Morris tribune., 1917-09-21
AN EPISODE
OF LONDON
SOCIAL LIFE
By WARREN MILLER

w 4lS4O" OOhS1 > 0uCGSLO1S " SlC 1Ou-
don swells. Coker himself was born
poor in America, but before he was
thirty made an enormous fortune.
Then he went to England to occupy
the family's former position.
He said nothing there about his
wealth, but announced that he was a
COker, with a view to gaining, if the
name would assist him, an entree to
society. Some remembered the posi-
ton held by his ancestors, but no one
seemed to take him up on account Of
it. Then he mentioned his wealth,
but even that-at least the mention of
1t-made no impression on society.
Finally he fell in with Sir Thomas
SpOttiswoOde, an impecuniOus barOnet,
who told him that to get into society
he must spend money and spend it in
a way to accomplish the object he de-
sired. Sir Thomas offered to direct
his expenditures for consideration.
A bargain was struck by which Sir
Thomas was to receive $1,000 for him
self and all unlimited amount for So
ciety.
The beginning was dinner given by
Cocker, the invitations to which were
given by the barOnet. He knew those
in society who needed money and paid
literally for acceptances from the right
people. Among those invited were
Mrs. Mulholland and her two daugh-
tiers, Lillian and Grace, aged respec-
lively twenty-fOur and twenty. Cocker
was by no means an unattractive man,
and Grace MulhOlland took a fancy to
him. But in sending checks Sir Thorn
as made a mistake. He sent a sep
arate check to the mother and each of
the daughters. Grace MulhOlland had
been unaware up to that time how her
mother maintained her social position
in the face of poverty and was indig-
nant. She sent her check right back,
and to Mr.. Cocker himself.
Cocker said nothing about the matter
to his social manager. He felt sure
that in the main the barOnet was man
aging we'll, and this turned out to be
the case. Cocker after few months
got beyond the people he had invited
to his first dinner, though in rare in
stances he met the MulhOllands. After
a time he broke through the GOODNESS
with which Miss Grace treated him,
having excused himself for his action
toward her on the ground that he had
desired to enter London society and
had placed the management Of his en-
tree into the hands of another. In time
her prejudice was worn away, but
scarcely before the American rose to a
social position so high that he was
quite beyond the MulhOllands, and he
never met them.
Cocker spent several years in London.
reaching the tOpmost round of the So
cial ladder; then, at thirty-four, he had
exhausted whatever pleasure there had
ever been in it for him. He resolved
to return to his native land and lay
out for himself a career. What that
career was has nothing to do with this
story. Shortly before leaving he was
driving by the house where the Null
hollands lived and saw a red flag fly
ing. Upon inquiry he learned that Mrs.
MulhOlland's management Of her af-
fairs had not been a financial success
and the home given the family for
services to the state by the first Null
holland must go by the board.
A few days later Cocker sent out in
vitations to a farewell dinner 1t was
a souvenir occasiOn-that is, a souvenir
was to be given to each guest. He
sent an invitation to the MulhOllands,
writing one himself for Miss Grace,
begging her to accept. If she declined
he would consider the declination to
mean that she had not forgiven him
for that which he never would have
permitted had he been previously hon
Ored by her acquaintance. She wrote
an acceptance, saying that she had
never blamed him and, to make him
feel comfortable about the matter,
would keep the souvenir intended for
her as a mementO of a very pleasant
acquaintance
When the dinner came off every one
was surprised to see the MulhOllands,
for they had not been able financially
to keep up their social status, especial
ly with the set in which COker now
moved, not even by the mothers Ques-
tionable methods. Several young wo-
men present who had endeavOred to
snare the wealthy American wondered
when they saw him singularly defer
entail to Grace Mulholland. The din
ner was a splendid affair and the
souvenirs were very costly. They were
brought in for a last course, and when
the covers were removed many mag
ntfcent jewels glistened in the lights.
All were handsome except that of
Grace Mulholland, which was a glove
boNcontaining a dozen pairs of gloves
She smiled sincere thanks, considering
her comparatively yalueless gift a
reparatton for the check that had been
sent her.
When she got home she took out the
gloves, and with the last pair came a
false bottom to the box, it having been
glued to the gloves. Beneath was a
folded paper of legal appearance 1t