The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-06-04
CHAPTER w,
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
drawingroom directly beneath the
chamber in which Challis was born,
funeral services were 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 restlessly in front of the mansion,
filled with gruesome interest in the alb
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 it's sober-faced, self-conscious
occupants in front of the door with
the great black bow; with each arrival
the crowd surged forward, and names
we're 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-Y ou-Call
Ems and others of the citys most ex
elusive but most garishly advertised
| society leaders had entered the house
of mourning. 1t was great show fol
the plebeian spectators. Much better
than Miss So-and-So's wedding, said
one woman VINO had attended the
| aforesaid ceremony as a unit In the
well-dressed mob that almost wrecked
the carriages in the desire to see the
terrified bride. Better than a circus
said a man who held his little daugh
| ter above the heads of the crowd sc
that she might see the fine lady in &
wild-beast fur. SWEETEST funeral New
York ever had, remarked another, ex
cepting one way back when he was &
| kid.
At the corner below stood two pa
troll wagons, also waiting.
Inside the house sat the carefully
selected guests, hushed and stiff ane
gratified (Not because they were at
tending a funeral, but because the &C
casion served to separate them from
the chaff; they we're the elect)
would be going too far to intimate tina
they were proud of themselves, but i
is not stretching it very much to sa.
that they counted noses with consider
able satisfaction and we're glad tina
they had not been left out The real
high-water mark in New York societ.
was esta blished at this memorable
function. AS one after. the other ar
rived and was ushered into the hug
congratulatory look from those al
ready assembled, a tribute returne.
with equal amiability. Each one note'
who else was there, and each one sai'
to himself that at last they really hat
something all to themselves. 1t wa
truly a pleasure, a relief, to be abb
to do something without being pushe'
about by people who didn't belong bu
thought they did. They sat back
stif1y, of course-and in utter stiffness
confessed that there could be such
thing as the survival of the f1ttest
Yes, there wasn't a nose there tina
couldn't be counted with perfect sc
renity. It was a notable occasion.
Mrs. Wrandall, the elder, had mad
out the list She did not consult he
, daughter-in-lav Ia the matter 1t