Should She Have Left Him? — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

3 SHOULD SHE HAVE LEF? HIM? Waldemar had been selected as a son-in-law by Mrs. Courtenay because of his wealth and aristo- cratic connections abroad. Trescotte’s income was small compared with that which the world expected him to possess. When its figures were known he was immediately reduced from that enviable position—a marriageable quan- tity. It certainly was reprehensible in Trescotte, having ceased to be a desirable partz, to continue to frequent the halls of society—to bring that charm- ing personality, that winning face, that graceful tongue, both wise and witty, to functions where young and sometimes incautious girls came to find husbands. Moreover, it was embarrassing to the matron mothers. To drop him rudely from their invitation lists was impossible, for many of them dated their social success from the day when their own names were entered upon that list of his mother’s. Besides, he was widely and closely con- nected with the most exclusive of the nice people. Having committed the unforgivable crime of disap- pointing the world in his financial realizations, he should have had the grace to withdraw himself, with his charming personality, his polished manners, and his diminished income. But he didn’t. He went about just as he had done when all the world sup- posed he would have the income of a millionaire. It was stupid of him, I confess, but really he was unconscious of the crime he had committed. Mrs. Trevor-Allen, that incomprehensible young wife of a very old man, won doubting applause Comicboolkks C@ 3