Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-08-31
for all the splendors that might come
with the new dispensation.

for all the splendors that might come
with the new dispensation.
There was no little surprise when he
sent out invitations for large dinner.
His grandfather had been dead less
than a 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
". A very modest and impecunious
grandson of Joseph Clarity also was
to sustain a severe change of fortune
In the near future If the cards spoke
correctly. Judge Van Wort, who was
got better Immediately after hearing
some one in the sickroom whisper that
Montgomery Brewster was to give
big dinner. Naturally the heirs-to-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.
Reports as to its magnifcence were
abroad long before the night set for
the dinner One Of them had It that 1t
was to cost $1,000 a plate. From that
figure the legendary price receded to
a mark as low as $500 Montgomery
would have been only too glad to pay
$1,000 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 forbore.
'I wish I knew whether / had to
abide by the New York or the Mon
tana standard Of extravaganza" Brew
ster said to himself. II wonder If 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 dismissing his man,
he settled down at his desk, with a
pencil and 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,"
as they called him, could not go to
sleep until he was satisfied in his own
mind that he was keeping up the aver
age. For the first two weeks 1t had
been easy-in fact, he seemed to have
quite a 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 ac-
count. He kept profit and loss"
entry in his little private ledger, but it
was not like any other account of the
kind in the world. What the ordinary
merchant would have charged to "loss'
he Jotted 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 he
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 Detuit. Ellis,
the footman, also found 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
treachery, as she called them.