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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916. Excerpt: ... XXIII IN WHICH MR. O'CONNOR ENTERS SOCIETY.--EM-BARRASSING ENCOUNTER WITH A WOODEN BUTLER.--HAPPY TERMINATION OF THE CALL "TvEVERY'S Livery Stable was noted for L/ the refinement, the excellence of its equipages. The happy bride, in veil and ribbons, felt her marital voyage to be safer if begun in one of Devery's barouches. The bereaved mourner, traveling with drawn curtains to the tomb, experienced a certain assuagement of grief in the thought that Devery was conducting the departed. In joy or sorrow, Devery was the man. But never, in all the history of Devery's, had there been such a vehicular triumph as that which wafted Mr. O'Connor into the upper circles of society. Mr. Fogarty had ordered the best, and Devery's best was of a superlative quality. Moreover, Devery was a Democrat. At four precisely of the following afternoon, there drew up before the Van Zandt residence in Gramercy Park North, an open coach such as might have borne a King to his coronation. Attached to the coach were two coal-black steeds, decorated with red ribbons, whose shining coats more than atoned for the slight boniness of their bodies, the obvious profusion of their ribs. Upon the rear seat of the carriage, one arm flung nonchalantly across the back of it, reclined a huge gentleman in frock-coat and silk hat, whose carelessly crossed legs displayed gray trousers with a stripe, whose face wore an expression of heroic ease. As the equipage drew up to the curb with a loud "Whoa, there!" from the driver, which seemed to be superfluous, the huge gentleman got up, smoothed the skirts of his coat, and stood, a statue of refinement, while the driver climbed down and, according to previous rehearsal, opened the door for his distinguished passenger. "Drive up and down in front of the hou...