Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-03-24
By WILLIAM CHANDLER


A young man whose clothes were OF
fine texture. of an English cut and be-
ginning to show signs of long wear
stepped into an office on an upper floor
of a skyscraper on Fifth avenue, New
York. and approached n sleek, gentle
man-like man sitting at a rosewood
desk.
Beg pardon. SIR said the man who
entered, with a smooth English accent.
Il have understood that you desire
persons for social purposes"
HIN! | sometimes have occasion
to recommend a young man to fill a
to Do you dancer"
II do"
There is also need for dinner sub
s%titutes.'
Beg ~pardoni"
You are not familiar with New York
society methodist
~ have recently come from London,
where l have had the entree to the
smart set"
VERY good. We have here a num-
Der of families who have recently be-
come enormously rich and who are de-
sirous of getting into society. We call
them social climbers. They must be-
gin by inviting the few persons in the
swim they can get to their functions,
filing up with those who are not in the
swim, gradually increasing the number
of the former and diminishing the lat
ter. 1t is essential that the filters
should be familiar with the customs of
swelldom. 1 perceive from your man
ner that you will make an excellent
filler"
what are your termS?"
I'm the beginning | can pay you So
for a dancing party and $50 for a din
ner."
"Why is the greater work paid the
lesser price?'
Because the dancer uses his heels
and need not betray himself by saying
anything. The diner must talk"
Il see. One must have intellect to
be a dinner companion"
mot at all. He must be able to talk
we'll about nothing. Can you do that?"
Il can only assure you that have
been in society all my life. Only be-
ing out of funds induces me to offer
my services for what you call a filler"
very good. Mrs. Barnaby Ritz gives
a dinner tonight and needs several
young men. The number has beer
made up with one exception. Have
you evening dress?'
"My evening dress is all have. 1t
is in fair condition"
II presume you will need a little
1es," handing the man five fve-dollar
bills.
"But, my dear sir. you don't know
me. What is to prevent my pocketing
this money and not seeing you again.
Excuse me for contradicting you.
l do know you. What you say is by
no means complimentary to my dis
cernment. | know a gentleman when
l see him and would know him if he
were in the garb Of a huckster."
"Thank you very much"
The agent. Mr.. Pulsifer Short, took
the mans name and address, the name
given being Ralph Plummer.
"Assumed?' said Mr.. Short dryly.
"As you like" was the response.
When Mr.. Plummer appeared at
Mrs. Ritz's-he was directed to be on
hand in time to be looked oversize
brought a lorgnette to bear on him and
after asking him a few questions said:
MY most blueblooded guest for the
evening is Miss De Witt. She is a de-
scendant of John De Witt, a great
something or other of Holland. don't
mind telling you that | secured her
because my son saved her from being
run over by an auto. You are the only
man who is to dine here today who
will be up t. her high stepping gait.
Do what you can to entertain her. I'll
send you something substantial tomor-
row.
Mr.. Plummpr was shown into a room
where the guests were assembled.
They were mo- all unrefned. and Miss
De Witt was evidently high bred. But
she was moi as Mrs. Ritz had describ-
ed her, being unaSsuming and lady
like. Though she was not among per-
ons of her own set. she did not indi-
cate by her ann that she was out
of place. When her dinner companion
was introduced to her she looked at
him with an expression that he could
not well define. 1t might have been
curiosity; it might have been surprise.
mi. Plummer, did you say. Mrs.
Ritz"
Yes. This is Mr.. Plummer. an old
friend of ours"
The filler passed one of the pleasant
est evenings of his life. feeling from
the first en- rapport with his compa-
Mon. Mrs. Ritz conducted herself
quite well, considering that her hus-
band had started his career as a foun-
dryman, but several of her guests
made serious breaks. AT such times
Miss De Witt either went on with
what she was saying to Mr.. Plummer
DR. listened attentively to what he
said to her altogether ignoring the