Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-18

corks.
 I danced into our stateroom, where only drawn curtain covers the open doorway. No one was there. and the cabin was so quiet that it seemed to greet me with a warning Ssh"
 Down fell my spirits with duH thud, though I didn't know why. My joyousness changed to what story book writers describe as "foreboding of disaster but when have it it's gen. erally connected with lecture from mother, so I know it only as a sneaky T haven't eaten the cream" sort of feeling.
 Just as had begun to take off my frock Louise appeared at the door which leads into the little drawing room. She said that if I pleased madam would be glad to see me in her cabin. I hurried across to the other stateroom opposite to ours and there found Mrs. Ess Kay in gor- geously embroidered pink satin Japa- nese thing which she calls kimona. She was sitting in a chair in front of the makeshift dressing table putting on her rings and clasping bracelets on her wrists with vicious snaps. Sal ly, who hadn't begun to dress, was standing up looking almost cross- that is. with different features from hers she might have succeeded in looking cross.
 "sit down. Betty, please, I want to talk to you," said Mrs. Ess Kay.
 Somehow it always makes me feel stiff when she "Betty's" me, as my old nurse says it does with your ears If you eat broad beans.
 'If I do I shall be late for dinner" said I, just as if minute ago hadn't been dying to pour out my news.
 "Never mind dinner, my dear girl" replied Mrs. Ess Kay, with an air which I do believe she tried to copy from mother. What have to say is more important than dinner. I hope what have been hearing isn't true"
 That depends upon what it was," retorted, disguising my pertness with a smile.
 Don't think I've been tattling," said Sally. Whatever my faults may be. I haven't rubber neck"
 I didn't know in the least what she meant But afterward she explained that if your neck is always pivoting around to pry into other peoples af- fairs 1t is a rubber neck. and I shall remember the expression to tell Stan when I go home. He will like to add it to his collection of strange beasts.
 Mrs. Ess Kay partly turned her back upon Sally. "trhe dear duchess" (she always speaks of mother in that way, "the dear duchess has intrusted you to my charge, Betty, and don't know what I shall do if you take advantage of me by playing naughty tricks when- ever I am incapacitated from chape- roning you for half an hour."
 One would have thought I was a trained dog! I simply stared with saul cer eyes, and she went on. Mrs. Col lingwood came in to inquire for my headache. and she told Ve that you have been running about begging for money to give to a common man in the steerage. I sent instantly for Sal ly, but she either knows or pretends to know nothing"
 I rushed into explanations, sure that when Mrs. Ess Kay understood 1 should be pronounced mot guilty" But, to my surprise, her chin grew squarer and squarer and her eyes harder and lighter till they looked al- most white.
 Il don't want to be harsh," she said at last in the tone people use when they're walking on the ragged edge of their patience. but for the duchess sake I must be firm. It was very wrong of Tommy Doremus to let you make yourself so conspicuous. This may lead to your being dreadfully misunderstood and putting yourself and all of us al false position. The man may be butcher, for all you know"
 Ills complexion isn't pink and white enough for a butchers" said l. Be sides, I thought that in America one man was as good as another"
 You were never more mistaken in your life. my dear girl, and the sooner you correct such an impression the better or you may get into serious trouble from which 1 can't save you If the steerage man isn't a butcher, he's probably a professional swimmer and the whole thing was scheme te advertise himself. In fact, l am pret ty certain from what Mrs. Ceiling wood said 1t was that. And I want you to promise me solemnly that you will not go around helping to adver tise the creature any more. If you say you admire such person, people will think you're like the matinee girls who wait at stage doors and run aftel actors"
 was so angry that I talked back" and it finally ended in our relations being somewhat strained at dinner which ruined my appetite until pc culiariy soothing iced. pudding came