Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-19

der faSclnatlng natS, gay as HoWerS in a flower show, parterre above par terre of brilliant blossoms. And they had all been grown In honor of us.
 There was wild waving of hand kerchiefs on the ship and a frantic fiuttering of white among the flowers, as if flock of butterflies had been frightened up into the air. Still we were a long time getting In, and 1 grew quite impatient. But finally Louise, who had attended to my pack ing, took charge of my handbag, my sunshade and coat. with her mistress and Miss Woodburn's things. The moment had come to bid the ship goodby
 "Now," said Mrs. Ess Kay, slipping her arm into mine, T wonder, dear child, If you would mind being left alone to deal with the custom house people? You'd stand under your own letter B. of course"
 "Oh, Katherine, do you think even Letter B, which sounds so like warn ing to young men, proper chaperon for a duchess daughter?" exclaimed Sally Woodburn.
 I laughed. but Mrs. Ess Kay didn't She evidently considers things connect ed with the American custom house no fit subject for frivolity. She went on without answering: I'm under K and Sally w We'll both have all we can attend to wrestling with our own fends, and Louise will be just as busy But you're British subject, on a short visit to this country, and they won't be as diabolical to you, dear. did all the swearing necessary for you in the saloon with my own when the tiresome man came on board, and there's really nothing left for you to bother with on the dock except to open your boxes and say you have nothing to declare"
 I was glad that since profanity had been called for in the saloon owing tG the tiresomeness of man 1t had been Mrs. Ess Kay who was obliged to give vent to 1t, not I; but l felt rather de frauded that I couldn't have heard, and I wondered If she had gone so far as to mention damn" All I said out loud, however, was that l was sure l could manage very we'll in the docks, and Mrs. Ess Kay appeared much re. lieved That's perfectly sweet of you, Betty" she said, launching a daggery glance at poor inoffensive Sally for some reason which I couldn't under stand II hope you won't think I'm horrid not to have asked you to label your baggage K so it could go with mine It's better not, for every one concerned. I'll explain afterward why, and Louise shall take you to B."
 Louise did take me to B." which they had thoughtfully printed very large and black on wooden wall of the dock in row with all the other letters of the alphabet. A good many people from the ship were collecting beneath theirs, as if they were animals getting ready to join the procession for the ark under the heading of ''cat" or elephant" as the case might be, and they all seemed worried and apprehen- sive, as you do at the dentists even when you try to distract your mind by looking at the pictures in Punch.
 Louise put my bag on the wooden floor and folded my coat on it. "Miladi will do well to sit down." said she. Tt may be that the baggage do not come immediatement." With this she hustled away to the Louise rabbit war ren, wherever it was, leaving me to the tender mercies of fellow "B's," who began to swarm around me and buzz distractedly.
 l subsided on the bag, which was very like sitting on the floor. But 1t was stifing down there among peo- ple's feet, Besides. mine soon got pins and needless So presently I popped up like Jack out of his box and almost knocked off a mans nose with the crown of my hat.
 I said, 'I beg your pardon" though what the nose was doing so near the top of my head I couldn't conceive un- til it's owner Gumbling with one hand for his handkerchief to stanch drop of blood and snatching of his straw hat with the other. already full of notebooks and things) blurted out abruptly. Are you Lady BulkeleyT'
 I was surprised,
 ''No,'' said I, I'm Lady Betty Bulke- ley"
 That's all right" said the nose man as if he forgave me for being myself. ''I didn't know but you'd want to be called Lady Bulkeley by strangers"
 Tt isn't my name" I said, more puzzled than ever would have tried to be dignified. as he was a perky looking young man in an alpaca coat. But when you have just made per sons nose bleed with your hat 1t would seem unfeeling to be so frigid, though I believe an application of ice is supposed to be beneficial
 Shall cali you Lady Betty then?" asked the man. batting his nose with his handkerchief, which luckily for my nerves had already a pattern Of pink dots on it. !,
 T don't see why you should call me said I.
 With that he produced card with a whole string of words printed on It and pOked it under my eyes. T was just going to introduce myself, he Il ..I r.nnrnrnr,t fha \pw E0rk