The San Francisco call., 1904-07-24

It that the characteristic of the
age is Make Believe. He argues
that all social intercourse is
founded on make believe. A servant
enters 10 say that Mr.. and Mrs. Bore
are in the drawing-room. "Oh.
damn" says the man. "Hushi" saws
the woman. shut the door, Susan.
How often am 1 TO tell you never to
leave the door open?" The man creeps
upstairs on tiptOe and shuts himself
UP in his study. The woman does
things before a looking glass, waits
till. by force Of viii, she feels she is
sufficiently mistress of herself not to
show her feelings. and then enters the
draWing-room with outStretched
hands, and the look of one welcoming
an angels visit She says how de-
lighted she is TO see the Bores; how
good IL was Of them TO come. Why
did they not bring more Bores with
them? Where is naughty Bore junior?
Why does he never come TO see her
now; she viii have TO be really angry
with him. And sweet little Flossie
Bore2 Too young TO pay calls! Nom
sense, An at home" day is not worth
having where all the Bores are not.
The Bores. who had hoped that she
was out who have only called because
the etiquette book told them that they
must call at least four times in the
season, explain how they have been
trying and trying TO come This after
noon, recOunts Mrs. Bore, we were
determined 10 come. John, dear
said this morning, I shall go and see
dear Mrs. Bounder this afternoon, no
matter what happens. The idea con-
veyed is that the Prince of Wales. on
calling al the Bores has been told that
he cannot come in. He can call again
in the evening or he can come some
other day. This afternoon the Bores
are going TO enjoy themselves in their
own way; they are going to see Mrs.
Bounder And how is Mr.. BGunder?"
demands Mrs. Bore. Airs. Bounder re-
mains mute for a moment. straining
her ears. She can hear him creeping
past the door on his way downstairs.
She hears the front door softly opened
ard closed-to. She wakes. as from a
dream. She has been thinking Of the
sorrow that win fau on Bounder when
he returns home later and learns what
he has missed.
And thus il is. not only with the
Bores and Bounders, but even with us
who are not Bores or BOunders. So
ciety in all ranks is founded on the
make believe that everybody is charm
ing- that we are delighted TO see
everybody; that everybody is delight
ed TO see Us; that il is so good of
everybody 10 come. that we are desc
late at the thought that they really
must go now Which would we rather
do. stop and finish our cigar, or hasten
into the drawing 10 hear Miss
Screecher sing2 Can you ask US? We
tumble over each other in our hurry.
Miss Screecher would rather not sing
But II We insist-we do insist, Miss
Screecher. with pretty reluctance con-
sents. We are careful not TO look at
one another. We sit with our eyes
hxed on the ceiling Miss Screecher
finishes and arises. But, it was so
short" we say. so soon as we can be
heard above the applause. Is Miss
Screecher quite sure that was the
whole of it2 Or has she been playing
tricks upon US. the naughty lady. de-
frauding us Of a verse? Miss Screecher
assures US that the fault is the COM
posers. But she knows another. At
this hint. our faces tighten again with
gIsdness. we clamor FOR more. our
host wine is always the most extra
ordinary we have ever tasted. No. not
another glass: we dare not-doctor's
orders very strict. Our hosts cigar2
We did not know they made such
cigars in this wOrkaday world. No,
we really could rot smoke another.
Wei. II he VIII be SO pressing, may
we pat Z in our pocket2 The truth is
we are not used TO high smoking. Our
hostess coffee Would she confde TO
us her secret2 The baby. We hardly
trust ourselves to speak The usual
baby. we have seen il. AS a rule, TO
be candid. we never could detect much
beauty in babies-have always held
the usual gush about them to be insin-
cere But this baby, We are almost
on the point Of asking them where
they got it. II is just the kind we
wanted FOR ourselves. Little Janets
recitation. n Visit to the Dentist"
Hitherto the amateur reciter has not
APPEALED To us \ But this is genius
surely she ought 10 be trained for
the stage. We plead for the stage
that il may not be deprived Of such
talent. Every bride is beautiful. Every
bride looks charming in a simple cos
tune-for further particulars see para
graph.
with our wine glass in our hand we
picture the beautiful life we know to
be in store for them: how can il be
otherwise. She the daughter of her
mother (cheers); he-well, We all know
him lnore cheers. also involuntary guf-
faw from il-regulated young man at
end Of table, promptly suppressed. We