The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-16
TheAmateurG Gentleman
By Jeffrey FarnoI.

my good friend John Peterby. We
are about TO have supper-nothing
very much-tea. sir, eggs and a
cold fowl. but II you should honor
US"
Sir" cried the little gentleman
with a quaver Of eagerness in his
voice and a CLEAN in his eye, both
quickly suppressed. "hem!-indeed
I thank you. but-reret I have
already supped-hem - duck and
green peas, gentlemen. though III
admit the duck was tough-deuced
tough, hem! Still, II might be
permitted to toy with an egg and
discuss a dish Of tea, the honor
would be mine, sirs - would be
mine!"
Then, while Peterby fastened to
set the edibles before him, Barna-
has drew up a chair and, with many
bows and flutterings Of the thin,
restless hands, the little gentleman
sat down.
Indeed, indeed" he stammered,
blinking his pale eyes, this is most
kind, I protest, most kind and
neighborlyl" Which said, he stopped
suddenly above his plate and began
to eat, that is to say he swallowed
one or two mouthfuls with nerv-
Gus haste that was very like vorac-
ity, checked himself, and glancing
guiltily from unconscious Barnabas
to equally unconscious Peterby,
sighed and thereafter ate his food
as deliberately as might be expected
Df one who had lately dined upon
duck and green peas.
Ali" said he, when at length
his hunger was somewhat assuaged,
you are noticing the patch in my
left elbow, sir?"
mo indeed" began Barnabas.
IT think you were, sir-every one
does, every one-it can't be missed,
sir, and hem! I'm extreme con-
scious Of it myself sirs. really must
discard this old coat, but-hem! I'm
attached to it-foolish sentiment,
sirs. 1 wear it for associations sake,
it awakens memory, and memory is
a blessed thing, sirs, very blessed
thingl" Z
"SOmetimes!" sighed Barnabas.
"In me, sirs. you behold a de-
cayed gentleman, yet one who has
lived in his time, but now, sirs, all
that remains to me is-that coat. A
prince once commended it, the Beau
himself condescended to notice it
Yes, sirs, I was rich once and hap
PLY married, and my friends were
many. But-my best friend deceived
and ruined me, my wife fled away
and left me, sirS, my friends all for
sock me and, today, all that have
to remind me of what was when
was young and lived, is this old
coat. Today 1 exist as law
writer, today I am old, and with
my vanished youth hope has van
ished too. And I call myself a de-
cayed gentleman because Im-fad-
ing, sirS. Yes, one may fade and
still be a gentleman, but who ever
heard of fading ploughman?"
who, indeed?" said BarnabaS.
But to fade, sir" continued the
little gentleman. lifting a thin,
bloodleSs hand, though genteel, is
a slow process and a very weary
one, and therefore I am sometimes
greatly tempted to take the-easier
course, the-shorter way"
What do you mean?"
well, sir, there are other names
for it, but-hem!-I prefer to call
it the shorter way"
do you mean-suicide?"
CIR" cried Mr.. Bimby, shivering
~ and raising protesting hands,
Il said the shorter way Poor lit
tie Miss Pell-a lady born, sir-she
used to curtsy to me on the stairs,
she chose the shorter way She
also was old, you see, and weary.
And tonight I met another who
sought to take this Shorter way
but he was young, and for the young
there is always hope. So I brought
him home with me and tried to
comfort him, but I fear"
TO Be Continued