The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-08
SOME NEW AMERICAN STORIES
Produced by q Combination Of Nswsps
pen. and Published Ssriallx
in Pats Every Sunday.
tospyrisAs, I'M, " Hssry Ssasaj
p A N D Q r A.
BY HENRY JANIS.
sE coND PAnf.

ny HENRY JAxlOs
SECOND PARf.
vo9elstein went wherever he vas asked, On
principle. partly IN study American society End
partly because 10 Washington pastimee seemed
to him not 90 numerous that one could afford
TO neglect occasions. or course. At the end Of
two winters he had good many OF various
kinds and his study OF American society had
yieldsd considerable fruit When. howsvsv. in
April. during the second year Of his residence.
he presented himself at large party givea b.
By Mrs. Donnyoastle. and Of which II was b.
isved that It would be the last serious afIAlr Of
the season. his being thers land stlil more he
looking very fresh and talkative) was not the
consequence OF a.rule Of conduct He went 70
Mrs. Bonnyoastle's simply because he liked the
lady whose receptions wsrs the plsasantsst IN
Washington. and because II he didn't 20 there
he didn't know what he should do: that %.
sence Of alternatives had become rather 70.
milisr to him In Washington. There were q
great many things he did because II be didnV
do them be didn't know what he should DO. lt
must b. added that In this case. sven II there
had been an alternative. he would still
have decided to 60 to Mrs.. Bonnycas.
ties. II her house was not The pleas.
ATTEST there. It was at least didlcult
to say which was plsnsantsr: and the com.
plaint sometimes made OF It that II was too
limited that It left out on the whole. more
people than Il took In. applied with much lees
force when 1t was thrown open for general
party. Toward tho end OF tho social rear. II
those soft. scented days OF the Washington
spring. when the air began TO show southern
glow. and the little squares and circles Ito
which the wide. empty avenues convereed ~.
cording To plan 40 ingenious. yet 20 bswilder.
ingl to aush with pink blossom and 70 make
one wish to sit on benches-at this period OF
expansion and conformation. Mrs. Donnycsstle.
who. during tho winter. had been GOOD deal
on the defensive. relaxed her vigilance little.
became humorously inconsistent vsrnally
reckless. as 1t were and ceased to calculate the
consequences Of an hospitality which . ref.
erence to the back flles-or even to tho morn.
ing's issue-of newspapers might easily show
to be q mistake. But Washington life. to vo-
gelstein's apprehension. was paved with mis-.
takes; he felt himself to be In . society which
was founded on necessary errors. Little ad-
dlcted rs he was to tho sportive view OF exist.
ence. he had said to himself. at an carly stare
OF his sojourn. that tho only way to enjoy the
United States would be to burn ones standards
and warm ones self at the blaze. Such were
the reflections Of theoretic Teuton.
who now walked. for the most part amid
tho ashes OF his preiudioes. Mrs. Bonny.
castle had ondesvored more thaa once
to explain to him tho PRINCIPLES on which che
received certain people and ignored certain
others; but It was with difficulty that he
entered into her Determinations. She per.
oeived differences where he only saw rs-
semblanoes. and both tho merits and defects Of
q good many members Of Washington society,
rs that society was interpreted to him By Mrs.
Bonnycastle. he was often ct . loss to under
stand. Fortunately she had fund Of GOOD
humor which, as have intimated Was apt r.
como uppermost with the April blossoms. ana
which made the peonle she did not invite to boz
house almost rs amusing to her A. thoss abe
did. Her husband was not In politics. though
politics were much In him; but the couple had
taken upon themselves the responsibilities Of
an active patriotism; they thought 1t right y
live IN America. differing therein from grsaa
many OF their acQuaintances. who only thought
It pleasant. They had that burdensome herit.
age Of foreign Renaissance with which 20
many Americans are sAddled; but they carried
1t more easily than most Of their country
people. and you knew thcy had lived In Europe
only By their present exultation. never In tina
were only for their ever having lived there.
~ Mrs. Bonnycastle once told the wife
Of foreign Minister. They solved all
their problems successfully including those
Of knowing mono Of tho people they did
not wish to; and OF finding plenty OF occu.
patton In society supposed to b. meagrsly
provided with resources for persons Of leisure.
When. as tho warm weather approached. they
opened both the wings Of their door. Il was
because they thought 1t would entertain them.
and not because they were conscious OF . prss-
sure. Alfred Bonnycastle all winter. indeed.
chsfed q little At the dsaniteness Of some OF bis
wlfes reserves: he thought that. for Washing-
ton. their society was really a little too GOOD.
Vogelstein still remembered the puzzled feel
Ing lit had cleared up somewhat now) with
which, more than year before. no had heard
Mr.. Bonnycastle exclaim one evening. after
dinner in his own house. when every guest bat
the German secretary (who often sat late with
tho pair) had departed: Hang 1t. thers 10 only
month left; lat US have some fun-let u In.
vito the President"
This was Mrs. Donnycastlo's carnival, and ON
the occasion to which began my little chapter
BY referring. tho President had not only been
invited. but had slGnlfled his intention Of being
present. hasten to add that this Was not the
same functionRry to whom Alfred Bonnycas.
ties rreverent allusion had been made. The
White House had received q new tenant tho
old one. then. was Just leaving IT, and Otto
Vogelstein had had the advantage during tho
first eighteen months OF his stay In America. OF
seeIng An electoral campaign. . Preai.
Dental Inauguration. and . distribution
OF spells. He had boon bewildered.
during those frat weeks. by finding that In the
national capital. In the houses that he sup.
posed to bs the best. tho head OF thu State was
not coveted guest; for this could be the only
vpla ~ Mr. tiasa