The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-02-24
1Confipued.1


''sha doesn't know what she
wants:'' he roared. "Where is she
going on the day of the balI?'
ITO New York;
by CAD, PII-I'Ii see about that
he grated s1'lI see that she doesn't
leave the grounds il I have to put
guards at every gate. She's got to be
reasonable What does she think I'm
putting sixteen millions into the
Hrasstork treasury for? She's got to
stay here for the ball Why, it would
be 8 crime for her to-but what's the
use Of talking about it? She'll be
here, and she'll lead the grand march
With the prince. I've got it all''-
tsWell, you'll have to talk to her.
I'VE done all that I can do. She
swears she won't marry a man she's
never seem
In order ito get on with the nara
tive. shall be as brief as possible in
the matter of the Blitherwood ball.
In the first place. mere words would
prove to be not only feeble. but ae-
tua1Iy out of place. Any attempt to
define the sensation of awe by re-
course to a dictionary would put one
in the ridiculous position of seeking
the unattainable. The word has its
meaning, of course, but the sensation
itself is quite another thing. AS ev-.
cry one who attended the ball was
hIted with awe. which he tried to put
forward as admiration, the attitude
of the guest was no more limp than
that of the chronic1er. In the second
Mace, am not qualified by expert
ence or imagination to describe a ball
that stood its promoter not a penny
short Of one hundred thousand dol
lars. believe could go as high as a
ffteen or even twenty thousand dol
lar affair with some sort of intelli-
gence, but anything beyond those fig
ures renders me void and useless.
Mr. BIithers not only ran 8 special
train de luxe from New York city,
but another from Washington and
still another from Newport, for it ap-
pears that the Newporters at the last
minute couldn't bear the idea of go
ing to the metropolis out of season.
He actually had to take them around
the city in such way that they were
not even Obliged to submit to q
glimpse of the remotest outskirts of
the Bronx
From Washington came an amazing
company of foreign ladies and gentle
men, ranging from the most exalted
low races They came with gold all
ever them; they tfnkled with the
clash of a million cymbaIs. The pres
ident of the United States almost
enmeN Having no spangles Of his own,
he delegated major general and a
rear admiral to represent Old Glory,
and no doubt sulked ia the White
House because parsimonious nation
refuses to buy braid and buttons for
Its chief executive.
In order to deliver his guests at the
doors Of Blitherwood, SO to speak, the
iucomprehensibie Mr. Blithers had a
temporary spur of track laid from
the station two miles away. employ
ing no fewer than thousand men to
do the work in forty-eight hours.
work ON q terminal extension in New
York was delayed for week or more
In order that he might borrow the
rails. ties and work trains.
Two hundred and fifty, preeious and
skiIlfu1Iy selected guests ate two hun
dred and fifty gargantuan dinners
and twice az many suppers; drank
barrels of the rarest OF wines; smoked
countless two dollar perfeetos and
stuffed their pockets with enough to
last them for days to come.
A great many mothers inspected
Prince Robin with interest and con-
Ressed to really genuineA enthusi-
assn. The ruler of Graustark Gour-
Afths of the guests asked where in
the world it wasl) was the lion of
the day. MIR. Blithers was annoyed
because he did not wear his crown,
but was somewhat moIlifed by the
information that he had neglected to
bring It along with him in his trav-
els
Exercising potentate's preroga-
tive. Prince Robin left the scene of
fastfvfty somewhat earlier than was
expected As matter of fact. he de-
parted shortly after 1. Moreover.
being prince, it did not occur to
him to offer any excuse for leaving SO
early, bat gracefully thanked his
Ecgs and hostess and took himself of
without the customary assertion that
he had had a splendid time. Strange
10 say, he did not offer a single COM
ment on the sumptuousneas OF the
affair that had been given in his
honor Mr.. BlitheEs couldn't get over
that.
Except for one heaTtrending Incl
dent, the Blitherwood ball was the
most satisfying event in the lives OF
mr.. and Mrs. William W. Blithers.
That incident, however, happened to
be tho hasfy and we'll managed fight
of Maud AppEegate Blithers at an
zsm fndednItsay p1aced somewhere