The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-18
A SHABBY
NOBLEMAN
By ALAN lilNsDALE

4 gentleman dressed very PLAINLY -
Indeed. sbahbIly stepped into jewel
ers store Ia New York aud asaed with
a British accent to see some pearl
necklaces
ihe clerk went TO a safe took out
several trays and placed them on the
counter
These necklaces are very cNpen-
slee" be said. "Of course SO large a
number Of real pearls cost money. But
thls one, handing uut a single string
.of very small jewels, lis cheaper The
price Is 5000
The man ala not seem shocked ut
the enormous price named by the clera,
but after a close inspection Of the ar
tielrs. holding them within n few
inches OF bis eyes. on which tie wore
classes evidently to correct near.
siehu. he handed them back TO the
clerk. saying. i can do better IN Lon
don Let me see some earrings
The clerk put away the trays and
brought forth others containing ear
rings The customer as IN the case
before. examined the more expensive
articles aud asked the price of a pair,
each having a single pendant Of dia.
mond as large as "A good sized pea
The price was Sl.50O
You are nearer a reasonable price
On these" said the customer. They
are very pretty"
The clerk nad shown the man jewels
far beyond the price he supposed from
his appearance he could pay. Indeed,
he fancied the party simply desired TO
feast his eyes upon them The diamond
earrings were apparently nearer his
caliber. Perhaps n sale could he effect
ed. After holding them near and far
and catching the light on the diamonds
he asked the clerk il he could send
them to his hotel He would like his
wife to see them The clerk agreed.
The gentleman gave his name, George
Throckmorton. and his hotel, at the
same time taking out a cambria hand
kerchicf and wiping his glasses With
the handkerchief came letter which
dropped on the floor
The clerks back was turned at the
time for he was putting away the
Jewel trays. and when he again faced
the counter fashionably dressed man
was there holding out the letter the
other had dropped.
THE man who just left you dropped
this" he said.
The clerk took the letter and natural
" looked at the address. 1t was the
Earl Of Boyingstone. - hotel, New
York, q. S. A., and bore a London
postmark.
That's singular" said the clerk to
the man who picked up the letter.
whats singular?"
"Why, that the fellow should be a
noblemanl His clothes are worn
shiny"
Don't you know" replied the other,
examining the address, that those
English lords wear secdy clothes? It's
an affectation But you should see
their lackeys. all velvet and gold, with
powdered wigs and silk stockings.
Sometimes their shoe buckles are set
with real Jewels
you don't mean IT, said the clerk.
"Ive heard It said that the members
of the house of lords are the worst
dressed men to be found in any legis'
lative assembly happen to know
that the Earl OF Boyingstone Is one OF
the richest men in England"
The clerk put the letter In bis pocket
and when be sent the earrings and the
, letter to the earrs hotel sent also a
message that there was 10 per cent
discount on the necklaces, which he
had not mentioned, The Countess or
Bayingstone admired the earrings. and
the earl asked the man who brought
them If draft on London for the
price would be accepted In payment
The bearer teiephoned the firm. and
since the clerk bad reported that
George TbrOckmorton was also Earl
Of Boyingstone the partners consulted
as TO whether they should do so I'M
usual thing as he requested The
clerk was called In aud told that the
: customer bad reirained from buying
! the pearl necklaces not because they
were expensive but because he said
he could DO better IN London 'lf
there was anything wrong with him
added the clerk il would seem that
he would have chosen the jewels in
vOlving The greater amount"
The junior member Of the firm said
thar II he could have a look at the
: purchaser he could rate him correct.
~; he would know a gentleman by
instinct II was agreed among the
partners that this man should 90 to
the hotel and give the answer
The junior member OF the jewelry
Grm. In order TO excuse the visit. SAID
that he had come to say that If Mr..
Throckmorton fancied any Of their
necklaces II could be bad for less
money than the clerk had named. But
the earl said that bis wife would not
need jewels In America. and he would
not purchase anything more than the
earrings at present. This statement
Z oil ia ha n.