Mr. Courtney

“ Thane?"
"Quite," agreed Courtney. "You get fed up with 'em."
"I remember once when I was in New York going six nights in succession, seeing all the best things on the boards at that time, and I give you my word," said Miss Grady, "they DID feed me up terribly."
"I know just what you mean, Miss Grady," said Courtney, without cracking a smile. "One gets so bored with the best plays in town. What one really ought to do, you know, is to go to the worst ones."
"I've always wanted to see 'The Blue Bird,'" said Miss Miller wistfully. "It's by Maeterlinck, Mr. Nichols." ”

“ This was Courtney's idea. He suggested a wide cordon of machines and men as the only means of cutting off the fellow's escape.
"You're not likely to get anywhere, Foss, by keeping up a stern chase," he argued. "He has got too big a lead. Our only chance is to rush a lot of men out ahead of him in cars, and then work back through the woods."
A boy came up with Courtney's fedora hat, which he had picked up in the brush near the fence.
"There's a bullet hole through it, Mr. Thane," he cried in great excitement. ”

“ For some reason Frederick experienced great relief at this, and was bracing himself to meet the fire of questions which his statement must necessarily call forth, when the sound of approaching steps drew the attention of both towards a party of men coming up the hillside.
Among them was Mr. Courtney, Prosecuting Attorney for the district, and as Mr. Sutherland recognised him he sprang forward, saying, "There's Courtney; he will explain this." ”

“ Frank bowed and obeyed.
"Let me sit in your lap, Frank," said Freddie.
Our hero took the little boy in his lap.
With Freddie, it was certainly a case of friendship at first sight.
"Won't he trouble you?" asked his grandfather.
"No, sir. I like young children."
Mr. Percival now proceeded to interrogate Frank.
"Your name is Frank Courtney. Have you been long in the city?"
"No, sir; only a few weeks."
"What led you to come here?"
"I wished to earn my living."
"What that necessary? You do not look like a poor boy."
"I was brought up to consider myself rich," said Frank. ”

“ You must come with me and explain how you came in possession of the bonds you gave this boy."
"They were put in my hands by an acquaintance. If there is anything wrong, I am not to blame."
"In that case no harm will come to you; but now you must come along."
After his experience, Frank walked to his boarding place. He was quite ready for six o'clock.
When he entered the dining room, his hostess introduced him to all.
A young man sat next to him and entered into conversation.
"What do you do, Mr. Courtney?"
"I have taken an agency to sell tea for the Great Pekin Tea Company. ”

“ Nobody can after the age of forty. Being a Resident Magistrate, he was debarred from discussing the Civilization of the Future in print. No Government allows its paid servant to write books on controversial subjects. But Mr. Courtney remained intellectually alert, and was a determined champion of the cause of progress, even amid the uncongenial society of a West of Ireland town.
The introduction of Summer Time gave Mr. Courtney a great opportunity. Almost everyone else in the neighbourhood objected to the change of the clock. ”

“ Courtney.
"I'm so charitable as to be almost weak," he insisted with a grin. "Seriously; though, Lucy, Gresham's not square. He tried to destroy Johnny Gamble's credit with me two or three weeks ago in a most underhanded manner."
There was a moment of silence, during which the pair in the bower gazed straight up at nothing.
"You seem to like Mr. Gamble," mused Mrs. Courtney. "Everybody does, however. Where is he from?"
"Some little town up the state," returned Courtney indifferently. "He's a fine young fellow, square as a die and a hustler! He's going to marry Constance Joy." ”

“ Courtney, always inclined to be kind and indulgent, and more especially disposed to civility since he had been to dine with Paul's people in Queen Anne Street (where he found the Captain "a devilish gentleman-like fellow, sir; far superior to the men of the present day, with a remarkable fund of anecdote") , had his patience and his temper very much tried by his young friend's peculiar proceedings; and between the two other occupants of the principal registrar's room, Mr. William Dunlop's life was pretty nearly harried out of him. ”

