The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-08-12

No. Nj. stennis neither role ~
drove; In fact, he knew or cared very
little about horses.
| "Ah. then. there my daughter can
be OF service: she IL accounted very
| fine horsewoman and one Of the best
judges of hcrsenesh In the city. But
you young people can talk that over
together. You will naturally take an
interest in all gentlemanly sports
every man OF means and leisure
does: but 1t will do no harm II you
are positively identified with some
particular pastime. even to the extent
of making 1t a fad. May I inquire
what is your favorite diversion?"
Yachting. by all MEANS" said VIII
frid.
Excellent! Could not be better!"
exclaimed Mr.. Passavant "None but
q man OF large resources can-ah-
indulge in yachting to any extent"
Il am thinking Of building boat"
said Wilfrid difidently. What
would you adviser"
THE very thing. my boy: engage
the most expensive designer and the
most famous builder. and your repu.
tation Is made. An excellent notion
-ah!"
Really, my dear" said the lawyer
in narrating this little Chesterfieldian
episode to Clara. Il begin to have
hopes Of young Stennis: he Is most
tractable and receptive to-ah-sen.
sible ideas"
So II came about that the rather
blase Clara anticipated with no little
interest her first meeting with the
new man.
Stennis mad never before owned .
visiting-card or donned a dresscoat,
but when he stepped forward to greet
her. in response to her fathers intro
duction. ~ he entered the drawing
room, she decided in one sweeping
glance that he was irreproachable at
least In costume and manners, even
II the latter were trifie nervous. At
the proper moment he offered his arm
to take her In to dinner. Inwardly
he was greatly perturbed. for he real.
ICED that he was on view; but Clara
Passavant excelled In social tact, and.
taking a liking to him from the start.
before the soup was removed he was
chatting with her completely at his
ease. The dinner passed OF quite sue
cessfully on the whole. for by dint OF
keeping a careful watch on what the
others did he was able to avoid any
glazing blunders. albeit rather be-
wildered at the multiplicity OF glasses.
and wondering at the possible correct
uses Of the different styles and sizes
Of knives and forks and spoons. But
he committed no solecisms; he took
wine sparingly: his little errors might
even have been ascribed to some
what different geographical environ
| ment by those not cognizant Of his
social pedigree.
He will dol" thought Clara Pas.
| savant. and put forth all her mature
powers to fascinate and dazzle her
fathers guest-in which aim she com.
pletely succeeded. for there Is nothing
more dangerous to a young mans
peace Of mind than a beautiful. we'll
gowned. and well-mannered woman Of
the world in full evening attire. And
| Clara was all of these things. More.
over. she could be engagingly gracious
when she chose-and from this night
on she did choose.
| She found Wilfrid quickly and even
cleveriy responsive to the touch-and-
go topics Of current conversation and
remarkably wellinformed as to gen.
eral knowledge. In truth. he was .
better-educated man than her father.
so far as wide and desultory reading
was concerned: he had been nick
named "the walking encyclopedias" in
the old days OF office and boarding.
house life. Yet his mental bill-of-fare
was like 'picked-up" dinner-it con.
tained a little of everything. But II
he had only known 1t In those early
days as he came to know II later, So
cially this was rather In his favor
than otherwise. Society, with a cap
ital prefix. prefers to be amused
rather than instructed. and barely
tolerates the man who knows enough
to see its blunders and not enough
to keen still about them