Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-12-15


Is the pace too fast?"
His mood increased upon him with
her sympathy. "Oh, no." he said. at
isn't that. You are good, and I'm a
selfish beast. Things are perverse and
people are desperately obstinate some
! times. And here I'm taking it out on
you. You are not perverse. You are
not obstinate. You are ripper, Mrs.
Dan, and you are going to help me out
In more ways than one
well, to pay for all these gallan-
tries, Monty, I ought to do much. I'm
your friend through thick and thin.
You have only to command me-"
1T was precisely to get your help
that | came in. I'm tired of those con
founded dinners You know yourself
that they are all alike-the same peo-
pie, the same flowers, the same things
to eat and the same inane twaddle in
the shape of talk. Who cares about
them anyway"
"Well, I like that" she Interrupted.
after all the thought put into those
dinners! After all the variety so care
fully secured. My dear boy, you are
/ frlgntfully ungrateful.'
ooh, you know what | mean. and
you know quite as well as I do that it
is perfectly true. The dinners were a
beastly bore, which proves that they
were a loud success. Your work was
not done in vain. But now | want
something else. We must push along
this ball we've been talking Of And
very much longer"
"The ball first" she decreed. "I'll
see to the cards at once, and in a day
or two I'll have a list ready for your
gracious approval. And what have you
doneY'
"Pettingill has some great ideas for
doing over Sherry's. Harrison is In
communication with the manager u1
that Hungarian orchestra you spoil"
of, and he finds the men quite ready
for little jaunt across the water. We
have that military band-I've forgotten
the number of its regiment-for the
promenade music, and the new Paris
sensation the contraltO, is coming over
/ with her primo tenore for some special
numbers
You were certainly cut out for an
executive, Monty" said Mrs Dan
But with the music and the decora-
( lions arranged you've only begun. The
favors are the real things, and if you
say the word We'll surprise them lit
tie. Don't worry about it, Monty. It's
a go already. Well pull it off togeth
err"
"YOu are a thoroughbred Mrs. Dam"
he exclaimed you do help a fellow
at pinch"
That's all right, Monty" she an
swered "Givc me until after Christ
mas ard I'll have the finest favOrs
ever seen. Other people may have
their paper hats and pink ribbons, but
YOU can show them how the thing
ought to he done"
Her reference to Christmas haunted
brewster as he drove down Fifth ave
nue. N!th the dread of Il new disaster.
Never before had he looked upon pres
ents as Il calamity, but this year it
was different. Immediately he began
to plan bOmbardment of his friends
with costly trinketS, when he grew sud
denly doubtful of the opinion of his
uncle's executor upon this move. But
in response to a telegram Swearengen
Jones. with pleasing Feasibility, in
formed him that ANY one with drop
of human kindness in his body would
consider it his duty to give Christmas
presents to those who deserved them"
Monty's way was now clear. If his
friends meant to handicap him with
gifts he knew a way to get even. For
two weeks his mornings were spent at
Tiffany's, and the afternoons brought
joy to the heart of every dealer in an
tiQuities in Fourth and Fifth avenues.
He gave much thought to the matter
in the effort to secure many small ar
ticles which deliberately concealed their
value. And he had taste. The result of
his endeavor was that many friends
who would not have thought of remem-
bering Monty with even Il card were
pleasantly surprised on Christmas eve.
AS it turned out, he Jared very well
in the matter of gifts. and for some
days much of his time was spent in
reading notes of profuse thanks which
were yet vaguely apologize. The Grays
anu MrS. l'dn ndu remembered MIN
with an agreeable lack of ostentation,
and some of the Little Sons of the
Rich who had kept one evening a
fortnight open for the purpose of ''us-
ing up their meal tickets at Monty's
were only too generously grateful.
Miss Drew had forgotten him, and
when they met after the holiday her
recognition was of the coolest He had
thought that under the circumstances
he could send her a gift of value, but
the beautiful pearls with which he ask
ed for a reconciliation We're returned
with Miss Drew's thanks" He loved
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