New-York tribune., 1909-10-17
GSEElNd]FRANcE :s5 y! with
&f'f.s1S ff1 QNc1B JOHN


like the food very much; he says it strikes him as
"hummery." and he is really very much vexed over
Mrs. Clary's being at Neuilly. Edna is vexed be-
cause Harry Is there, too, and I'm very much
veXed indeed because she thoughtlessly gave Uncle
the letter at luncheon. and when he read about
Monsieur Sibilet's wife being his mother he was
more put out than ever. He said we could look
out for ourselves this afternoon, he had 10 go
to the bank. Edna suggested that We go to the
Louvre and he said yes, that would be wise, be-
then would all be free to enjoy ourselves.
Uncle speaks of the Louvre exactly If II were
the semi-annual siege at the dentists. But he was
kind enough 10 offer to leave there his way
10 the bank, and when we took the cab he ar
ranged with the cabman and the hotel porter ex-
actly what the fare 10 be. and held 1t in his
hand the whole way.
Edna and I were mighty glad to get to the
Louvre without Uncle, especially with the way he
feels to-day. and wandering along in
a speechless sort of ecstasy when all of a sudden
I heard calling my name. I whirled
around and if it wasn't Mrs. Merriegs, in a state
Of collapse on one of the red velvet benches We
went 10 her, and she took hold Of our hands as II
she'd been our long lost mother for years. She
looked very white and tired and almost ready to
faint and we sat down on each side of her in real
sincere sympathy, and she held hands and told
Us how it was. 1t seems that they left home the
last Of last month. and they've been all through the
British isles, Denmark, Holland and Belgium and
they going to finish Europe and be home the
. Srst Of next month. She could hardly speak for
tears. She says Mr.. Merrilegs made out the itin-
cray before they sailed that they have lived UP
10 it every day except just one. when he ate some
lobster crossing the Irish Sea- and they lost day
that night She says they drive a great deal be-
cause they hardly walk any more and that
she doesn't believe that there will be museum or
palace in Europe that they won't be able 10 say
that they have driven by when they go home. She
said they had to the Louvre TO see what pict-
1 ures they wanted for their new house. and that
| they never meant to take more than twenty min
utes for the selection and that they had there
an hour already. She felt badly because the itin-
erary mad them visit Notre Dame the Eiffel Tower
/ as high the elevator goes and Versailles this
! afternoon. She said they wanted to try and call
on the American Consul. too, TO ask about
| seur. She said Mr.. Merrilegs said he thought II
they could get hold Of good masseur and keep
him right with them that they could manage to rub
| through 10 the end.
Edna and I felt dreadfully sorry for her but
there did not to be anything TO do except
| sad. and we did that as heartily as knew how
until in minute OF two Mr.. Merrilegs hove I'm
sight with funny little Frenchrnan dancing round
and round him. Mr. Merregs looked almost as
| exhausted his wife and called Edna by my
| name and me by hers. His wife asked him if he
| had ordered the pictures, and he said: mo: I
| haven't any more time to waste here. I've given
Claretie the paper with the sizes of the spaces
| marked on it,, and he's to go through and measure
till he finds famous picture to match each space"
| Mrs. Merrilegs sort of nodded family and said ::
room. you know and her husband said "Yes, yes
| he understands; and he says he'll find a Susanna
| 10 fit your bath. too" Mrs Merrilegs stood up
then with audible groan, and they both
4 shook hands with us in way that quite wrung
our hearts Then they limped away. with the little
| Frenchman spinning gayly about them. and we
| went alone
| In the very We met Mr.. Chopstone.
| He awfully glad 10 us and said with our
| permission he'd Join US but he seemed joined
I
asked If we'd told Uncle about the Chatelet and
| then we remembered that we had forgotten He
/ said he so glad. because ne couldn't get any
| seats except baignors, and they looked queer be-
cause no can you. He asked IL would
| like to go 10 the opera instead. and VIC just
discussing il when turned a corner and ran right
| TO Betty Burlegh and the red haired man. His
name is Potter. and, did you ever, They looked so
upset that il can't have been an accident their be-
/ ing together. But how could they have arranged
il? If they didn't arrange it. why did they look
upset? Betty had a bright green cloth dress
and a violet hat, and the red haired height
| ened the general effect much that We moved on
as quickly as possible. Mr. Chopstone said very
roundly: You'd better fight shy of her I think .
and Edna said dryly: "Of him. too don't you
think J waited "A minute, and then ! said It
seemed dro think that if all English
we'd be pleased 10 call poor Betty typical Amer
lean.
We came home when tho Louvre closed and
found Uncle back with his feet the table.
He had had big fire built. for he said it gave him
chls to look the nymph over mis- bed. lie had
put in a true Merrilegian afternoon. having been
10 the Palais de- Justice. Sainte ChapeIlc. Notre
Dame and driven by the Hotel de Ville and around
the Opera House-"completeIy around" lie says
there wont be a Thing left for him 10 look 81 by
Monday He says If he was pressed for time he'd
hire cab for whole day and lump the busi-
ness; but that. seeing that we have the time it
really doesn't seem necessary.
while talking, and the
most unfortunate thing happened. TO keep up the
Russian idea Lee wrote two postals and sent them
10 ST Petersburg be mailed. Uncle the
Russian stamps and knew Lees writing. and he
, asked me kindly 10 tell him how Mrs Braytree
came 10 who was in Russia IN HAvrc
Edna said weakly that II must have been joke.
and Uncle shook his watch and held it 70 his