The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-04-18

conditional purchases Of everything.
Mr.. Brewster had agreements with all
the dealers to the effect that they were
to buy everything back at fair price
if he desired to give up his establish
ment within year. He adhered to this
rule in all cases that called for the
purchase outright Of substantial ne
cessities. The bump of calculativeness
in Monty Brewster's head was growing
to abnormal proportions.
In retaining his rooms at Mrs. Gray's
he gave the fimsy but pathetic excuse
that he wanted a place in which he
might find occasional seasons Of peace
and quiet. When Mrs. Gray protested
against this useless bit Of exraVa-
gance his grief was so obviously gen
nine that her heart was touched, and
there was a deep, fervent joy in her
soul. She loved this fair faced boy,
and tears Of happiness came to her
ewes when she was given this new
proof of his loyalty and devotion. His
rooms were kept for him just as if he
had expected to occupy them every day
and every night, Notwithstanding the
luxurious apartments he was to main
tain elsewhere. The Oliver Optic
books still lay in the attic, all tattered
and torn, but to Margaret the embodi-
ment Of prospective riches, promises OF
sweet hours to come. She knew Nor
ty well enough to feel that he would
not forget the dark little attic Of old
tor 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 formahties
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 II 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 Garrity also was
to sustain :, severe change o. fortune
II the near future If the cards spoke
correctly. Judge Van Wort, who vas
not expected TO i've through the night,
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 it.
Reports as to its magnihcence were
abroad long before the night set Tor
the dinner. One Of them had it that 1t
was to cost $1,000 plate. From that
figure the legendary price receded to
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 hiaa, and be forbore...:... !;
'"I wish I knew whether I had to
abide By tie New York or the Mon
tana stafdard of ,e2ravagance," Brew
ster said to himself ''I wonder if be
ever sees the New ork papers" =
!: .Late each night the. last. Of the grand
old. Brewster family went to his beds
room, where; after ,dismissing. his mals,
lie settled. down at his desk, with 2:
besnncif and a pad Of paper. Lighting
ffie candles, which were more easily.
1nanagedy found, titan lamps and
much morercostly, 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 so to
sleep until he was satisfied in his own
mind that he was keeping up the aver
age. For the first. two weeks it had
been easy-in fact, he seemed to nave
quite comfortable lead in the race.
He had spent almost 100000 in the
fortnight, but he realized that the
greater part Of it had gone into the
yearly and not the daily expense ac-
count He kept profit and loss"
entry in his little private ledger, but 1t
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 tie total.
Rawles, who had been his grand
fathers butler since the day after he
landed in New York, came over to the
g-andson's establishment, greatly to
the wrath and confusion Of the latter's
Aunt Emmeline. The chef came from