, 1905-10-25

Paris, II his name was DeIull. Hills,
the footman, also found a much better
berth with Monty than be 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.
One of Monty's most extraordinary
financial feats grew out Of the pur-
blandly admitted to hopper Harrison
and the two secretaries that he intend
ed to use 1t to practice with only, and
that as soon as he learned how to u
an auto as 1t should be run he ex-
pected to buy a 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 d sailor in port protest
ed Harrison. Money is no object If he
wants a thing, and-hang 1.-The seems
to want everything he sees"
ut won't last long" Gardner said
reassuringly. Like his namesake,
Monte-Christo the world is his just
now, and he wants to enjoy It,"
HE wants to get rid Of it, 1t 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 a good time.
Just what you'd do if you We're in my
place. What's money for, anyway
But this $1,000 a plate dinner
'I'm going to give a dozen of them,
and even then l can't pay my just
debts. For years I've been entertained
at peoples houses and have been
taken cruising on their yachts. They
have always been bully to me, and
what have l ever done for them? Moth
ing. Now that l can afford it, l 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 DeMille as social
mentor and utility ~chaperon." Mrs
was III o10 PopSlo 90
the leader Of the fast young married
set. h was one Of the cleverest
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 and visited
his home. Some one said that he was
so slow and his wife so fast that when
she invited him to Inner be 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 touch
to make his parties fur instead Of
funny.
1t was on Oct. Is that the dinner was
given. With the skill of a general Mrs.
way that from the beginning things
went off with zest. Colonel Drew took
In Mrs. Valentine, and his content was
assured. Mr.. Van Wrinkle and the
beautiful Miss Valentine were side by
side, and no one could say he looked
unhappy. Mr.. Cromwell went in with
Mrs. Savage, and the same delicate
tact-in some cases it was almost in
delicate-was displayed in the disposi-
ton of other guests.
Somehow they had come with the ex-
pectation of being bored. Curiosity
prompted them to accept, but it did not
prevent the subsequent inevitable lassi-
tude. Socially Monty Brewster had yet
to make himself felt. He and his din
ners were something to talk about, but
they were accepted hesitatingly, halt
ingly. People wondered how he had
secured the cooperation of Mrs. Dan,
but then Mrs. Dan always did go in for
n new toy. To her was inevitably at
tributed whatever success the Inner
achieved, and ii was no small measure.
Yet there was nothing startling about
the affair. Monty had decided to begin
conservatively. He did the conven-
tional thing, but he did it well. He add
ed a touch or two of luxury, the faint
fst aroma of splendor. Pettingill had
designed the c~uriously hayward la
bic, with its comfortable atmosphere
of companionship, and arranged its
decoration of great lavender orchids
and lacy butterfly festoons of white
ones touched with yellow. He had
wanted to use dahlias in their many
rich shades, from pale yellow to
orang and deep red, but Monty held
out for orchids. 1t was the artist, too,
who had found in u rare and happy
moment the massive gold candelabra-
ancient things of a more luxurious
age-and their opalescent shades.
L. H.