I am sick of
pleasure, of jewels, of travel, of society, of luxuries of all
kinds."
"I always had an idea," ventured the young man, hesitatingly, "that
money must be a pretty good thing."
"A competence is to be desired. But when you have so many millions
that--!" She concluded the sentence with a gesture of despair. "It
is the monotony of it," she continued, "that palls. Drives, dinners,
theatres, balls, suppers, with the gilding of superfluous wealth over
it all. Sometimes the very tinkle of the ice in my champagne glass
nearly drives me mad."
Mr. Parkenstacker looked ingenuously interested.
"I have always liked," he said, "to read and hear about the ways of
wealthy and fashionable folks. I suppose I am a bit of a snob. But I
like to have my information accurate. Now, I had formed the opinion
that champagn is cooled in the bottle and not by placing ice in the
glass."
The girl gave a musical laugh of genuine amusement.
"You should know," she explained, in an indulgent tone, "that we of
the non-useful class depend for our amusement upon departure from
precedent. Just now it is a fad to put ice in champagne. The idea
was originated by a visiting Prince of Tartary while dining at the
Waldorf. It will soon give way to some other whim. Just as at a
dinner party this week on Madison Avenue a green kid glove was
laid by the plate of each guest to be put on and used while eating
olives."
"I see," admitted the young man, humbly.
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