Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-02-09

sNEA terribly DuSy WltD ne
81 ES-Es secretary. getting invita-
81 S&EIp tions ready for Il viole
1L tea.
She was giving the tea. she explain
ed, to introduce me to Newport SO. iety
and she was having n violet one be
cause 1t was not the right time of yeIl
for violets
I meekly suggested that as reason
for giving some other kind Of tea. IN
she said not at all. She wished Il
have that kind because violets wer,
hard to get. though not impossible.
would see when the time came thai
she could get them. And ] should also
see, II it were indeed true that III,
not know. what violet tea was. 81:
wanted 1t to be surprise for me. Sh,
thought | would like It,
hadn't long to wait before learn
ing the true inwardness of v!olc'
tea. for Mrs. Ess Kay was determine
to get me "out" as soon as possible
and 1t seems that in America the tim,
to bring girl out Is at tea ~
least that Is one way. and us Mrs. EsS
Kay was even then planning to give
something very big just before tll'
much talked about pink bail" so u:
to "take the shine off that grand AZ
fair" she wished TO get the teacup.
washed up before she sen: OFT tiT
next invitations.
I'm sure mother wouldn't take -
much trouble for Il house party Ia ia|c'
the king and queen us Mrs EsS ka!
did for that violet tea. and | daren'l
think even now, though ii happcacd
weeks ago. of the MONEY she mus!
have spent
For one thing she and Sally and
had to have violet dresses. She would
buy mine q don't see how should
have done it If she hadn't especially
as Vic wrote just then that mother
felt poorer than ever. and that mai'
hadn't yet proposed. and ii WAS beau
tiful; pale violet silk muslin. trimmed
with violets and their leaves The:
violet and silver livery was ordcre.
in a great hurry for the four footmel
to be worn on one afternoon. and N:
more! But these things were mer
sketchy details. compared to othei
preparations
One room. where TEA WAS to be
served. was entirely draped with vl0!c'
silk. from the palest to the darkrsi
shades. and for the smaller of the tws
drawing roOmS-the one where Mr.
Ess Kay would stand TO receive he
guests-wire frames were made from!
measurements to fit and cover all f1n.
walls. couldn't imagine what theSr
their hour came they were paddle.
with moss and covered with freS:'
yioets. The curtains were take:
down from the windows. and ne,
work Of violets was hung up In the.
place. with IN effect Of great lowell
ness when the light streamed through
the screen OF flowers. And even this
was not all, for soft thick mat OF
grass and moss was spread over the
polished floor. with Sprinkling Of vio
let's. All OF the furniture was taken
away and instead. along the wall. were
placed banks Of artificial moss and vio
let's. No doubt these would have been
real, too. but when crushed they would
have stained the dresses Of those thai
sat upon them. Altogether. the room
was turned into woodsy bower OF
violets. and was given great buncb
Of the dear flowers to carry.
There had been only week IN which
to prepare these sensational effects.
but everything was finished In time
and without furry. Already ! knew II
great many of Mrs. Ess Kay's friends.
and on the day OF the stra 1t seemed
that each. person whose acquaintance
| had made had remembered me with
a cartwheel OF violets. All my flowers
were placed In vases Oh tables In the
big drawing room. adjoining the bower
Of violets, and aS Il card was attached
to each bunch. pinned on the masses
of violet satin ribbon which traied
from 1t. each giver could have the
pleasure Of seeing how his GIT com
pared with his neighbors 1t was n
wonderful display-a violet show
And. as Mrs Ess Kay had said. at
was not the right time Of the year for
violets"
We stood on our feet for hours.
smiled yards Of smiles. and said the
same things over and over again so
many times that began to feel like
a phonOgraph doll which saw in my
lrst New York shop OIly when
ran down nobody wound ne up, and
had 10 60 on by myself rs best
could. which was fatiguing and made
the machinery squeak.
But everybody said 1t was a huge
success. The New York papers had
each more than column about the
function" as they called 1t, and Mrs
Ess Kay was piously happy.
I had thought We were very gay be-
fore, but after the violet tea. from get.
ting up to going to bed, we never had
q moment that hadn't Its own appoint.
ed place In the procession Of hours
like the bead In long rosary.
After breakfast we went to the Ca
sino to play tennis, to listen to the
concert or pretend to and to gabble
There We would meet everybody we
knew, and 1t was odd to see the calm
but slightly conscious air Of superior
ity with which the everybodies. going
In or cut. passed the poor nobodles as
sembled to watch the Casino entrance
Just as the middle and lower class
people stand till they are ready to
drop only to see the queen drive Into
the park or leave Buckingham palace
dreadfully bored to open bridge. &C
these Americans jostle each other tC
see their millionuires and especially
millIonniresses going to enjoy them
selves Fancy II Londoners reduced
themselves to a state Of collapse fol
the pleasure Of seeing Mr. Belt take
or his hat to Mrs. Wertheimer! But
the mllllonaires In America seem to be
like our aristocracy. only more impor
tam. for the nonmilllOnuires take 0