THE LATE GEORGE COOPER 



that there is insufficient time to consider the smaller 

 acts of courtesy in which they are not lacking in private 

 life. There is one member of the ring whom some 

 ladies have a holy horror of ; believe me that a few of 

 those he has treated with something like rudeness get 

 a bit back when they can by dissuading men from 

 doing business with him. 



I referred just now to those who had died in recent 

 years, and consequently a large sum had left the ring. 

 George Cooper, who left about a quarter of a million, 

 ^" and died about five years ago, was as well known in 

 Brighton as in London or in Manchester or Liverpool. 

 He was very charming to those who were winning money 

 from him or those who owed him large sums. There 

 was always the feeling on the part of many backers 

 that they need not keep out of his way if there was 

 an adverse balance against them. One little incident, 

 while it does not exactly illustrate this, serves to show 

 the spirit of sympathy and patience George Cooper had 

 towards some of his debtors. A certain young noble- 

 man went to stay with his mother at the Hotel Windsor 

 at Monte Carlo. He saw sitting at a table near by 

 a man whose face seemed familiar to him and he 



nodded. After dinner Lord met the other 



Enghshman in the smoking-room, and they talked 

 about different things for an hour or two, this being 

 continued for about the same time for two evenings 

 afterwards. The younger man was much puzzled to 

 know exactly who he was talking to, and on the third 

 night said : " I'm awfully sorry ; we recognised each 

 other directl)^ I came here, but you must forgive me as 

 for the life of me I can't recall exactly who you are." 

 " My name is George Cooper, my lord," and by the 

 courtesy of the last two words it was the first indication 

 that Cooper had given that he had recognised his young 



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