“ Ferret advanced toward the disinherited boy.
"Frank," said he, in a tone of sympathy, "I am very sorry for the provisions of the will."
"So am I, sir," answered our hero. "It isn't pleasant to be dependent on Mr. Manning."
"Particularly when the whole estate should be yours."
"I wouldn't have minded if half had been left to him, provided I had been left independent of him."
"I appreciate your feelings, Frank. I knew your father, and I am proud to say that he was my friend. I knew your mother well, and I esteemed her highly. I hope you will let me regard myself as your friend also." ”

“ She went to Doc Mitchell but he put her off because he was regulating and pulling every tooth in Hank Lolly's head. She was just sick to think she had to miss Lilac Sunday and Mr. Courtney's last sermon, but she told me to be sure and listen and if he let on he was sorry he was leaving not to believe him, because he's had everything except the parlor furniture crated for a month. They've been eating off tin plates and drinking out of two enamel cups on the kitchen table. Bessie thinks that for a minister he's full of sin and self-pride. ”

“ But as I was saying, Nancy Strong keeps house for Alix. She's got a cook and a second girl besides, and a chauffeur."
"An ideal arrangement," said Courtney, looking at his wrist-watch.
"I wonder if you ever came across Nancy Strong's son over in France. He was in the Medical Corps in our Army. He's a doctor. Went to Rush Medical College in Chicago and afterwards to some place in the East,—John Hopkins or some such name as that. Feller about your age, I should say. David Strong. Mr. Windom sent him through college. They say he's paying the money back to Alix Crown as fast as he makes it. ”

“ Frank did not like to admit his poverty, but owned up that he had less than two dollars.
"And yet you paid the car fares of this little boy and his mother?"
"I hope, sir, I would not refuse to assist a lady when in trouble."
Mr. Percival nodded two or three times, smiling as he did so. He was becoming more and more favorably impressed without young hero.
"Do you mean to continue this tea agency?" he asked. ”

“ You forget that you are nothing but a servant."
"A servant has the right to be decently treated, Mr. Mark."
"If you don't look out," said Mark, in a blustering tone, "I will report you to my father, and have you kicked out of the house."
Deborah was naturally incensed at this rude speech, but she was spared the trouble of replying. Frank entered the room at this moment in time to hear Mark's last speech.
"What is this about being kicked out of the house?" he asked, looking from Mark to Deborah, in a tone of unconscious authority, which displeased his stepbrother. ”

“ Cut it out, will you? You are not half as funny as you think you are. I'm pretty well fed up with your freshness—understand?"
It was a slap in the face that Charlie DID understand, and one he never forgot. As the rebuke was uttered on the porch of Dowd's Tavern and in the presence of Flora Grady, Maude Baggs Pollock and one or two others, the sting was likely to endure.
While Courtney's manner had undergone a decided change so far as nearly all of his fellow-lodgers were concerned, he still maintained a very friendly and courteous attitude toward the Dowd sisters and Mr. and Mrs. Pollock. ”

“ He immediately raised the rents; demanded that they should be paid on the day they were due, and made himself harsh and tyrannical."
"Do you think the man who employs him knows how he is conducting his agency?" Frank inquired.
"No; there is no one to tell him. I suppose Mr. Fairfield tells him a smooth story, and he believes it. I am afraid we can hope for no relief."
"What would he say," thought Frank, "if he knew I were a messenger from Mr. Percival?"
"What sort of a man is this Mr. Fairfield in private life?" ”

“ This was all very rash of Courtney. His paper did not circulate largely, so his real speech, which he printed, was not widely read, while through the columns of the local press, a garbled and distorted version of it went to every corner of the country. Purposely distorted? Who shall say? He had insulted the press; and then Mr. Hamilton was a very wealthy man.
When the time for the consideration of Elkins' resolution came, Courtney, Jones and Shackelford threw themselves body and soul into the fight with Gray and its author. There was a formidable array against them. ”

“ Frank read clearly the thoughts of his host, with the help of what Pliny had told him, and, expressing his thanks very briefly, announced his intention to go to New York the next morning.
"It may be the best thing you can do!" said Mr. Tarbox, relieved. "New York opens a much wider field to a boy of enterprise than Newark, and probably you will pick up something to do." ”

