acquaintances, and not a few strangers begged of us to accept large
amounts of money for speculative operations at our discretion.
Large consumers discontinued asking us for quotations and sent us
their orders without limit as to price. So great was the confidence of
the consuming trade in our judgment that a letter from us advising
them to cover their requirements for any specified period never
failed to bring the orders.

With our speculative clients this was even more pronounced. We had
but to say "Buy," and they bought; "Sell," and they sold. All this
was a great responsibility and we realized it, never forgetting
that only the utmost conservatism would maintain our position. That
I was proud of that position was only natural.

Business activity was maintained until the close of the year, and
again I had made a record. My profits were thirty-six thousand
dollars.

Our social life at Knollwood this year had been going on at a rapid
pace and its more formal character began to take shape.

The frequent pleasant little dinner-parties of four to six couples,
where bright and entertaining conversation was general, had gone
through a course of evolution and become functions where two or
three times the number sat at the board and struggled through so many
courses that one became wearied of sitting still. Those enjoyable
amateur dramatic performances, followed by light refreshment and
a couple of hours' dancing, had been displaced by the grand ball
with its elaborate supper. But there still remained one feature,
unique and delightful: