well pleased with the enthusiastic praises Presbury and
his wife lavished upon the food and drink. He would
have been better pleased had they preceded and followed
every mouthful with a eulogy. He supplemented their
compliments with even more fulsome compliments, adding
details as to the origin and the cost.

``Darcy''--this to the butler--``tell the chef that
this fish is the best yet--really exquisite.'' To
Presbury: ``I had it brought over from France--alive,
of course. We have many excellent fish, but I like a
change now and then. So I have a standing order with
Prunier--he's the big oyster- and fish-man of Paris--
to send me over some things every two weeks by special
express. That way, an oyster costs about fifty cents
and a fish about five or six dollars.''

To Mrs. Presbury: ``I'll have Darcy make you and
Miss Presbury--excuse me, Miss Gower--bouquets
of the flowers afterward. Most of them come from
New York--and very high really first-class flowers are.
I pay two dollars apiece for my roses even at this
season. And orchids--well, I feel really extravagant
when I indulge in orchids as I have this evening. Ten
dollars apiece for those. But they're worth it.''

The dinner was interminably long--upward of
twenty kinds of food, no less than five kinds of wine;
enough served and spoiled to have fed and intoxicated a
dozen people at least. And upon every item of food