The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-17

upon matters which he understood. For
this reason Miss Simmons found him
more agreeable to converse with than
| any of the smart young gentlemen she
| had heretofore met at Mr.. Mertons. In
| the meantime Tommy was received amid
| the circle of the ladies and attended to
as a prodigy of wit and ingenuity A
Mrs. Compton. in particular, protested
that Master j1erton was the most wonder
full boy she had ever known, and she
wondered that Mrs. Merton did not place
him in some fashionable institution Of
learning where he might form connec-
tons"
That" said She rs the course I nave
pursued with my Augustus and my Mr.
tilda"-Matilda was the daughter the
scheming mother had already picked out
for Master Tommy-"and they both have
had the good fortune to form the most
brilliant connections. As to Augustus, he
is SO intimate with young Lord Squan-
der that I look upon his fortune as al
ready made"
Here, as Miss Simmons looked little
surprised. Mrs. Compton asked her il she
she did not, but had a cousin at the same
school who said Lord Squander was one
of the worst boys there; that he had
neither genius for his rank and position
nor good sense; that his taste ran entire
ly to gambling and the most contempti-
BILE amusements; that although his allow
ance was large he was already heavily in
debt and had broken his word so often
that nobody would believe what he said.
This brought down upon her q storm Of
reproof from Miss Matilda, who told her
that she was so narrow-minded that she
could not appreciate the working of a
generous and open mind like that of his
lordship nor realize the amusements
proper to a gentleman of title.
Harry, TO be sure, was little fitted for
the company in which he found himself,
and though he listened with tears In his
eyes when, after tea, Miss Simmons sang
that wonderful Scottish song of Lochaber
he went to sleep in his chair while Miss
Matilda was performing one Of the latest
and most fashionable Italian pieces
which really was rude in Harry, and the
only thing that can be said in extenua-
ton of his crime is that he tried to lreep
awake by pinching himself.
The surroundings in which Tommy now
found himself acted quickly upon him.
The results of his original training-or
rather lack of training-made themselves
manifest, and after while he was as
great dandy as the other young gentle
men, thought and acted as they did, and
began to be ashamed Of his intimacy with
Harry, to whom he now scarcely vouch-
safed a word. When the other boys hec-
tored Harry, Tommy never took his part,
and if there had been any way in which
Harry could have decently left the house
he would have done so-though he would
have been sorry to have left Miss Sim
mons Things were brought to crisis
by dance and bull batting.
The largest room in the house was light
ed up for the dance, and Harry who knew
nothing of the fashionable minuet and
such dances, secluded himself In a remote
and obscure section of the apartment,
while Tommy had the honor of exhibit
ing'-that was the phrase in those days
with Miss Matilda, and after taking her
to her seat with a grace which surprised
the company anew went from lady to
lady, receiving the praises literally poured
out as If it were the most brilliant thing
in the world to dray one foot behind the
other and to walk on tiptoe. AS Miss Ma
tilda and Master Merton were dancing the
ladies had exclaimed: What an elegant
creature!' What shape is there!' II
protest he puts me in mind of Vestris him
self!' Indeed Mrs. Merton is a most
happy mother to be possessed of such a
son, who wants nothing but an introduce
ton to the world to be one of the most
elegant youths in England and the most
accomplished"
And now the young gentlemen put up