South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-02

A WHILE ago i tOlQ the story OF MI tat6ter
y and CObbe O. Melton. as Jack Quar-
= termaine told II 70 me. II I remember
rightly. the story had points-if they we're
not lost in the setting down-and could wish
that old Jack Quartermaine held my pen. and
not l. for there was flavor in his talk
which found not easy to transfer to paper as
there was flavor. too. in his talk when he told
NE this story Of the White Prince" and can
only hope l catch It right so that you. in turn.
will catch II, too. Old Jack himself liked The
story we'll enough I think. for when he had
come 70 a finish he slipped his port and sighed
1.-The worlds grown up since then" he said,
and slipped and sighed again. And to speak
truth I find II dull" And I thought knew
what he meant.
I'm from the West Country, Jim, as perhaps
you know" he began. and If l live to be a
hundred I hope I'll never be ashamed OF that
II / ever am. that will be a change for me; for.
boy or man, I've never blushed for anything
that came from Gloucester way. And once upon
a time was always blithe to back my fancy
and stand on the West against all England
when It came to a little mill in the ring; and il
Il comes 10 that, l don't know that my pocket
suffered a great deal. because the lads
from Gloucester and Bristol way stood for
something among the fancy In those days
And another who would always back the
West Country was my very good friend Arthur
Adair. who's about the most important man in
the story; because, you see, II It hadn't have
been for him-well. well come to that in good
time Arthur Adairl An. my boy. there are not
over-many bred like him nowadays, and I'll
always count myself lucky man that he called
himself my friend What was he like? I've
not the trick OF words. Jim, and I'd hnd II
hard TO make you see him. II | told you he
of the biggest handles in London I'd
be right. and you might figure him out a
fop. able to handle his cane. take his snuff.
and talk to woman. and able to do nothing
else. You'd be right, and you'd be mighty
wrong He was a bit OF literary chap. too.
and could turn his verses as prettily as any
amateur ever knew. and now you'll be think
ing ne wore his hair over his velvet collar. and
squirmed at the sight of good red blood.
"Squirm! Why, Adair at the ringside
Of every mill worth seeing in those days.
and If ever he had TO put up his hands himself.
well, the other fellow had taken something on
that wasn't easy. I fond enough of the
game myself. but do believe Adair was fonder
still. He knew everybody in the fancy from
the champion of England downward: and they
all knew him, and liked him. too 1t a
der to see him and them together and to see
how Adair liked his company, because he
mighty fastidious in his habits, was Adair; and
at times the fancy was-well. Wen say. trthe
rough But Adair seemed to understand EN-.
and they seemed to understand him. too and
though he'd hob-nob with em as thick as thick
could be- 1t was always Mr.. Adair' reckon
they knew they were talking to the real article
and not sham stuff and it didn't hurt EN- to be
respectful
"One October day Adair and l set out from
town on the Dover road, because the word had
gone round that there to be little debate
down Sevenoaks way, and party to the debate
was big John Crabbe Of Bristol and at that
time Crabbe was as near as near could be to
the top OF the tree. And Crabbe won a short
minute before the men in blue came up, and the
pilgrimage back to London began with those OF
US who had been behind the from the West
in rare good spirits. l remember that all
went into well-known house of call called The
Kentish Hopman. and IT there that things
had a beginning because II was there that
Adair and 1 ran into Seth Burnett and his
bosom friend, Harradine. And il was going to
keep you all night I could tell you some rare
tales about two of the prettest wrong uns
ever mad the pad luck 10 run up against But
I'll Just tell you this. that Seth Burnett
from Gloucester way, same as Adair and myself.
and when said Just that I'd never been
ashamed OF anything from the West Country
I'd forgotten Seth Burnett. He a we'll
connected youngster too, and II was common
knowledge that he was next-of-kin to HIS uncle.
Old John Burnett. of Dene Manor. who Just
white his young rake of a nephew
spotted. But though young Burnett came from
good stock he never showed it, and he
known all over London town as an ill-mannered
waster, and one of those 1t was just as well
to be bit shy with. AS for Harradine he
the sort OF friend you'd expect a young cub
like Seth Burnett to have He'd got polish. and
that's what Burnett hadn't. but il the polish
OF the who had lived his wits as long
as he could remember
We'll. there the lot Of us were. eating and
drinking the house dry, for it was early morn
ing vet, and the air had edge TO II. The
loudest in the room Seth Burnett.
He'd won. and he behaving in a fashion
that rubbed me all the wrong way, and made