The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-05
Mead 90 Company

Win tuclT glasses, III llFely 3uuClpa-
ton OF the enjoyment to come; while
the women, with the hope of eliciting
admiration for their hands and the
sparkle OF their rings, were taking off
their gloves and spreading out their
fingers on the tablecloth.
'Graydou seems TO be right in the
swim, eh, Droom?" he said. The irony
of 1t all appealed strongly to his sense
of humor. Il don't suppose you know
those swells:" he added patronizingly.
broom was listening intently 10 the
bursts of merriment which were en-
livening the restaurant. Like a small
boy at a circus who fears that some
thing will happen that he will not see,
he was continually turning his head
and letting his eyes travel critically
over the company at the neighboring
table.
At this speech of Bansemer's the
eyes Of the old clerk returned. They
expressed no little resentment at the
inference
Certainly l do" and, leaning over
the table and covertly indicating with
his long, bony finger the man at the
cinctly, That's Fernmore; he's
A particularly loud burst of laughter
cut him short. At the adjoining tables
conversation had abruptly ceased;
heads were turned and inquisitive eyes
were fastened on the brilliant coterie
at the alcove table.
Few men in Chicago were better
known or better liked than the stout,
ford complexioned, jovial looking Bill
ly Fernmore. the host of this enter
tainment. His social adventures and
the headlong follies in which his fun
loving proclivities invariably enmesh-
ed him were only surpassed by his
fondness for Kidding himself of his un-
limited wealth.
To his inherited FIVE millions mar
riage had added the colossal fortune Of
beautiful heiress, whose extrava-
gances aggregated less than his own
solely through the limitations OF her
sex. Yet, were it not for the self i'm
posed handicap of adhering strictly to
the somewhat old fashioned precept
that jewels should be acquired only
through afrectionate beneficence, Mrs.
Fernmore might have succeeded In
SURPRISING the princely prodigalities Of
her lord and master.
1T was this way" Billy was say
ing in his own inimitable manner and
awake to the realizati ton of having a
good one" to tell. "A few days ago the
lady Of my house took wings for New
1ork-a little spree of her own, you
understand. And, for Billy Fernmore,
l kept out of mischief for a time fairly
well. After waiting days, lamblike, for
her return, restlessness"-and here
Fernmore's shameless affectation of
the neglected husband became so ire
sistibly funny that it provoked pro-
longed laughter from his listeners,
even broom showing his yellow snags
and stretching his mouth to the fullest
extent of the law as he Joined in the
general chorus-''restlessnes gave way
to recklessness. and in desperation |
invited a half dozen of the oldest and
most distinguished widowers in town
to dine with me at the hotel, where
they were Informed they were to be
honored by the presence of a bevy Of
the seasons prettiest debutantes. My
stars, but they were a fine collection
Of old innocentsr Fernmore threw
himself back in his chair and roared
at the recollection.
"Billy's a wonder when he's wound
up" Medford's whispered aside to
the lady on his right met with a sim
pie nod Of the head; for, despite Miss
Cleggs well feigned interest in Mr.
Nn6f nyI ID t,xH~-
other occasions there was no pretense
Of enjoyment Of his society.
Among those present-to use the
correct phrase" said Billy, after hav-
ing refreshed himself with sufficient
champagne to proceed. were two re-
tired merchants, a venerable logician,
a doddering banker and a half blind
college professor. OF course 1 had to
make some excuse for Mrs. Fernmore's
absence. For the life of ne I cannot
now remember what yarn l told them.
but they were too anxious 20 be pre-
sented to the gay young women not
to swallow it-whole. The old boys
fairly swamped the girls with their
senile attentions. 1t was lively sup
per party-my word! And they went
home unanimously declaring that the
debutantes Of the present day dis
counted, at least in dash and &C, the
charmers of fifty years ago"
Amidst the confusion of peals of
merriment which greeted the genial
rsconteur, Miss Gable. to whom the
story did not especially appeal, whis-
pered in awed tones:
"Graydon, who on earth is that
queer, spectacular looking man with
your father?'
"Oh, that's Droom-isn't he a charac-
ter? He's been with the governor
since was a child In those days his
looks used to frighten me almost to
death. l fancy he's had a sad life.
don't you know"
There is something positively aw-
full In his face" returned the girl, as
her eyes faltered and dropped to her
plate on Unexpectedly meeting those |
Of the subject of her remark
''Sh-hr' came from Medford, and
then. Come. Billy-what's the point !
or the moral, as they say in novelsy
"Fernmore is rafting good chap |
at heart" Graydon was saying to |
Jane, but can't stand that Med
Yes, yes; go on, Mr.. Fernmore," |
broke In several voices in eager ex-