Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-08-15

1Ou
conservative1y. He did the conven-
tional thing, but he did it well. He add
ed touch or two of luxury, the faint
est aroma Of splendor Pettingill had
designed the curiously hayward ia
BILE, 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
orange and deep red, but Monty held
out for orchids. 1t was the artist, too,
who had found in rare and happy
moment the massive gold candelabra-
ancient things of more luxurious
age-and their opalescent shades.
Against his advice the service, too. was
of gold-"rank vulgarity," he called 1T.
with it, rich meaningless ornamental
ton. But here Monty was obdurate
He insisted that he liked the color anf
that porcelain had NO character. Mrs
Dan only prevented a quarrel by SUE
costing that several courses should
served upon Sevres.
Pettingill's scheme for lighting t
room was particularly happy. For til
benefit Of his walls and the four love
" Alonets which Monty had purchased
at his instigation he had designed a
ceiling screen Of heavy rich glass in
tones of white that grew into yellow
and dull green. 1t served to conceal
the lights in the daytime, and at night
the glare Of electricity YVES immensely
softened and made harmonious by
passing through it. 1t gave a note OF
quiet to the picture which caused
even these men and women, who had
been here and there and seen many
things, to draw in their breath sharply.
Altogether the effect nanifestly made
an impression.
Such an environment had its indu-
ence upon the company. It went far
toward making the dinner a success.
From far in the distance came the
softened strains Of Hungarian music.
ana never had the little band played
the "valse Anloureuse'' and the "valse
Bleue'' with the spirit 1t put into them
that night. Yet the soft clamor in the
dining room mistakenly ignored the
emotion OF the music. Monty, bored
as he was between the two most Inn
portant dowagers At the feast, wonder
ed dimly what invisible part 1t played
in making things 80. He had vagrant
fancy that without it there would have
been no zest for talk, no noisy compett-
ton to overcome, no hurdles to leap.
AZ 1t was, the talk certainly went well,
and Mrs. Dan inspected the result OF
her work from time to time with smil-
ing satisfaction. From across the Ia
Bile she heard Colonel Drew's voice:
brewster evidently objects to long
siege. He IL planning to carry rs by
assault"
Mrs. Dan turned to Subway Smith,
who was at her right-the latest ad-
dition to her menagerie. What Is
this friend Of yours?" she asked. Il
have never seen such complex sim
plicity. This new plaything has no real
charm fer him. He is breaking it to
find out what 1t is made Of, and some
thing will happen when he discovers
the sawdust"
"Oh, don't worry about him. said
Subway easily. ''Monty's at least q
good sportsman. He won't complain,
whatever happens. He'll accept the
raotnrinv and nav the DiOer."
It was only toward the end Of the
evening that Monty found his reward
in a nomen. 18th Barbara Drew. He
stood before her, squaring his shout
ders belligerently to keep away in
truders, and she smiled up at him IN
that bewildering fashion of hers But
1t was only for an instant, and then
came a terrifying din from the dining
room, followed by the clamor OF crash
ing glass. The guests tried for mo-
mont to be courteously oblivious, but
the noise was SO startling that such
politeness became farcical. The host,
with a little laugh, went down the
hall. 1t was the beautiful screen near
the ceiling that had fallen. A thou
sand pieces of shattered glass covered
the place. The table was sickening
heap Of crushed orchids and sputter-
ing candles. Frightened servants rush
ed into the room from one side just as
Brewster entered from the other. Stu
pefaction halted them. After the first
pulseless moment Of horror exclama-
tons Of dismay went up on all sides.
For Monty Brewster the first sensa-
ton Of regret was followed by q dia-
bolical sense Of Joy.
THANK the Lordv' he said softly In
the hush.
The look Of surprise he encountered
in the faces Of his guests brought him
up with jerk.
.That it dIAs't happen while We were
lining" he added, with serene thank
illness. And his nonchalance scored
,r him f. 1900 10 las playing.
IN (To be Continued.)
FISHING AND CAMPING RATES
To Madison Lake, Waterville and Ely
sian. Mimi, via Chicago, Great West.