goring
went off into another fit of laugh
ter.
What do you mean? said Lang