Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-01-19

=
up secret night expedition to burn or
chop down all the hoardings. But I'm
sure English people aren't careless Ike
that Each person thinks the good or
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. 1t
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 bril-
liantly to members of parliament or
stuffy old things in the house OF lords.
I Gained down somewhat after I'd
recovered from the first shock. There
was SO much to admire that 1t seemed
a shame to fret Eesidcs. 1t was sooth.
ing to sit OH the yachts decl; under
pale green awning. drinking what !
rail- q lemon squash and Potter ana
Sally Obstinately believe to be lemon
ade. While Mrs. Ess Kay angrily read
nasty paragraphs about herself ami
hiariously about her friends In rec
ular highwayman of paper, Smart
Sayings. Sally Woodburn told me
charniug legends of the Hudson. dear
old Dutch things. most of them, which
had been made into plays and poems,
and / was sorry when we came to
West Point at last.
But wasn't sorry for long. The
minute we got on shore ut 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 J saw that the buildings cleverly
contrived 10 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 it 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. was glad that we
were to stop with Potter, instead OF
going to a hotel, for did want to
see thoroughly what garrison life Is
like. Potter has only half house,
though l suppose he's rich enough to
buy up all West Point If 1t were for
sale, but he had got a chum OF his
who lives in the other half to clear out
Of his part aud give 1t to us for the
day and night.
Vic has been to AldershOt, anG even
to Malta and Glib But never have,
and-l never saw any officers quarters
ut home. so don't know how they
compare with American ones. Potter's
and his friends are exactly like a
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