Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-11-25
TAe Reformation
of Rutherford

BY H. IRVING KING

ID UTHERFORD ARLINGTON was
IN highbrow. Also he was a bit
of prlg. Rutherford took but little
interest in society, In which his mother
shone and his father basked His In
terests centered upon science, art, up
lift-work, exploration, lterature--he
took them all In turn as horse takes
hurdle In a steeplechase-an got
over them almost as quickly.
81 do wish, Rutherford" said his
fond mamma, that you would settle
down. Here you are, twenty-five years
old, and ever since you left college
you have been on perpetual lntellec-
tual spree. Paul Clifford, who was grad
uated ut the same time you were was
sent to sanatorium, where they cured
him. wish there was some institu-
ton we could send you to and have
cure effected of your particular
complaint"
To Rutherford slang was anathema.
He looked a solemn reproof at Mrs.
Arlington which settled into scowl
when the up-to-date lady carelessly
lighted cigarette Mother" said
he soemnly, do you think cigarettes
are good for you-at your age?"
"At my agew almost shouted Mrs.
Arlington. what do you mean?
am not old-and as long as the beauty
parlors keep open don't intend to be.
oh, fudge There, run alongp
That night she said to her husband,
Mr.. Alfred Arlington, whom she had
nicknamed Buddie, "Buddle, what can
we do with Rutherford2 He gets on
my nerves. | wish he would marry
marry a girl like Clara Hampton she
might reform him."
mot chance" replied Buddle.
"Clara would scare him to DEATH"
The Clara Hampton alluded to in
this little family dialogue was modern
very. There wasn't daring trick
of this most daringly tricky age, So
cially considered, that she was not up
to. Rutherford SHE'D off from her
every time they happened to meet
socially.
Still he had to admit that she was
a handsome creature, perfect In her
health and exuberance Of spirits "If
she only had more BRAINS" he sighed
"If she would drop her aimless ways
and take serious view Of llfe--what
wonder she would bel" And then
he would sit muslng, picturlng to him,
self Clara transformed into a girl
such as he would have her-one who
would be proper and congenlal part
ner for serlous-minded man Of brains
such as himself. Then the Idea struck
him that he might be able to reform
her.
With this highly commendable mis-
slonary thought in his head Ruther-
ford began to go out more and more
to social functions, never missing one
at which he knew Clara was to be
present. And so far from avoiding
her, as he had formerly done, he now
sought her out.
Clara surprised him by the extent
Of her information on matters deep
and erudlte Of which he had supposed
her entirely ignorant. That pretty
head Of hers was not empty after all.
And It was his influence, he felt with
a glow, that was bringing out all this
latent intellectually. Here was field
In which he saw that he was a pre-
destined influence for good. And in
order that he might the better exer-
else his benencent power he neglected
no opportunity Of being beside her
into that maelstrom OF society which
he so heartily detested he plunged
with the resolute spirit Of a martyr
and having got there found, to his
surprise, that he rather enjoyed It.
1t was Clara, now, who was always
dragging in the hlgh-brow stuff and
insisting on discussing It. Rutherford
even got slangy in his talk, dropped
his "gs" after the manner Of the
hunting set" and found he could talk
society fiddle PADDLE with the best Of
them. His frivolous parents were In
ecstasIes. Then one day he proposed
to Clara. II would be so much easier
to reform her, he thought, II she were
his wife.
Rutherford" replied Clara, ~ will
H1HTTy you on one COMMUNICATING you
give up the frivolous and almless life
which you have been leading for the
past six months"
"Who-me2" gasped Rutherford
"Yes," replied Clara; "only yester-
day heard you called an empty
headed, sporting, society sap. The
man marry must have some serious
purpose in life. Now here Is my prop
ositlon. We will be married and 20
off to Yucatan and explore the ruined
Magyar cities. You can make a-name
for yourself as an authority on the
lost Magyar civilization"
at will be rather dull-wOn't tt
for your faltered Rutherford.
mot Bit" she returned. ~ am
fed up on this society stuff"
It was rather a wrench for Ruther-
ford; but there was Clara, right be-
fore hlm-and was she not worth any
sacrifice that you might mentlon7
Splendid" said he with sudden con-
viction; prehistoric American archie
ology has long been one Of my hob
bIes. with his favorIte hobby and the
girl OF his heart, what more can
man want In this worldT And then
they became Just like any other two
lovers, In society or out OF society,
high-brow or low-brow.