"Pooh! Pooh! Pish! Physician, heal thyself; you know that you and I engage in a social game at times." "But we don't gamble." "Only a few wild oats. That is natural to a high-spirited lad. He has culture, a strong head--a genuine gentleman," stoutly maintained the squire. "Ah, but those things in my estimation are not the true requisites of a gentleman. I consider the foundation principles of a man's life." "Yes, but the English gentry are supposed to be dominated by the highest principles," said the squire, earnestly. "As a class, yes, but in reference to the individual, it is a supposition without the fact, frequently; and, if your statement holds good, how about my young friend, Ande Trembath?" The squire flushed with angry impatience. "Back again to that young villain! Well, parson, that family no longer belongs to the English gentry class, as you can readily see. Attainder of property and corruption of blood!" It was the parson's time to "Pish! Pish! Pooh! Pooh!" "Pshaw! Nothing of the kind. Does a plant cease to be the same when it is transplanted to another soil, or the king of the jungle cease to be a lion when surrounded by the bars of a cage?" "Yes, to an extent. Environment has a large influence on life; at least so our parson said in last Sabbath's discourse." The squire laughed heartily, and thwacked the discomfited parson on the back with his large, broad hand. The parson smiled and resumed. "I am beaten with my own stick, yet, notwithstanding that you quoted me correctly, you are wrong. Environment is not a paramount influence. Man can conquer. Tertullian and Origen----" Afraid of starting his friend on some long-winded discourse on ancient church worthies, the squire interrupted him. "Your idea of a gentleman is----" "My idea is that wealth, culture, position, etc., are the emoluments or adjuncts, and that high, sound, moral principles, a righteous heart and a noble soul, whether under the blouse of the peasant or under the silk vest of the prince, are the only badges of gentility." "Well, well,--little did I think that my old, conservative friend would turn out such a radical." "Not at all. My firm belief, that these, by training, education, blood, descent, are embodied more fully in the gentry class of England than in any other, has made me an extreme conservative. But, about young Master Lanyan?" "Young Richard? Young Richard in a year or so will attain his majority. What think you of a match between the young Richard and my Alice? You see," added the squire, as he linked his arm in that of the parson, "I am getting old and I would like to see my only child well settled in life before I leave the earth. The Lanyan estates are nigh to ours and they will fall to Richard after his father's death. What better match than Richard? My Alice is worthy of being called 'My Lady' and Richard will be Baronet in time. Now, what think you, old friend?"