Chapter I: Book ONE: The Time-Killers

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I Of time-killing in the French and English manner--and of ancient and modern American time-slaughterers 3

II Of the passage from winter to summer in one day’s time--and of the habitat of some rare specimens 8

III Of the peculiar differences between two sides of a lake--of money odors--and of the questers after Charley Schwab 13

IV Of the apotheosis of the bicycle--of the uses of wheel-chairs--and of the mental activities of chair-chauffeurs 18

V Of the telegram-expecters--of the date-guessers--and of the statistic weevils 22

VI Of the changing of clothes--of the way they wear ’em--and of the females of the dress-ferret species 26

VII Of the fascinations of the beach--of the sand-hounds from Odessa and elsewhere--and of prudes and stylish stouts 30

VIII Of the Three Day Suckers--of true smartness--and of the Buckwheats and the dead line 36

IX Of the smartest thing in Palm Beach--of large amounts of money--and of the Old Guard 41

X Of those who wish to crash into society--and of those who furnish the palpitating society items 47

XI Of the Alibi Window--of the trick flasks and canes--of drinkers frail and fat--and of one conception of simplicity 50

XII Of nuts in the Coconut Grove--of Bradley’s--of the relaxation and amusement of the Beach Club-fellows--and of gambling in general 55

XIII Of the divergences between Bradley’s and Monte Carlo--of the idiosyncrasies of the little white pill--of the oddities of fat players--of time-killing pastimes--and of the wisdom of Dionysius the Elder 62