A BIRTHDAY DINNER


"The Little Sons of the Rich" were gathered about the long table
in Pettingill's studio. There were nine of them present, besides
Brewster. They were all young, more or less enterprising, hopeful,
and reasonably sure of better things to come. Most of them bore
names that meant something in the story of New York. Indeed, one
of them had remarked, "A man is known by the street that's named
after him," and as he was a new member, they called him "Subway."

The most popular man in the company was young "Monty" Brewster. He
was tall and straight and smooth-shaven. People called him "clean-
looking." Older women were interested in him because his father
and mother had made a romantic runaway match, which was the talk
of the town in the seventies, and had never been forgiven. Worldly
women were interested in him because he was the only grandson of
Edwin Peter Brewster, who was many times a millionaire, and Monty
was fairly certain to be his heir--barring an absent-minded gift
to charity. Younger women were interested for a much more obvious
and simple reason: they liked him. Men also took to Monty because
he was a good sportsman, a man among men, because he had a decent
respect for himself and no great aversion to work.

His father and mother had both died while he was still a child,
and, as if to make up for his long relentlessness, the grandfather
had taken the boy to his own house and had cared for him with what
he called affection. After college and some months on the
continent, however, Monty had preferred to be independent. Old Mr.