Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-11-24

the opinion that the ball would cost
brewster at least $4,000. The Little
Sons looked ut one another in con-
sternation, while Brewster's indlffer-
ence expressed itself In an unflatter
ing comment upon his friends vulgar
ity Good Lord. Hopper" he added,
you would speculate about the price
of gloves for your wedding"
Harrison resented the taunt. 1T
would be much less vulgar to do that,
Monty. saving your presence, than to
throat"
well, they swallow them. I've no.
ticed,' retorted Brewster, "as though
they were chocolates"
Pettingill interrupted grandiloquent-
ly, my friends and gentlemen
(Which is whichT asked Van Win
kle casually.
But the artist was In the saddle
Permit me to present you to the boy
CrOesuS-the only one extant. His mar
bles are plunks, and his kites are made
Of fifty dollar notes. He feeds upon
coupons la Newburg, and his cham
payne is liquid golden eagles. Look at
him, gentlemen, while you can and
watch him while he spends $4,000 for
flowersw
with Viennese orchestra for twen-
ty-nine thousandw added Bragdon.
"And yet they maintain that silence is
| golden"
"And three singers to divide twelve
thousand among themselves! That's alb
solutely criminaly' cried Van Wrinkle.
"Over in Germany they'd sing month
for half that amount"
"Six hundred guests to feed-total
cost Of not less than $4,000" groaned
hopper dolefully.
"And there aren't GOO in town." Ia
mented Subway Smith. "All that glory
wasted on 200 rank outsiders"
You men are borrowing a lot Of trou-
ble." yawned Brewster, with q gallant
effort to seem bored. "An ask Of you
Is to come to the party and put up
good imitation Of having the time Of
your life. Between you and me, I'd
rather be caught drinking ice cream So
da than giving this thing. But
That's what we want to know-but
what?" and Subway leaned forward
eagerly.
But" continued Monty. Il am In for
1t now. and it is going to be ball that
Is q ball."
Nevertheless the optimistic Brewster
could not find the courage to tell Peg
gy Of these picturesque extravagances.
To satisfy her curiosity he blandly in
formed her that he was getting off
much more cheaply than he had expect
ed. He la0ghlngly denounced as untrue
the stories that had come to her from
outside sources. and before his con-
vincing assertions that reports were RI
diculously exaggerated the troubled ex-
precision In the girls eyes disappeared.
Il must seem a fool" groaned Mon
ty as he left the house after one of
, these explanatory trials, but what
Will she think Of me toward the end of
the year when am really in harnessY'
He found 1t hard to control the desire
to be straight with Peggy and tell her
the story Of his mad race in pursuit Of
poverty.
Preparations for the ball went on
steadily. and in a dull winter 1t had
Its color value for society. It was to
be a Spanish costume ball, and at
many tea tables the talk Of 1t was q
godsend. Sarcastic as 1t frequently
was on the question Of Monty's extrav-
agance, there was a splendor about the
Aladdin-like entertainment which had
q charm. Beneath the outward disap-
proval there was a secret admiration
OF the superb nerve Of the man. And
there was little reluctance to help him
In the Wild career he had chosen. 1t
was SO easy to go with him to the edge
OF the precipice and let him take the
plunge alone. Only the echo Of the
criticism reached. Brewster, for he had
silenced Harrison with work. and Pet
dngill with opportunities. t'troubled
him little, as he was engaged In jotting
down items that swelled the profit side
OF his ledger account enormously. The
ball was bound to give him a good lead
In the race once more despite the
heavy handicap the Stock Exchange
had imposed. The Little Sons took
OF their coats and helped Pettingill In
the work Of preparation. He found
them quite superfluous, for their ideas
never agreed. and each man had a way
Of preferring his own suggestion. To
Brewster's chagr1n, they were united
in the effort to curb his extravaganza.
Hell be giving automobiles and
ropes Of pearls for favors II we don't
stop him." said Subway Smith after
Monty had ordered q vintage cham.
payne to be served during the entire
evening. "Give them,two glasses first.
If you like, and then they won't mind
u they have cider the rest Of the
night"
Monty is plain dotty." chimed in
Bragdon. "and the pace is beginning to
tell ON him."
AS n matter Of fact the pace was be-
ginning to tell on Brewster. Work and
worry were plainly having an effect on
his health. His color was bad, his
eyes were losing their luster. and there
was a listlessness In his actions that
even determined effort could not con-
ceal from his friends. Little fits of
fever annoyed him occasionally, and
he admitted that he did not feel quite
right.
Something is wrong somewhere" he
said ruefully. land my whole system
seems ready to stop work through SYM
pathy."