Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-21

when fully 5000 disappeared, and
there were others on which he spent
much less than $1,000, but the avera &c
was secure. Taking everything into
consideration. Brewster found TINT his
fortune had dwlndlcd to n few paltry
thousands In addition to the proceeds
which would come to him from the sale
Of his furniture. On the whole he was
satisfied.
The landing in New York ana the
separation which followed were not en-.
tirely merry. Every discomfort was
forgotten. and the travellers only knew
that the most wonderful cruise since
that Of the ark had come to m end.
There was not one who would not have
been glad TO begin II agnin the next
day.
Immediately after the landing Brew.
ster and Gardner were busy with the
details Of settlement. After clearing
up all Of the obligations arising from
the cruise they felt the appropriate.
ness Of season OF reflection. It was q
difficult moro~nt---a moment when nm.
delivered rcproofs were In the air. But
Gardner seemed much the more melan.
eholy of the two.
Piles Of newspapers lay scattered
about the floor of the room in which
they sat. Every one OF them contained
sensational stories of the prodigal's
trip. with pictures, incidents and pre-.
dictions. Monty was panied, humlli.
atcd and resentful, but he was honest
enough to admit the justification Of
much that was said Of him. He read
bits of it here and there and then threw
the papers aside hopelcssly. In a few
weeks they would tell another story
and quite as enphaticaly.
"The worst Of 1t. Monty. is that You
are the next thing to being a poor
man." groaned Gardner. 1--WE done
my best to economize for you here at
home. as you'll see by these figures.
but nothing could possibly balance the
extravagances of this voyage. They
are simply appalling"
| With the condemnation Of his friends
ringing in his troubled BRAIN with the
sneers of acquaintances to distress his
pride, with the gbcs of the comic pa-
pers to torture him remOrselessly,
Brewster was fast becoming the most
miserable man in New York. Friends
OF former days gave him the cut d.
rect, clubmen ignored him or scorncd
him openly, women chilled him with
the iclness OF unspoken reprOof, and
all the world was hung with shad-
ows. The doggedness of despair kept
him up, but the strain that pulled
down on him was SO, relentless that
the struggle was losing it's equality.
lie had not expected such home COM
ing.
Compared with his former self Mon
ty was now almost physical wreck,
haggard, thin and defiant a shadow
Of the once debonair young New York
or, an object of pity and scorn. Asham-
ed and despairing. he had almost lack
ed the courage to face Mrs. Gray. The
consolation he once gained through her
he now denied himself and his suffer
ing, peculiar as it was, was very real.
In absolute recklessness he gave din
ner after dinner party after party. all
on a most lavish scale, many Of his
guests laughing Mt him openly while
they enjoyed his hospitality. The real
friends demonstrated. pleaded. did
everything within their power to check
his awful rush to poverty. but without
success. He was not to be stopped.
At last the furniture began to go. then
the plate, then all the priceless bric-
a-brac. Piece by piece 1t disappeared
until the apartments were empty and
he had sQuandered almost oil Of the
sc, $50 arising from the sales. The
servants were paid or the apartments
relinQuished. and lie was beginning to
know what II meant TO be ION his
uppers" At the banks he ascertalned
that the interest on his moneys
amounted to S19,140s6 A week be-
fore the ed of September the whole
million was gone. including the
amounts won in Lumber and Fuel and
other luckless enterprises. He still
had about $1,000 of his interest
money in the banks. but he had bill.
lion pangs in his heart-the interest on
his improvidence.
cry that the servants had robbed him
Of not less than $500 worth of his
belongings. including the Christmas
presents that he In honor could not
have sold. His only encouragement
came from Grant & Ripley. the law
yers. They inspired confidence in his
tagging brain by urging him on to the
end. promising brightness thereafter.
Swearcngen Jones was as mute as the
mountains in which he lived. There
was no word from him. There was no
assurance that he would approve Of
what had been done to obliterate Ed
win Peter Brcwster's legacy.
Dan DeMille and bis wife implored
Monty to come with them to the noun.
tains before his substance was gone
completely. The former offered him
money, employment, rest and security
II he would abandon the course he was
pursuing. Up in Fortieth street Peggy
Gray was grieving her heart out. and
he knew 1t. Two or three Of those
whom he had considered friends re-
fused to recognize him In the street In
this last trying week, and It did not