The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-29

NoTE-The Arbiter will be glad TO
answer any question OF a social ma
ture that may be submitted. Such
question should be addressed 20 The
Arbiter, care The Washington Herald.
The time approaches when those who
have passed a part or the whole OF the
summer together at the resorts all over
the country must say good-by. Men and
women. girls and boys who have been
good friends and pleasant comrades
throughout the season will separate, some
10 meet under the same conditions next
summer perhaps. others to lose each
other like ships that pass and are never
hailed again: but the memory remains,
the memory of happy hours, Of heart-to-
heart talks. and, as like as not, some
tender sentiment. for Swinburne's coup
let that Is so often applied TO these sum-
mer firtstions-
The best and worst Of It that neither was most
70 blame.
For she had forgotten his kisses and he had for
gotten her name,
is not always true Oftener. much often
en- there is a tender remembrance which
some old waltz tune or a faint odor
Only the other day gray-haired, distin-
misunderstanding man CHANGED TO be pre-
scented to a handsome matron, the mother
Of grown daughters. The lookers-on not
iced that puzzled expression came into
the face OF each. which was soon re-
placed on the mans by smile OF rec
ignition.
You don't remember me. madam" he
said "and twenty-five years Is long
time: but see here" and from his pocket
he drew a tintype in the familiar style OF
two decades back.
The woman smiled as she looked at H.
FOR on the shining surface she saw her
self and the man TO whom she had Just
been presented among a group Of merry
makers.
Yes" he said. replying 10 her look OF
inquiry, that Is the group OF us who
were always together at Bar Harbor I'm
the summer OF 1857. Don't you remember
the blackboard ride, the joke on the new
conner about playing bunnie on the back
seat, the dinner at Sprouts. the itinevant
photographer. and all that. and all that?'
or course she remembered: every wom-
an remembers herself at eighteen and the
men who first made her conscious OF her
beauty. her cleverness. or whatever
charm she may be possessed or And so
they started OF on a string OF reminis-
censes. and while they were enjoying
everything that was going this summer
they lived over again that happy time at
Bar HarbOr twenty-five years ago. and
they were both quite frank enough 10 say
they did not know whether they got
more enjoyment out OF living in the past
or the present This is not exactly what
started out TO write. I had intended 10
comment on the ciyiliZing influences OF
the summer cOmmingllng OF the people,
but I was beguiled from my purpose by
the blissful faces OF the two old friends
by the way she Is a widow and he has
never married: but that's another story
who are indulging IN lemonade and badi-
mage a few feet away from the table on
which I write. Now I shall turn my
back upon them and return TO my NUT
ton
There is unquestionably nothing so
broadening and developing as travel.
nothing that so stimulates as change Of
scene and intercourse with people differ
ent IN some ways from those 10 whom we
are accustomed. When a hillman and a
valeman meet they have much 70 say to
each other. messages 70 give and lessons
TO learn So It is with those from the
praIries and those OF the coast, and once
the men from the plains and men from
the seashore meet they are never the
same afterward. One may stay by his
overriding ocean. the other go to his
never-ending prairie. but they are richer
for having met and both look upon their
familiar environment with different eyes.
It Is not all gain. however. this travelling
about. Experience cannot give profit
alone: Il entails loss as we'll and heart
ily sympathize6 with the mother Of five
as well-behaved and interesting young.
sters as I ever expect 10 see who was
bewailing the deterioration OF her chill
dren's manners since they had been liv-
ing IN a summer hotel But what they
lost their little companions gained. for
these same children were a civIlizing IN
huence among a crowd OF the worst
spoiled little folks that could possibly be
cOngregated under one roof. One mother
confessed to me that Harry, her son, was
perfectly devoted 20 tho little Y boy
and 7 am so glad" she added. for he IS
so weIl-bred and has such beautiful man
ners 7 really believe Harry has improved
by the companionship." But what about
little X? There was no doubt whatever
that Harry had improved-heaven knows
there was abundant room for improve
ment-but unhappily some OF Harry's
rather unpleasant traits came cropping
out in the little X boy.
Miss X, who is quite sixteen. very dig
nihed OF course as young women OF that
age are apt 70 be, has been an uncon-
scious missionary all summer and the
good that she does will live after her. ]
well remember the first morning she
came into the dining-room in her crisr
linen, her shining hair, and. best Of all
her bright and lovely face. It made one
happy only TO look at her. Good morn.
Ing" she nodded sweetly to the waiter
who pulled out her chair. which unusua
friendliness so pleased and surprised hin
that he almost dropped Il. AS for myself
her loveliness-not the mere physica
beauty, but the soul that shone in hel
face-put my heart in such a flutter as
had not felt I'm aeOns. All through break
fast I watched her graceful, bird-likt
movements. her gay chatter with hei
mother and brothers and sisters, and ]
dreaded lest some cruel and thoughtles:
person would. by lack OF sympathy or III
considered remark. check the artles.
gayety. the innocence and freedom Of
her. I thought especially Of a disagree
able old curmudgeon who always tool
tho best place and the best chair on the
porch and grumbled with every one whC
unconsciously interfered with what he re-
garded as his prerogatives. and dreaded
her first encounter with him.
It came-the encOunter-when I hap
pened to be on the porch. Miss X rar
by the man to give her brother letter
20 mail, and in running hit the old bears
chair.
This porch isn't tennis courtr n,
oil
Of my chairW
~ Y IN % hin &c -...al.l.. ~. -.