Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-24

in tho near future II tho cards spoKe
correctly. Judge Ven Wort, who wns
not expected to live through the night.
got better immediatel!. after hearing
some one in the sickroom whisper that
Montgomery Brewster was to give n
big dinner. Naturally the heirs-to-bc
condemned young Brewster in NO un.
certain terms.
Nevertheless thr dinner to be given
by the grandson Of old Edwin Peter
Brewster was the talk OF the town, and
not one Of the sixty invited guests
could have been persuaded to miss It.
Reports as to its magnihcence were
abroad long before the night set for
tho dinner. One Of them had II that 1t
was to cost $4,000 plate. From that
figure the legendary price receded to
a mark az low as $500. Montgomery
would have been only too glad to pay
$4,000 or more. but some mysterious
force conveyed to his mind perfect
portrait Of Swearengen Jones In the
act of putting down a large black mark
against him. and he forbofe.
II wish knew whether had to
abide by the New York or the Mon
tana standard Of extravaganza" Brew
ster said to himself. II wonder II he
ever sees the New York papers,
Late each night the last Of the grand
old Brewster family went to his bed
room, where. after disinissing his man.
he settled down at his desk, with n
pencil and u pad Of paper. Lighting
the candles. which were more easily
managed. he found. than lamps and
much more costly. he thoughtfully and
religiously calculated his expenses for
the day. hopper Harrison and ElOn
Gardner had the receipts for all mon
eys spent. and Joe Bragdon was keep
ing an official report. but the 'chief."
1s they called him. could not 60 to
mind that he was keeping up the aver
age For tho first two weeks 1t had
been easy-in fact he seemed to have
quite n comfortable lead in the race.
He had spent almost 100000 in the
fortnight. but he realized that the
greater part Of II had gone into the
yearly and not the daily expense &C.
count. lie kept profit and loss"
entry in his little private ledger. but 1t
was not like any other account Of the
kind in the world What the ordinary
merchant would have charged to loss"
he jottel down on the profit" side. and
he was continually looking for oppor-
tunities to swell the total.
Rawles, who had been his grand.
fathers butler since the day after lie
landed in New York. came over to the
grandson's establishment. greatly to
the wrath and confusion Of the latter's
Aunt Emmeline The chef came from
Paris. and his name was nctuit. Ellis.
the footrnan, also found n much better
berth with Monty than he had had In
the house on the avenue. Aunt En-
incline never forgave her nephew for
these base and disturbing acts of
treachcry, as she called them.
One Of Montys most extraordinary
financial feats grew out Of the pur
chase Of $4,000 automobile. He
blandly admitted to hopper Harrison
and the two secretaries that he intend
ed to use II to practice with only, and
that as soon as he learned how to run
an auto" as 1t should be run he ex-
pected to buy good, sensible, durable
machine for $1,000.
His staff officers frequently put their
heads together to devise ways and
means Of curbing Monty's reckless ex-
travagance They were worried
Hes like sailor in port" protest
ed Harrison. Money is no object il he
wants a thing. and-hang ithe seems
10 want everything be secs"
ut won't last long" Gardner said
renssuringIy. Like his namesake
Monte Christie the world is his just
now. and lie wants to enjoy IT,"
"He wants to get rid Of 1t, it seems
to me-"
Whenever they reproached Brewster
about the matter he disarmed them
by saying: Now that I've got money
l mean to give my friends good time
Just what you'd do il you were in my
place. What's money for, anywayy
But this $4,000 plate dinner
I'm going to give dozen OF Them
and even then can't pay my just
debts. For years I've been entertained
vt peoples houses and have been
taken cruising on their yachts. They
have always been bully to me, and
what have I ever done for them? Moth
ing. Now that ! can afford 1t. am
going to return some OF these favors
and square myself. Doesn't it sound
reasonable?"
And SO preparations for Monty's din.
ner went on. In addition to what he
called his efficient corps of gentle
manly aids" he had secured the serv-
Ices OF Mrs. Dan DeAfille as social
mentor and utility chaperon." Mrs.
DeMille was known In tho papers o.
the leader Of the fast young married
set She was one OF the rieversst
and best looking young women in town.
and her husband was one Of those who
did not have to be "invited too" Mr..
DeMille lived at the club md visited
his home. Some one said that he was
70 slow and bis wife 20 fast that when
she invited him to dinner he was usu-
ally two or three days late. Alto
gether Mrs. DeMille was a decided
acquisition to Brewster's campaign
committee. 1t required Just her toucl,
to make his parties fun instead of
funny.
II was on Oct. IA that the dinner was
/ tytvon NVtth bo uLtil 0H . A..