The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-08
AN EPISODE
OF LONDON
SOCIAL LIFE
BY WARREN MILLER


Winslow Coker's ancestors were Lon
don swells. Coker himself was borr
poor In America, but before he wa'
thirty made an enormous fortune
Then he went to England to occupy
the family's former position.
He said nothing there about bill
wealth, but announced that he was
Coker. with view to gaining, IL the
name would assist him. an entree 70
society. Some RENE nbered 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
I, it-made no impression on society
Finally he fell In with Sir Thomas
/ Spottlswoode, an impecunlous baronet,
who told him that to get into society
he must spend money and spend 1t In
way to accomplish the object he de-
sired. Sir Thomas offered TO direct
his expenditures for a consideration.
A bargain was struck by which Sir
Thomas was to receive $1,000 for him
self and an unlimited amount for So
ciety.
The beginning was dinner given by
Coker, 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 q 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.. Coker himself.
Coker said nothing about the matter
TO his social manager. He felt sure
that In the main the baronet was man
aging well, and this turned out to be
the case. Coker after few months
got beyond the people he had invited
to his first dinner. though in rare In
stances he met the Mulhoilands. 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
~ II
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
social position so high that he was
quite beyond the Mulhollands, and he
never met them.
Coker spent several years In London.
reaching the topmost round of the So
cial ladder; then, at thirty-four. be had
exhausted whatever pleasure there had
ever been in 1t for him. He resolved
to return TO his native land and lay
out for himself 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 red flag n.y.
ing. Upon inquiry he learned that Mrs.
management Of her af-
fairs had not been financial success
and the home given the family for
services to the state by the first Null |
holland must 90 by the board.
A few days later Coker sent out In !
vitations to farewell dinner II was
4 souvenir occasion--that is a souvenir |
was to be given to each guest He
seat an invitation to the Mulhollands,
writing one himself for Miss Grace,
begging her TO accept. IL she declined
be 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
bred by her acquaintance. She wrote
IN acceptance, saying that she had
lever blamed him and. TO make him
EEL comfortable about the matter,
would keep the souvenir intended for
Ter as a memento of very pleasant
acquaintance.
When the dinner came of every one
vas surprised to see the Muihollands,
or they had not been able financially
o keep up their social status, especial
v with the set in which Coker now
moved, not even by the mothers ques-