Montgomery County sentinel., 1926-04-09
ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL g 1896

Oxford, then | went wild. Remember
ing the history of some of my grand
papas on the maternal side, whom l
much resemble, I'm inclined myself TO
say 'reverted'-but the folks at home
wouldn't stand for that"
"But even So" l objected, why the
extreme degree of down and out2"
"Why, because, don't you see, I've
decent younger brother, a good, square
chap-a regular Den-I mean, a regu-
lar chip of my fathers block. He's
just out Of Oxford now, and, l fancy
as clean as they make 'em. He's the
sort to do the name credit-and to
have kids worth putting on the family
tree. Oh, the only thing for plunk
like me was to clear out and keep out
1 draw my remittance every quarter
and it's big enough to live on like o
gentleman, II choose-and, Incidental.
ly, If l could keep my fingers on II
more than four or FIVE days all told
I'm out of the world, you understand
gone out-and pretty soon I'll be gen
teelly killed shooting big game in South
America. Great stuff, that big gamef
And Gerald1l come into the title and
the estate, and all will be smooth sail.
ing for the family honor. tell you"
the levity suddenly dropped from him,
and he met my eyes squarely, 'the
best thing fellow who's got where
am can do, If he has name and
standard to hold up in the world, is
to hide, hide, hide, and crawl out Of
the back door of life as speedily as
possible, and leave the Job to those
who can do 1t better. Good heavens
l haven't Grated so since was an un-
dergraduate
He stretched himself and lounged
out into the cabin. There was news
paper on the table, and he picked It
up, idly.
"The London Gazette! haven't
seen 1t In two years-or wanted to.
Behold the power of songw
He ran his eyes carelessly over 1t,
page by page. Suddenly I saw him
galvanized into attention. heard his
breath come fast. He bent closer and
Eead the item .agaln--and still more
slowly again. Then he drew himself
surprisingly erect and faced me a mo-
ment. Instinctlvely knew that my
self was on trial. AS II satisfied, he
spoke out sharply, and with a new
clip to his tone. am going home =
homeland need your help. be-
lIeve-I know that I can trust you.
Read this, please"
He thrust the paper into my hands
with his dirty, Derve-shaken fingers.
skinned the brief announcement OF
the marriage of one Gerald, son Of an
English peer, Of name renowned for
generations, and certain Rosie Rip
ley, chorus girl The tone of the
paragraph was hardly complimentary
to the future lord. There was covert
allusion to his wlldness that could not
be ignored; and the reference to the
bride was not Over-respectfully phrased.
AS / looked up from II to my ragged
tramp, he brought his foot sharply
down on the cabin floor.
Rosie Rlpp he grOwled. Rosie
The confounded, young idiot lie
might at least have had some Origi-
nality. Whatever am now did escape
marrying ROsle-thOugh through no
fault of hers Fancy that ballet girl,
with a dozen years past behind her,
that worn-out bit of stage fnery as a
future peeress-and mother of some
Of us. Not while I live to step in be-
tween!
Doctor" he went on, again meeting
my eyes squarely, and again with a
trace of that rare, whimsical smile,
"I'm going to climb back into life. I'm
a poor hulk, but thank God I've the
grace to know It, and to plan my world
accordingly. If Gerald and are both
to revert to type, then cOnfound the
type It's time to start n new one I
know the man who can set me straight
"A doctor at home. He told me he
could any tlme-lf I honestly cared
enough but never did TIL now. VIII
you see me through to BellzeT
Perhaps ! was qulxotlc--for ! had
no prOOfs--and this all might be only
a dirty scheme but yielded, eagerly,
to belief In him for what he called
himself. and from sheer trust In the
fellow, stood surety with the captain
for his transportation to Belize. There,
true enough, he found his remittance.
and was quick to pay his debt and
book his passage home.
And that Is all the story, except that
when in about two years the old peer
died, the honorable Gerald, with his
chOrus-girl wife, did not succeed TO
the title. It was not so very long ago,
either, and yesterday It came back
wildly, when saw in the London
Gazette the account Of a certain we'd
ding among the ranks Of the nobility.
Both bride and groom, noticed. were
mentioned in terms of the slncerest
respect.