Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-24
Lady Betty
Across the Water
BY c. N. & A. M. WILLIAMSON
Copyrsb. 1906 Mcclure PbMioS "a Co.

big Hudson river boats | had heard
about, for we were to travel luxuri-
ously in little steam yacht of Pot
ter's, which he calls the Poached Egg
because it can't be beaten. 1t is not
vulgar yacht, as one might have
thought from the name, but dainty
thing that ought to have been the But
terf1y, Ye White Ladye or something
of that sort. When l said so. Mr..
Parker insisted that he would at once
rechristen her Lady Betty. which
would have n prettier meaning than
anything else, and then Il was sorry
I'd spoken.
1 had expected to be disappointed in
the river, because nearly everybody
met on board ship tried to impress
upon me that we had nothing half so
good in England, while as for the
Rhine, it wasn't patch on the Hud-
son. l even wanted to be disappointed,
out of patriotism or spite, which are
much the same thing sometimes, but
couldn't. l found the Hudson too
grand for petty jealousy. 1t seemed to
me like 4 great, noble poem. rolling on
and on in splendid cadences. and l
have heard some music of Wagner's
that it reminded me of somehow.
The hills or mountains-Fm not sure
which TO call them-even the Palisades
which have been so dinned into my
ears, were not high enough to satisfy
me at Il first glance, but soon l saw
that it was their grouping and their.
narfnct I'm finn m nopIN
other which made them so exquisite.
AS we steamed on along the green and
golden flood between banks that APP
peared to fall back in admiration l be-
gan to love the Hudson so much that
could have shrieked with rage at the
great staring advertisements on hoard
ings. What can the scenery have done
y Americans that they should do their
best to spoil it? No wonder most OF
them come over to see ours, which we
have the sense to let alone even If it
crumbles.
Sally and Mr.. Parker laughed at my
fury, but | didn't see how they could
take it so calmly. 1T isn't my seen
cry, so / don't trouble myself" said
Potter VIXEN | asked why he didn't got
up secret night expedition to burn or
chop down all the hoardings. But I'm
sure English people aren't careless Ike
! that. Each person thinks the good OF
| the whole country is his businesses a;
least one would suppose so by the way
| everybody who comes to Battlemead
! talks politics and affairs OF public in
| terest morning, noon and night. II
| seems, though. in America only police
| men and people who live in Washing
ton care about politics really except (
| get benefits for themselves. and it isn't
good form TO be too much interested in
| such things.
Victoria would like this rule. for she
has confessed to me that political
| questions bore her, and she wOult
| much rather be talked to about love
or motoring or even bridge. but she
| always reads the newspapers hard fol
| fifteen minutes while Thompson doe:
her hair. If she's going out to biz
lunch or dinner, so that she will be III
in everything and able to talk bril-
Iiantly to members of parliament OF
stuffy old things in the house of lords.
l Gained down somewhat after IL
| recovered from the first shock. Their,
was so much to admire that it seemed
shame to fret. Besides, it was sooth
ing TO sit on the yachts deck under {
pale green awning. drinking what
call a lemon squash and Potter ant
Sally obstinately believe to be lemon
ade. While Mrs. Ess Kay argrily reat
nasty paragraphs about herself ant
hilariously about her friends in a rec
ular highwayman of a paper. Smar
Sayings, Sally WOODBURY. told m,
charming legends Of the Hudson. dea
old Dutch things, most of them, which
had been made into plays and poems
and l was sorry when we came t.
West Point at last
But l wasn't sorry for long TIL
minute we got ON shore at q quaint lit
tie landing showed anonymously II
among beautiful wooded hills, the mos
exquisite scents of ferns and trees ant
sweet, moist earth came hurryin,
down to welcome us. Elton is not NOR,
beautiful than West Point, and as w
drove up the hill. under an arbor o
trees-I saw that the buildings cleverl'