The diamond drill., 1921-02-12

or these people who were born out OF
his imagination. The one who bored
him was Esmond, and ne lived I'm the
only novel OF Thackeray's which was
completely planned.
PnradoxicaIly enough. while his
people thus lived outside OF himself.
( settings and episodes throughout HIS
novels are traceabIe Co his own expe-
rience. His school, Charterhouse. mp
pears as SIaughterhouse and Grey
FriarsJ Pendennis mt his university re-
lived Thnckerays own lifeJ Grub
street aud its inhabitants existed an
reality as In @Pendennis."
~ NE fine morning in the full Lon
don season, Major Arthur Pen
~ dennis (retlred on half pay)
came to breakfast at his accustomed
corner in his Pail Mall Club. His
were the best blacked boots In Lon
don. His bun waistcoat, checked era
vat, spotless linen, white gloves, his
whIskers, his very cane were perfect of
their kind.
He seemed thirty years old. until
you saw the factitIous nature OF his
rich brown hair and the crows feet
with its Wellington nose. His long
white cuffs showed the good sleeve
buttons given him by his royal high
ness, the duke OF York.
Through his gold double eye glasses,
he reads his letters, one an invitation
from the marquis OF Steyne, one from
the bishop OF Ealing and Mrs. Trail,
another from an earl and so on, and
last of all, two others, one from his
widowed sister-in-law, and the other
from her only child. Arthur Penden-
mis-, Jr. The first begs him to ''come
Immediately" TO Fair Oaks, Clavering,
st. Marys, ito entreat, nay command"
the "wretched boy" to give up his en-
gagement 10 marry Miss Costlgan, an
actress twelve years the senior OF this
lad OF eighteen. The second from this
same lad beseeching his uncle TO re
move his mothers objections TO his
proposed union with his "dear Emily"
a descendant OF the old Irish royalty.
the most beautiful woman In the
world. "A love like mine, sir" writes
young Pen, 81 feel is contracted once
and forever shall die without ever
knowing another passion"
The major, inwardly In a rage, rue
fully sends refusals TO the marquis,
the earl, the bishop and other enter
tainers and takes a sleepless and tlr-
ing trip In the tight, smelly night mail
coach for Clavering.
On arrival Major Pendennls Is most
affable TO Pen and his mother. He
does not "entreat" or command" his
nephew but wins the boys confidence
and talks famillarly OF his own noble
friends and the brilliant career he has
had In mind for Pen. The major then
faces the enemy" Captain Costlgan,
the half tipsy imaginative old Irish
soldier, the father and protector OF
Emily" To him and his beautiful,
honest but dull daughter, the major IS
equally suave. Beautiful she is, with
broad brow, large melting eyes. black
wavy hair, white complexion. rosy
checks and the arms of "Venus."
Pen had come 10 see and know her
through Foker, school friend a lad
homely and kindly, dull ar his books
but bright In everyday matters, whose
father, the great brewer, furnished
him money and Lady Agnes, his moth
or, social position. Verses Pen had
been writing to the Greek goddess he
now dedicates TO his new divinity.
Major PendennIs. as his next move.
lets slip, In the presence OF the Cos
tigans. the fact that Pen has no means
beyond what his mother allows him
out OF her slender income CostIgan
is then indignant that Pen SHOULD
have had the face TO offer himself to !
his dear begulled daughter" Pen can
not believe his adored Emily has
calmly thrown him over, until the Cos |
tIgans openly "cut" him In the street. |
He almost dies, or believes he Is dying |
Of despised love. with all the symp- |
toms OF sleepless nights and feverish |
days, and is scarcely consoIed by his !,
mother and little cousin Laura.
Laura is five years younger than |
Pen, his second cousin on the side OF |
his mother, who adopted her on the !
death OF her parents, perhaps because |
OF romance Of early unmarried days
with Laura's father
Miss Costigan secures an engage
ment nj a London thcatcr through Z
Major Pendennls' Influence. The mag-
netic attraction being thus removed,
Pen goes 20 ''0xbridge" Then through
Foker and with the majors encourage.
ment Pen makes rich and arlstocratlc