Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-02-10
| O
ia Id
| .

=
Bingham, one of Man
hattans four thousand, a multi
Manhattan's four thousand, a multi
millionairess By virtue of copper, coal,
oil, and other quite too horrid crude
products never mentioned in polite so
ciety.
Mrs. "Barty" Bingham-the late
lamented Bartholomew had consid-
erately left her widow, fair, fat, and
40-had literally bought her way into
the social swim by virtue of lavish en-
pertaining, via a box at the Metropol-
itan, a mansion in hideously bad
taste on Riverside Drive, a cot
tage" at Newport, and a "coun-
try place. in the Berkshires.
Herself of the earth earthly, it is per-
haps unnecessary to chronicle that
she combined under her exaggerated
couture all that was offensive to good
taste and good manners. Loud Of
voice, parrot-like in speech, of execra-
BILE taste in dress and surroundings,
at times profane and positively
vulgar, with absolutely no mental re-
sources, and never satisfied unless
surrounded by crowd of sycophants,
Mrs. "Barty" existed solely by virtue
of her millions. That she spent her
money like water on these and their
ilk. that she was at the same time
cruel and parsimonious in dealing
with her domestics, naturally of
mean and suspicious disposition, may
serve to round out the portrait of a
woman who for years was the jest,
the joke, and the dupe of a certain
coterie In the so-calied society" of
New York. There be those yet living
who will recognize the type. Yet she
had her good points and her generous
moments.
To BulIivants' agency in the Park
Row building came-or rather long
distance telephoned-Mrs. Bingham
the Mrs. Bingham. If you please, in
great trouble. So great was the emer-
gency that none but Bullivants' best
and brightest would suffice her needs.
It so happened that Percival Nagel of
the irfeproachable clothes an6 man.
ners was the only member of the staff
on hand who could cope with a case
like hers. So he was Immediately
dispatched to the scene of trouble-a
huge, rambling palace some five or
six miles outside of Lenox-his only
instructions being that, to disarm sus-
picion-and scandal-he was to pre-
sent himself. in the guise of week
end guest and receive his instructions
from the sorely-harassed chatelaine
on his arrival.
Fortunately for Percy and for Bull
livants he was used to playing many
parts and could I'LL the role of idle
exquisite to perfection. He knew Just
what to do and how and when to do
it-even to snubbing and insulting the
servants at first and tipping them
lavishly afterwards is the habit of
our newly-rich American hobble-de-
hoy aristocracy.
So thoroughly did he enter into the
part he was to play that he seriously
debated with Bullivants' manager
whether ii wouldn't be wise to make
his appearance at the gates of "The
Boulders" in his own" $1,000 Mer-
cedes, and with his "own" particular
and private chauffeur and valet? For
Percy Nagel liked a joke. However,
better counsels prevailed, and he ap-
preached the sacred region by way Of
the Berkshire Express, carrying his
own well-filled suitcase containing
everything that the most supercilious
man" could possibly expect, from
fanneis to Tuxedo-several changes
IN all.
Arriving at THE Boulders" about
fve o'clock Of Saturday. he was
straightway shown to his room, where
ne changed, bathed, and otherwise
went through the motions commonly
ascribed to those who move in Amer
lean upper circles. whether they need
II or not. Then. after the prescribed
decent interval, there came a mes
sage from Mrs. "Barty" Bingham her
self that she would be pleased to
see him In the "morning-room"-for
you must know that Mrs. Bingham
patterned herself and her household
after what she supposed the English
landed gentry would do or say.
So. with preternaturally solemn
face. Mr.. Percival Nagel followed his
conductor and shortly found himself
In the presence OF his whilom hos
tess, who inspected him through a
gold and jeweled lorgnette, although
her eyesight was warranted to catch
derelict housemaid at 40 rods.
Nagefs mental and monosyllabic
comments were somewhat to this eff.
feet:
UGH Fat - olowsy = mean - p-
start-parvenu-toady suspicious
vain--yet--"