Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-27
(synopsis in Preceding column.)
CHAPTER XIV.

| = IN Monty and Miss Drew. In,
headlines had announced, "Magnifcen
/ Ball to Be Given Miss Drew by He
Finance" and the Little Sons Of tn,
Rich wondered why Monty did not SCI
| the humor Of it.
He has too bad an attack to see any
thing but the lady" said Harrison ont
evening when the Sons wers gathered
for an old time supper party.
ITS always the way" commented
the philosophical Bragdon. when you
lose your heart your sense Of humor
goes too. Engaged couples couldn't do
such ridiculous stunts If they had the
least particle of 1t left"
"Well, if Monty Brewster is still in
love with Miss Drew he takes mighty
poor way of showing it." Subway
Smiths remark fell like bombshell.
The thought had come to every one,
but no one had been given the courage
to utter it. For them Brewster's 81
lence on the subject since the DeMille
dinner seemed to have something ON
nous behind it.
Its probably only a lovers quar-
rel,' said Bragdon. But further COM
ment was cut short by the entrance of
Monty himself, and they took their
places at table.
Before the evening came to an end
they were in possession of many aston
ishing details in connection with the
coming ball. Monty did not say that 1t
v1yaS fn ha rvi1,
her name was conspicuously absent
from his descriptions. AS he unfolded
his plans even the Little Sons, who
were imaginative by instinct and reck-
less on principle, could not be quite
acquiescent.
hopper Harrison solemnly expressed
the opinion that the ball would cost
Brewster at least $125,OOO. The Little
Sons looked at one another in con-
sternation, while Brewsters indiffer-
ence expressed itself in an unfatter-
ing comment upon his friends vulgar
ity. "Good Lord, Hopper" he added,
you would speculate about the price
of gloves for your wedding"
Harrison resented the taunt. ut
would be much less vulgar to do that,
Monty, saving your presence, than to
force your millions down every ones
throat"
"Well, they swallow them, I've no
ticed," retorted Brewster, "as though
they were chocolates
Pettingill interrupted grandiloquent-
ly, my friends and gentlemen
(Which is which," asked Van Win
kle casually.
But the artist was in the saddle.
Permit me to present you to the boy
Croesus-the only one extant. His mar
bles are plunks, and his kites are made
Of fifty dollar notes. He feeds upon
coupons Ia Newburg, and his cham
payne is liquid golden eagles. Look at
him, gentlemen, while you can and
watch him while he spends $4,000 for
fowersv
with viennese orchestra for TWEEN
ty-nine thousand!' added Bragdon.
And yet they maintain that silence is
golden"
And three singers to divide twelve
thousand among themselves. That's alb
solutely criminalv' cried Van Wrinkle.
over in Germany they'd sing month
for half that amount"
six hundred guests to feed-total
cost Of not less than $4,000" groaned
hopper dolefully
''And there aren't 600 in town." la
mented Subway Smith. ''All that glory
wasted on 200 rank outsiders
you men are borrowing lot of trou-
ble," yawned Brewster, with a gallant
effort to seem bored. "All ask of you
is to come to the party and put up a
good imitation of having the time of
your life. Between you and me, I'd
rather be caught drinking ice cream so
da than giving this thing. But
That's what we want to know-but
what?'' and Subway leaned forward
eagerly.
But" continued Monty, IT am in for
it now, and it is going to be ball that
is ball"
Nevertheless the optimistic Brewster
could not find the courage to tell Peg
gy of these picturesque extravagances.
To satisfy her curiosity he blandly In
formed her that he was getting Oh
much more cheaply than he had expect.
ed He laughingly denounced as untrue
the stories that had come to her from
outside sources, and before his con.
vincing assertions that reports were ri.
diculously exaggerated the troubled ex.
preston In the girls eyes disappeared.
Il must seem fool" groaned Mon.
ty as he left the house after one OF
these explanatory trials, "but what
will she think of me toward the end OF
the year when am really In harness?
He found it hard to control the desire
to be straight with Peggy and tell hel
the story Of his mad race in pursuit OF
poverty.
Preparations for the ball went or
steadily, and in dull winter it had
Its color value for society. 1t was tc
be a Spanish costume ball, and al
many tea tables the talk of it was 6
godsend. Sarcastic as it frequently
WAC on fho <,rost;o,, oP NJonfu,e