The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1908-10-07

! OuO. htits
"In Chicago, yes-we'n talk about IL
later"
The present genial environment and
cOnvivial atmosphere were producing
a most inspiriting effect on the lawyer
The delightful consciousness that the
people with whom his son was supping
were of the smartest set In town for
the moment had banished all fears Of
exposure. From time to time he
glanced proudly across to the alcove
table where the men were engaged in
unfolding their napkins and toying
with their glasses, in lively anticipa-
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 on
their gloves and spreading out their
fingers on the tablecloth.
"Graydon seems to be right in the
swim, eh, Droom?" he said. The irony
Of it all appealed strongly to his sense
Of humor. 81 don't suppose you know
those swells?" he added patronizingly.
broom was listening intently to 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 TO little resentment at the
inference.
Certainly 1 do" and, leaning over
the table and cOvertly indicating with
his long, bony finger the man at the
head of the table, he answered sue
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,
fiOrid 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 I'M
limited wealth.
To his inherited FIVE millions mar
riage had added the colossal fortune of
a 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 affectiOnate benefcence, Mrs
Fernmore might have succeeded in
surprising the princely probabilities Of
her lord and master.
1T was this way" Billy was say
ing i'm his own inimitable manner and
awake to the realization Of having
good one" to tell. a few days ago the
lady of my house took wings for New
York-a little spree of her own, you
understand. And. for Billy Fernmore,
/ kept out o. mischief for a time fairly
well After waiting days, lamblike. for
her return, restlessness and here
FernmOres 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 I'm the
general chorus estlessness 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 innocentsw FernmOre threw
himself back in his chair and roared
at the recollection.
"Billy's wonder when he's wound
upr' Medford's whispered aside to
the lady on his right met with a sim
pie nod Of the head; for despite Miss
Clegg's we'll feigned interest in Mr.
Medford when Rigby was present on
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,
q doddering banker and a half blind
college professor. OF course / had to
make some excuse for Mrs. Fernmores
absence. For the life of me / cannot
now remember what yarn told them,
but they were too anxious to 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 a lively sup
per party-my word! And they went
bone unanimously declaring that the
debutantes Of the present day dis
counted, at least in dash and go, the
charmers of fifty years ago"
Amidst the confusion Of peals Of