It had been a great night for nudging and staring. The 800 people in the Waldorf-Astoria's Grand Ballroom had paid $250 apiece for dinner, and taken a certain clinical interest in one another. An army of waiters had produced a series of gastronomic spectacles, from turtle soup to brandied cherries.
But the biggest moment was yet to come. To insure the success of the banquet held to raise money for the Al Smith Memorial Hospital Fundevery ticket holder had been promised a chance to win a genuine 109-carat diamond.
When the dishes were cleared, waiters distributed paper & pencils at every table....
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
