The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1914-04-25
CHAPTER ~.
While the Mob Waited.

The next day but one, in the huge
| old-fashioned mansion OF the Wran-
dalls in lower Fifth avenue, in the
drawing-room directly beneath the
chamber in which Challis was born,
the impressive but grimly conventional
funeral services we're held.
Contrasting sharply with the SOM
Der, absolutely correct atmosphere of
the gloomy interior was the exterior
display OF joyous curiosity that must
have Jared severely on the high-bred
sensibilities of the chief mourners. not
to speak of the invited guests who
had been obliged to pass between rows
Of gaping bystanders in order to reach
the portals Of the house of grief, and
who must have reckoned with extreme
distaste the cost of subsequent de-
parture. A dozen raucous-voiced po-
licemen were employed to keep back
the hundreds that thronged the side
walk and blocked the street. Curiosity
was rampant. Ever since the moment
that the body of Challis Wrandall was
carried into the house Of his father, a
motley, varying crowd of people shift
ed restlesely in front of the mansion,
filled with gruesome interest in the abb
solutely unseen, animated by the sly
hope that something sensational might
happen if they waited long enough.
Motor after motor, carriage after
carriage, rolled up to the curb and
emptied its sober-faced, self-conscious
occupants in front of the door with
the great black bow; with each arrival
the crowd surged forward, and names
were uttered In undertones, passing
from lip to lip until every one in the
street knew that Mr.. So-and-So, Mrs.
This-or-That, the What-Do- You-Call-
Ems and others of the city's most ex-
elusive but most garishly advertised
society leaders had entered the house
of mourning. 1t was great show for
the plebeian spectators. Much better
than Miss So-and-Sos wedding, said
one woman who had attended the
aforesaid ceremony as unit In the
well-dressed mob that almost wrecked
the carriages in the desire to see the
terrified bride. Better than a circus,
ter above the heads of the crowd 80
that she might see the fine lady in a
wild-beast fur. SWEETEST funeral New
York ever had, remarked another, ex-
cepting one way back when he was a
kid.
At the corner below stood two pa
troll wagons, also waiting.
Inside the house sat the carefully
selected guests, hushed and stiff and
gratihed. (Not because they were at
tending a funeral, but because the oc-
casion served to separate them from
the chaff; they were the elect.) 1t
would be going too far to intimate that
they were proud of themselves. but 1t
is not stretching 1t very much to say
that they counted noses with consider
able satisfaction and were glad that
they had not been left out. The real,
high-water mark In New York society
was established at this memorable
function. AS one after the other ar
rived and was ushered into the huge
drawing-room, he or she was accorded
congratulatory look from those al
ready assembled, tribute returned
with equal amiability. Each one noted
who else was there, and each one said
TO himself that at last they really had
something all to themselves. 1t was
truly a pleasure, a relief, to be able
to do something without being pushed
about by people who didn't belong but
thought they did. They sat back
stifny, OF course--and In utter stiffness
confessed that there could be such a
thing as the survival OF tho fittsst.
Yes. there wasn't nose there that
couldn't be counted with perfect se-
renity. II was notable occasion.
Mn wrandall. the elder had made
out the mn aba dId not consult her
ughter-In.law n lhe nstscr. Il d