Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-15

wneh ne reported this bit OF economy
to Mr.. Brewster he was surprised that
1T brought forth frown. II never saw
man who had less sense about mon
ey, muttered hopper to himself.
Why, he spends 1t like a Chicago mill
lionaire trying to get into New York
society. Ii it were not for the rest Of
us he'd be pauper in six months"
Paul Pettingill, to his own intense
surprise and, it must be said, CON
sternation, was engaged to redecorate
certain rooms according to plan sug-
gested by the tenant The rising young
artist in a great furry Of excitement
agreed to do the work for $500 and
then blushed like schoolgirl when he
was Informed by the practical Brew
ster that the paints and material for
one room alone would cost twice as
much.
Petty, you have no more idea Of
business than a goat" criticised Mont
gomery. And Paul lowered his head in
humble confession. "That man who
calcinines your studio could figure on
piece Of work with more intelligence
than you reveal. I'll pay $1,000. It's
only a fair price, and I can't afford
anything cheap in this place."
AT this rate you won't be able to
afford anything" said Pettingill to
himself
And SO it was that Pettingill and
corps of decorators soon turned the
rooms into a confusion Of scaffoldings
and paint buckets, out Of which In the
end emerged something very distin-
guished. No one had ever thought
Pettingill deficient in ideas, and this
was his opportunity. The only draw
back was the time limit which Brew
ster SO retnorselessly fixed. Without
that he felt that he could have done
something splendid in the way of dec
orative panels-something that would
make even the glory Of Puvis de Cha
vannes turn pallid. With it he was
obliged to curb his turbulent ideas,
and he decided that rich simplicity
was the proper note. The result was
gorgeous, but not too gorgeous-it had
depth and distinction
Eiated and eager, he assisted Brew
ster in selecting furniture and hang
lngs for each room, but he did not
know that his employer was making
conditional purchases of everything
Mr.. Brewster had agreements with all
the dealers to the effect that they were
to buy everything back at fair price
II he desired to give up his establish
ment within year. He adhered to this
rule in all cases that called for the
purchase outright of substantial me-
cessities The bump Of calculativeness
in Monty Brewster's head was growing
to abnormal proportions.
In retaining his rooms at Mrs. Gray's
he gave the fiimsy but pathetic excuse
that he wanted place in which he
might find occasional seasons Of peace
and quiet. When Mrs. Gray protested
against this useless bit Of extrava-
gance his grief was so obviously gen
uine that her heart was touched, and
there was deep, feryent joy in her
soul. She loved this fair faced boy,
and tears of happiness came to her
eyes when she was given this new
proof Of his loyalty and devotion. His
rooms were kept for him just as If he
had expected to occupy them every day
and every night, Notwithstanding the
luxurious apartments he was to main
tain elsewhere. The Oliver Optic
books stillelay in the attic, all tattered
on1 fort, h,1f "a NIaroorof fba on, hid A.
ment Of prospective riches, promises Of
sweet hours to come She knew Mon
ty well enough to feel that he would
not forget the dark little attic Of old
for all the splendors that might come
with the new dispensation.
There was no little surprise when ne
sent out invitations for a large dinner.
His grandfather had been dead less
than month, and society was some
what scandalized by the plain symp-
toms of disrespect he was showing. No
one had expected him to observe pro-
| longed season Of mourning. but that
he should disregard the formalities
completely was rather shocking. Some
Of the older people, who had not long
| to live and who had heirs apparent,
| openly denounced his heartlessness 1t
was not very gratifying to think of
what might be in store for them If all
memories were as short as Brewster's
| Old Mrs. Ketchell changed her will,
and two nephews were cut off entire
| ly. A very modest and impecunious
grandson of Joseph Clarity also was
to sustain severe change Of fortune
in the near future if the cards spoke
correctly Judge Van Wort, who was
not expected to live through the night
got better Immediately after hearing
some one in the sickroom whisper that
Montgomery Brewster was to give q
big dinner Naturally the heirs-to-b be
condemned young Brewster in no un.
certain terms.
Nevertheless the 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 1t