Who is Mr. Warburton from Short Story Masterpieces and what is their importance?

Mr. Warburton is the fifty-year old colonist, whose previous life as a socialite has left him a snob. Now balding and overweight, it's hard to believe that Warburton once kept company with some of the finest in England, and though he is often seen as snobbish, Warburton is actually a kind man, who is willing to help his fellow man without question.