The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-11-21

Ills purchase lTOkn OidUfS 1OiHuSAtci
he regarded brutal use of his money
| He did not know how to go about
making reparation. He had no right
| to enter her house and had not hat
any such right from the first. since
had she known the terms on which
the acquaintance had been made she
would not have consented to them
To write an excuse would be only tC
add to the insult he had offered. II
seemed to him that he could do moth
ing but grin and bear the position he
occupied toward her.
Toppington. who was very adroit
very tactful. felt 1t to his interest to
smooth the matter over. The Poin
dexters were among those whom be
considered his stock In trade. and any
break between him and them would be
to his injury After giving Gladys
time to cool he went to her and exon
Grated Springer from all blame. assur.
ing her that he had known nothing OF
those who were to be approached with
view to buying his way into society
She averred that no man with the In
stincts of a gentleman would buy bis
way into any society.
However, the more she thought OF
the matter the more she blamed every
one connected with 1t more than she
blamed the fountainhead. Indeed
she came to feel secret admiration
for this man who had SO profound a
contempt for the effete social distinc-
lions of the old world that he set about
its purchase in the same way he would
buy a country place. She had always
heard America and Americans decried.
but the incident had brought out. as
she had never felt It before. the prac-
teal status Of America in contrast
with the decay OF social grandeur in
Europe The result of all this was
that she wrote Springer note apollo
giving for cutting him. combining her
self to the apology. ignoring any blame
or excuse for his own part In the mat
ter Of buying his way into society.
This gave him an opportunity which
he was not slow to improve. With
his usual direct action he invited her
to a farewell dinner be was to give be-
fore leaving London, mentioning that.
though a valuable flavor" would ap-
pear on every plate. In her case the
gift would be worth not over few
shillings Gladys debated for some
time whether TO accept or decline the
invitation. Her own parents had been
bought On their account would 1t not
be better to ignore openly matter
which she would bury down in her
own heart She wrote an acceptance
At the dinner where the guests open
ed packages containing their favors
they were found to be very costly
Gladys Poindexter found upon hei
plate a sealed envelope which contain
ed judging from its want of pIiability
cardboard. Her host admonished her
to refrain from opening 1t before her
return home. and she needed the ad
monition. A natural curiosity induced
her as soon as she had retired to her
only photograph of the host of the
evening
There seemed to be no special apt
tude to the gift The girl was sur
prised, for she had expected that
Springer would by it make some deli
cate reparation for having paid money
for his acquaintance. His photograph
meant nothing. Indeed. since cordial
ty had not been re-estab lished between
them. there was positive indeIicacy
in the gift
Then suddenly an idea struck the re
cipient that brought color to her
cheek Could he mean by what he had
given her TO imply that 1t was himself
that was offered?
1t was late that night before sh..
slept. and long day followed, for she
surmised that If she had interpreted
his favor Alright he would be with her
before another day had passed TO con
firm her view. 1t was 9 O'Clock In the
evening when turnkey threw open
the dra wing room door and announced
In loud voice:
Mr.. Springerr'
Mrs. George Springer nee Poindex
ter lives with her husband iii America
most of the time Neither Of them
cares for society and all attempts to
keep them In touch with the British
hereditary aristocracy or the American
moneyed circles have proved failures
They 1--we much by themselves.