glad enough to scamper close to
the ground. He had climbed a long way since then. All the blossoms
and tender little buds were at the top, and Tommy was fond of buds,
especially when they bloomed out into yachts and four-in-hands, country
houses, winters in Egypt (Tommy an invited guest), house parties on Long
Island or at Tuxedo, or gala nights at the opera with seats in a first
tier.

In the ascent he had forgotten his beginnings--not an unnatural thing
with Tommies: Son of a wine merchant--a most respectable man, too; then
"Importer" (Tommy altered the sign); elected member of an athletic club;
always well dressed, always polite;--invited to a member's house to
dine; was unobtrusive and careful not to make a break. Asked again to
fill a place at the table at the last moment-accepted gracefully, not
offended--never offended at anything. Was willing to see that the young
son caught the train, or would meet the daughter at the ferry and escort
her safely to school. "So obliging, so trustworthy," the mother said.
Soon got to be "among those present" at the Sherry and Delmonico balls.
Then came little squibs in the society columns regarding the movements
of Thomas Bowditch Wing, Esquire. He knew the squibber, and often gave
her half a column. Was invited to a seat in the coaching parade, saw
his photograph the next morning in the papers, he sitting next to the
beautiful Miss Carnevelt. He was pretty near to the top now; only a
little farther to where the choicest buds were bursting into flower;
too far up, though, ever to recognize the little fellows he had left
frisking below. There was no time now to escort school-girls or fill
unexpectedly empty seats unless they were exclusive ones. His excuse was
that he had accepted an invitation to the branch above him. The mother
of the school-girl now, strange to say, instead of being miffed, liked
him the better, and, for the first time, began to wonder whether she
hadn't made too free with so important a personage. As a silent apology
she begged an invitation for a friend to the Bachelor Ball, Tommy being
a subscriber and entitled to the distribution of a certain number of
tickets. Being single and available, few outings were given without
him--not only week-ends (Weak Odds-and-Ends, Mac always called them),
but trips to Washington, even to Montreal in the winter. Then came the
excursions abroad--Capri, Tangier, Cairo.

It was on one of these jaunts that he met "Saw Logs," wh