The Dragon’s Teeth

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Meet Beau Rummell.

No, not Beau Brummell; he was a London gentleman of fashion born in the year 1778... Beau Rummell. Beau Rummell was born in Cherry Street, New York City, in the year 1914.

Never think that Beau took his name meekly. From boyhood he was ready to fight the human race, one wit at a time, in defense of his self-respect. He even tried subterfuge. He would change his name to Buck, or Butch, or something equally manly. But it was no use.

“Rummell? Rummell? Say, ya know what? Your first name oughta be Beau. Beau Rummell. Haw, haw, haw!”

Beau’s personality was moulded in the crucible of that bitter name. At the age of twelve, learning by investigation that his namesake had been London’s arbiter elegantiarum, first fop of his time, Beau became a passionate sartorial rebel; and to this day, if you meet a large young man with scarred knuckles who looks as if he had slept in all his clothing for two months consecutively, you may be sure he is no hungry derelict, but Beau Rummell.

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