“ I don't believe I can ever live in any place with Mr. Manning or Mark."
"Will it be necessary?"
"I suppose so. I have no money, as you know. All has gone to him. Herbert, I tell you frankly, I envy you and your position."
"Though my father is a poor man?"
"Yes; for, at any rate, you have a peaceful home, and a father and mother who love you. I have a stepfather, who will do all he can to make me miserable."
"Would you be willing to work for your own support, Frank?"
"Yes; far rather than remain a dependent on Mr. Manning."
"Suppose you should run away," suggested Herbert. ”

“ He was assigned to a pleasant room, decidedly superior, it need hardly be said, to his room at Clinton Place. It seemed agreeable to him once more to enjoy the comforts of a liberal home.
Frank had had some doubts as to how he would satisfy Mr. Percival in his capacity of private secretary.
He was determined to do his best, but thought it possible that the old gentleman might require more than he could do well. He looked forward, therefore, with some apprehension to his first morning's work. ”

“ Courtney Van Winkle, of New York. They were still more prostrated on learning from their wide-eyed sweethearts that not only was Courtney their step-father but he was on the point of becoming their brother-in-law as well. A still greater shock came the day of their own double wedding which took place in the Barrows mansion on Ardmore Avenue in the presence of a small company of guests. It developed that the Mrs. Smith who nursed old Mr. Van Winkle and afterwards married him was their divorced sister, Mary, who had not only grown tired of a husband but of nursing other women's husbands as well. ”

“ Frank," said the coachman, chiming in.
"I don't know what to think," said Frank. "It has surprised me very much."
"Surprised you!" exclaimed Deborah. "You may well say that. You might have knocked me down with a feather when I heard the property left away from you. Depend upon it, that man knows all about it."
"You mean Mr. Manning?"
"To be sure I mean him! Oh, he's managed artfully! I say that for him. He's got it all into his own hands, and you haven't a cent."
"If it was my mother's will I wouldn't complain of that, Deborah. ”

“ I have a friend in the dry-goods business, who would receive you at my recommendation."
"Thank you!" said Frank, hastily. "But if you will allow me, I would prefer to look around for myself."
"What is it you want, then?"
"Your permission to go out into the world, and try to make a living."
"And if you don't," said Mr. Manning, "I suppose you expect me to defray your expenses?"
"If I did have such an expectation, I think I should be justified, in view of the large property which my mother left," said Frank, pointedly.
"She left it to me," said his stepfather. ”

“ Fairfield already seated in the most comfortable chair in the sitting room.
He looked inquiringly at Frank when he entered with Dick.
"Who is that boy, Hamlin?" inquired the agent. "Nephew of yours?"
"No, sir. It is a young man who has come to Jackson on business."
"What kind of business?'
"I sell stationery," Frank answered for himself.
"Oh, a peddler!" said the agent, contemptuously.
"Many of our most successful men began in that way," said Mr. Hamlin, fearing lest Frank's feelings might be hurt.
"I never encourage peddlers myself," said Mr. Fairfield, pompously. ”

“ Even if they had been better off, there was little demand for stationery in the village. The people were chiefly farmers, and did not indulge in much correspondence.
When Frank returned to his boarding place on the afternoon of the first day, Mr. Hamlin asked him, not without solicitude, with what luck he had met.
"I have sold twenty-five cents' worth of note paper," answered Frank, with a smile.
Mr. Hamlin looked troubled.
"How many places did you call at?" he inquired.
"About a dozen."
"I am afraid you will get discouraged."
"If you don't do better, you won't begin to pay expenses." ”

“ Famous Englishmen in all ages are chronicled in the pages of Sir George Murray Smith's costly Dictionary of national biography, and Mr. Frederic Boase in his noble volumes of Modern English biography has summarised, with patient and protracted labour, the lives of everyone of any importance who passed away in the half-century beginning with 1850. But even after this vast increase in the biographical literature of our country many persons conspicuous in their time still want a chronicler. ”