The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-13
Social
Hireling
|tory of an English Gentle.
man Down on His Luck.
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

Young man whose clotneS were OF
texture. Of an English cut and be
jinc 70 show signs Of long wear !
III into an office on an upper floor
1 skyscraper ON Fifth avenue, New |
and approached a sleek, gentle
I. like man sitting at a rosewood
e. nardon. sir" said the man who
Sred. with a smooth English accent
have understood that you desire
IONS for social purposes"
HIM. sometimes have occasion
ecommend a young man to fill a
Do you dancer"
do"
rhere is also need for dinner sub
btes."
beg pardonr
lou are not familiar with New York
.ety methodsr
have recently come from London,
Are haze had the entree TO the
krt set"
Eery good. We have here a mum
Of families who have recently be-
70 enormously rich and who are de-
Ius Of getting into society. We call
M social climbers. They must be-
by inviting the few persons in the
Inn they can get to their functions,
nc mn with those who are not In the
Im gradually increasing the number
he former and diminishing the lat
II Is essential that the filters
Suld be familiar with the customs of
kndom. | perceive from your man
that you will make an excellent
Er"
Mhat are your terms?'
1n tie hpgnnng can pay you s.
n dancing party and $50 for din
Nhy Il the greater work paid the
Ecr rce:'
IerauSc the dancer uses his heels
need not hetray himself by saying
Ethh- The diner must talk
~ce one must have intellect e
a diuUC, companion
|Noi atal He must be able to tall
III a1out Lothing. Can you do thatT
h ,au wty assure you that have
b. j., society all my life. Only he
on ~ unds induces ME TO oife
cAt for what you call filler.
rNr Mrs. Barnaby Ritz give
,u. uight and needs severa
U The number has beel
th one exception. Hav
n u Hcss
t dress is all | have.
j. condition
8p yen will need littl
le, l lar carriage and other tr
handing the man five five-dolla
is
'But. ms dear sir, you don't kno'
K. What is to prevent my pocketin
Is money and not seeing you again
"ExcuSc me for contradicting 20,
do know YOU What you say is b
means complimentary to my di
rnmeut. know gentleman whe
see him and would know him IL /
ere IN the garb OF hucbster."
"Thank you very much
The agent Mr. Pulsifer Short, toe
BE- mans name and address. the nan
wen being Ralph Plummer.
"AsSumedf" said Mr.. Short dryly.
AS YOU like" was the response.
When Mr. Plummer appeared
lrS. Ritzs-he was directed to be {
nnd in time to be looked over-sl
fouSht lorgnette to bear on him al
fter asking him a few questions sal
My most blueblooded guest for q
Tening is Miss De Witt. She is d
pendant of John De Witt, a gre
pmething or other of Holland. dor
pind telling you that | secured b
ecause my son saved her from bell
un over 10y an auto. You are the on
pan who is to dine here today W
il he up to her high stepping ga
70 what YOU can TO entertain her.
end you something substantial tome
low"
MT Plummer was shown into roc
Fhere the guests were assemble
hey were not all unrefined. and MI
pe Witt was evidently high bred +
le was not as Mrs. Ritz had descr
her being unassuming and lac
Ae Though she was not among p
ohS u her own set. she did not in
a'e hy her manner that she was {
place When her dinner compani
as introduced 10 her she looked
pm with an expression that he col
po' We'll define. Ii might have be
urlcsity; II might have been surpris
MI Plummer. did you say. NJ
Ritz
les. This is Mr.. Plummer. an I
rlend Of ours"
Inc hller passed one of the pleasa
evenings of his life. feeling fr'
e hrSt en- rapport with his com
on. Mrs. Ritz conducted hers
auNe WELL considering that her h
anu had started his career as n fol
i!han. but several of her que
sue serious breaks. At such tin