Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25

tally with which the English mobiles and
plutocrats abused their opponents eX
ceeded anything she had ever witnessed
In the most exclusive circles of the old
noblesse in the Faubourg st. German.
It is enough to make any one a radical,
she would say. to hear the other side
talk. And Miss Gladys is not given to
suffer in silence. The luncheons and din
ner parties at which she was present
often have more resemblance to cockpits
than to love feasts
Knowing personally most of the leaders
Of parties, she possessed great advan-
tages over her opponents. The gay vi
vacity and merry abandon with which
she defended men whose very name was
a byword and a reproach seemed almost
uncanny.
When the political strife hailed upon
her Miss Gladys Deacon began to study
the various social types of the common
people. In her researches she was as
original and independent as in everything
else she had ever done.
None Beneath Her Notice.
1t was strange sight to watch this
exquisitely dressed belle Americana deep
in confidential converse with the QUITO
works in the parks. or sharing news
papers with servant-maids or nurse girls,
who form no small part of the throng
which every fall day assemblies to
watch the glittering procession of rid
ers and carriages which is to be seen in
Rotten row. No one was too poor to
be beneath her notice, or too squalid to
be outside of her friendly sympathy.
She would pass from spending an hour
in palace of art, erected by million
aire, to exchange views OF life with pen
niless tramps social outcasts.
And she did it all not with the aus
tere seriousness Of a social student. but
with the gay insouciance of laughing
philosopher who loved to see men and
things and to see them ALL
This last bank holiday Miss Gladys
Deacon spent in the midst of the crowds
of cockney merrymakers. The previous
day she had motored across Kent, dis
covering the most beautiful spot in all
England. Monday, accompanied by three
American friends she motored through
Epping forest. and wound up her ex-
cursion by a frolic with the coster-
mongers on Hampstead Heath.
No Sign of Glass Hatred.
She was In high spirits as she re-
counted to me the impressions Of the
journey.
IT have seen the common people of
France and Italy enjoying themselves
many a time, but never before have l
seen an English bank holiday crowd"
me, and such a pleasant revelation. l
never saw any one worse for drink. All
were as merry as the day was long.
Such simple, honest folk, dancing and
skipping and singing in the blazing sun.
1.-The first contrast that struck me was
that the temperature was over 100 in the
sun.
"In France or Italy every one would
have been in his shirt sleeves. But what
was still more remarkable was the abso-
lutte absence of any sign of class hatred.
When l got down off my motor to join the
merrymaking throng there was not a
word of insult or of bitterness such as
would have greeted me on the continent.
Neither was there any familiarity or yul-
garity.
"Tney chatted with me without embar-
rassment, but with utmost courtesy. The
girls, many of them, very good looking,
and the men all seemed pleased to put
me- at my ease.
Good Fellowship Everywhere.
1T was delighted with the dancing. The
crowd sang and the dancers nc sooner
tired of one measure than they struck
up another. Some Of the dancers were
very pretty Their curious accent re-
minded me of French in it's dropping of
the H. They seemed delighted to ex-
plain everything to me. and when l went
into the ring and asked them to teach
me one of their dances. everybody seemed
quite delighted. 1t was all very charm
ing. and / shall never forget as long as
natured friendly, humble folk. who frat
ernized with me with such frank, genu-
inc courtesy and good feeling"
1t is a pity there was no one there to
SNAPSHOT the beautiful American as she
practiced the steps Of the rustic. dance
with the cOStermOngefS. In this ax