Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-12-15

| HOW nOrrlu! l cOulunt Help eA-
claiming, though Mrs. Ess Kay was
going to be my hostess.
"Yes, II seems rather miserable to
me because I'm a weak, lazy. southern
being. who would be right down sick
II l had to hurt any human beings
feelings. Yet perhaps It looks fair to
her. She's 80 ambitious and she's
worked 30 hard she has deserved to
| succeed. As for poor me. she just reg.
ularly mesmerizes me all through
She mesmerized me into coming up
from Kentucky and visiting her this
spring. Then she mesmerized me into
going with her to Europe. But I'm
not sorry went. for I've had right
good time"
I'm so glad you went" said |, 'be-
cause II you hadn't shouldn't have
met you. I'm sure should love Ken
lucky If all the people there are like
you. But these things you've been say
ing seem SO odd. Do you mean to tell
me that the people who lead society in
New York want to keep their set lin.
tied to certain number and refuse
to know Others even II they're extraor-
| dinarily clever and interestingY
"They don't like them to be too
clever because they call such people
'queer'-that is, unless they happen to
be lions Of some sort from England
or other places abroad. Then so long
as they're not American, they welcome
them with open arms"
I'm glad society isn't like that iu
England" said There the real peo-
ple-the people who have the right to
make social laws, you know-are de-
lighted with any one who can amuse
them. OF course deep down in our
hearts we may be proud II we have old
names, which have been famous for
hundreds Of years In one way or an
other. but we are so used. after all
those centuries, to being sure Of our.
selves that we just take our position
for granted and don't think much more
about it. n people who haven't got
quite the same position are gentlefolk
and amusing or clever or beautiful or
anything like that which really mat
ters, why, we're only too pleased with
them"
"That's all the difference in the
world! You've been sure Of yourselves
for centuries You've said the last
word, my deah. Out Of the mouths Of
babes'-but Cousin Katherine's finish
ed gushing to that silly old Mrs. Van
der Windt. We mustn't dare discuss
these things from our point Of view
any more. reckon she would faint"
There are good many young men
on board. and some Of them seemed to
be quite devoted to Mrs. Ess Kay the
first day out but she was cold to them
all, couldn't think why, as some Of
them seemed very nice, and she had
always appeared rather to like being
with men. asked Sally about it, but
she laughed and said might perhaps
solve the mystery myself when we
were ut Newport II | remembered It
then.
never heard Of such breakfasts and
luncheons as they have on this ship
and the first menu saw surprised Inc
so much that couldn't believe they
really had and could produce all those
things II anybody was inconslderate
enough to ask for them. hardly sup
posed there were SO many things to
eat In the world. But the captain
heard me eXclaiming to Sally. so he
smiled and told me to test the menu
by ordering ! Of everything on II
He'd guarantee that nothing would be
missed out This was at breakfast the
second day, and when he saw that !
ate several dear little round things
shaped like cream colored doilles
which are called pancakes Though
they aren't bit like ours) with some
perfectly divine stuff named maple
slrup, he said my taking such fancy
to American products was sign that
should marry an American.
What nonsense! As II would
dream of marrying especially n for
eigner. But for all that pancakes AMI
maple sirup are delicious. I've had
them every day since for breakfast,
after finishing u great orange four
times the natural size, which isn't
really all orange. because it's II grape
fruit. You have it Oh your plate cut
In two halves. with ice In each. and
you scoop the inside out Of lot OF
tiny pockets with teaspoon. You
think when you first see 1t that you
can't eat more than half. but instead
you eat every bit, and sometimes If
the morning is hot you even wish yon
could have more, though. Of course
you wouldn't be so greedy as to ask.
1t was on the second day out, too.
that all my troubles began-and In
queer way which nobody could have
guessed would lead to anything disa
greeable.
In the afternoon I was reading In
my deck chair, drawn close to Mrs
Ess Kay's side. when that Mrs. Van
der Windt whom Sally called a silly
old thing toddled up and spoke to US.
"Do come and watch them dancing In
the steerage," she said. ITS such
fun"
Mrs. Ess Kay likes sitting still on
shipboard better than anything else.
but 1t seems that Mrs. Van der Wlndt
Is 80 important that II all the Four
Hundred Sally told me about were
pruned away except about twenty-five
she would be among the number left.
so probably that Is the reason why
Mrs. Ess Kay takes long walks up an
down the deck with her, though II
makes her giddy to walk, and Mrs
Van der Windt is not in the least ell
tertaining.
She got up now, like lamb about
to be led to the slaughter, except that
she smiled braveIy. which the lamb
would not he able to bring itself to do
"Come. Betty" she said to me. I'll
will amuse you"
"Yes, do come. Lady Betty" repeat
ed Mrs Van der Windt. Whereupon
obeyed, little knowing what ! Wa"
laying up for myself.
Our deck Is amidships. Aft on
level with ours. Is the second claS'
deck. and for-rard, down below. like
looking into a pit. is the steerage We
walked to the rail. over which quite
a number Of men were leaning. to see
what was going on. and several moved
aside to give us room. | didn't like
take their places away. especially II
they were laughing and enjoying them