Page 51 - Fairbrass

and simply because he had quarrelled
with his father—setting up at his time of

life as a land and insurance agent was the
finest specimen of “ tommy ro t1 that could
be imagined. There seemed to be a general

conviction among these shrewd young gen­

tlemen that he was “ too big for his boots,"
being too proud to ask for business, and
often making mistakes with it when it came

in his way. They said that he had made a

mistake in joining a u swagger” club, where
he was looked upon as a county “ swell,”
and where he lounged away a good deal too

much time ; and there seemed to be a
unanimous belief that if he stayed away

from town altogether he would be the richer
by the amount of his office rent, his clerk’s

“ screw/’ his railway season-ticket, and his
club expenses. But they all liked him,

Fairbrass, and all were of the opinion that
he really thought he was working hard and

doing a good thing for his wife and family
by trying to “ build up a business1’ for

them.