and a
stepping-stone. In any case he will find himself in due time the owner
of Her Majesty's Commission and the largest head-dress in the British
Army. In short he will become a Guardsman in full bloom.

And now he begins to reap a plentiful harvest of easy social
distinctions, in the sowing of which he himself has borne no part. He
may be, though to be sure he is not always, the feeblest and most vapid
of created beings, but he will be none the less courted and flattered by
the numerous band who fix their eyes and their hearts on social position
without any regard to the particular atom of humanity by which it may
chance to be filled. Hostesses shower invitations upon him, he slides
easily into the membership of many Clubs both social and sporting,
tradesmen and money-lenders solicit with humility the supreme honour of
being his creditors, and all the world, as he counts it, smiles upon him
and is ready to make much of him. A man would require to be made of
exceptionally stern stuff not to yield to many of the temptations thus
spread before him, and the Young Guardsman, although he is as martial as
the occasional wearing of his uniform can make him, is by no means
stern. He yields, however, with an admirable grace, and although his
nationality and his profession both forbid him to display an excess of
enthusiasm, it may be said of him that he tolerates his pleasures and
does not despise the amusements for which a musketry course at Hythe or
an occasional encampment at Pirbright seems to give him an additional
zest.

He is often to be seen at dances, and although he does not dance much
and is not much of a dancer, it is impossible to complain of any lack of
vigour in his steps as he tears round the room with his partner in
double-quick time. Having done this he will descend to supper with a
young married lady whom he is temporarily honouring with his attentions,
and will impress her with the maturity of his views of the world. He
will hint to her that, after all, there is more to be said for _Don
Juan_ than is commonly supposed, and that "by Gad, a feller who chucks
away his chances when there are no end of 'em runnin' after him is a
fool dontcherknow, and you may tell 'em I said so." After he has
imparted this information he will re-conduct her upstairs, and will then
leave in a hansom preceded by a tall cigar, for which he has paid
half-a-crown.

At Maidenhead, too, on Sundays during the summer the Young Guardsman