Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-24

good in England. while as for the Rhine. 1t wasn't patch on the Hud- son. even wanted to be disappointed, out of patriotism or spite. which arc much the same thing sometimes. but I couldn't. found the Hudson too grand for petty jealousy. It seemed to me like a great, noble poem, rolling on and on In splendid cadences. and I have heard some music of Wagner's that 1t reminded me of somehow.
 The hills or mountains-I'm 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 a first glance, but soon I saw that 1t was their grouping and their perfect proportion in relation to each other which made them so exquisite. As we steamed on along the green and golden flood between banks that ap- peared to fall back In admiration be- gan to love the Hudson so much that could have shrleked with rage at the great staring advertisements on hoard ings. What can the scenery have done to Americans that they should do their best to spoil It? No wonder most ot them come over to see ours, which we have the sense 10 let alone even If it crumbles.
 Sally and MT. Parker laughed at my fury, but I didn't see how they could take it so calmly. Tt isn't my scen- cry, so I don't trouble myself" said Potter when I asked why he didn't get up a secret night expedition to burn or chop down all the hoardings. But I'm sure English people aren't careless like that Each person thinks the good of the whole country is his business-at 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. It seems, though, in America only police men and people who live in Washing ton care about politics really except to get benefits for themselves, and 1t 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 would much rather be talked to about love or motoring or even bridge, but she always reads the newspapers hard for fifteen minutes while Thompson does her hair, if she's going out to big lunch or dinner, so that she will be up in everything and able to talk brill liantly to members of parliament or stuffy old things in the house of lords.
 I calmed down somewhat after I'd recovered from the first shock. There 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 I call lemon squash and Potter and Sally obstinately believe to be lemon ade. While Mrs. Ess Kay angrily read nasty paragraphs about herself and hilariously about her friends in reg ular highwayman of paper, Smart Sayings, Sally Woodburn told me charming legends of the Hudson, dear old Dutch things, most of them, which had been made into plays and poems, and I was sorry when we came to West Point at last.
 But I wasn't sorry for long. The minute we got on shore at quaint lit tie landing showed incongruously in among beautiful wooded hills, the most exquisite scents of ferns and trees and sweet, moist earth came hurrying down to welcome us. Eton is not more beautiful than West Point, and as we drove up the hill under an arbor of trees I saw that the buildings cleverly contrived to look old and gray and pic turesque, like ours. The elms in big green square past the top of the hill had venerable air, too, so they must have been precocious about growing, for 1t doesn't stand to reason that West Point can be as ancient as OK ford or Eton. But anyway the elms were there, making an effect that Eng land couldn't improve on, and there were some gray stone barracks and a long line of officers quarters built of wood and brick. I was glad that we were to stop with Potter. instead of going to hotel, for I did want to see thoroughly what garrison life is like. Potter has only half house. though suppose he's rich enough to buy up all West Point if 1t were for sale, but he had got chum of his who lives in the other half to clear out of his part and give it to us for the day and night.
 Vic has been to Aldershot, and even to Malta and Glib. But I never have, and never saw any officers quarters at home, so l. don't know how they compare with American ones. Potter's and his friends are exactly like dolls house turned into a museum. The rooms are tiny and most of the furniture is made to fold. up. but Stan would be green with envy If he could
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