Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-02-25
The Time or
HER LIFE
Result of a Visit to the
"Shpres Of Bohemia"
BY CONSTANCE DARCY MAckAY

lingering over our rolls and coffee Bet
ty came in with tragic air and an
open letter In her hand.
Listen to thisr she exclaimed
Eleanor Cuyler is coming to New
York to visit her aunt. and she says
she simply must see US because she's
always wanted to visit the shores of
Bohemiar"
1.-THE shores Of what?" said Billy.
sim sure there's nothing bohemian
about u.s."
"That's just IT," walled Betty, but
Miss. Cuyler doesn't see 1t that way.
She's daft about people who do
things. and she says she never met
any, so she begs that she may come to
dinner some night, quite informally. and
be one of us. She thinks that because
Kate writes and you're an artist and
we all live in q little fat--I mean apart
ment-we are-well. we are queer and
unconventional"
"Who is this Eleanor CuylerT said
Billy. with frown.
"She's Philadelphia girl Kate and l
met when we were In the FOUNTAINS
last summer. She was awfully nice to
us In ever so many ways, and now It's
our turn to do something for her. It's
no use suggesting the matinee ora
luncheon Eleanor's rich as Croesus
and tired of all that, and there's moth
ing else we can afford. oh, 1 don't
see what we're going to dor And
Betty puckered her brows in despair.
"Dop' cried Billy. why, it's as
plain as day! Satisfy her craving for
the unconventional! If we're not bo-
hemians we can at least put up a good
imitation Of the real thing. We can
ask the Englishman, Harry Rockmin.
ster; he'll add a continental flavor.
And there's Perry EASTWOOD: he can
sing stein songs better than any one
ever knew. Wen get Cynthia to come
and recite and Worthington to bring
his violin. They can pretend they're
professionals Cynthia will be an ac-
tress just starting on her career and
Worthington struggling musician
Struggling is the right touch, isn't it
And--lets see-this is Monday. Write
and invite Miss Cuyler for Wednesday
evening. Bohemians aren't supposed
to give much notice when they ask
people 10 tnelr pdTlleS. Anu Diiy
looked over at me and laughed.
While Betty was jubilantly writing
her note / went to explain things to
Aunt Pattie. Aunt Pattie has moth
cred us ever since we were children.
and nothing we do ever surprises her,
so she fell in with our plan at once.
'But I couldn't be bohemian If
tried" she declared. 81 wouldn't know
how to act, and I'd make you all mis-
cradle and myself too. You can easily
excuse my absence"
''But you'll miss all the fun" OBJ
jected.
Aunt Pattie's eyes twinkled. "Oh. l
mean to be therer' she cried. "Since
we have no maid I'm going to serve
the dinner myself" ~
In vain we all protested. coaxed,
commanded. Aunt Pattie was firm In
insisting that as Miss Cuyler had never
seen her 1t could make no possible diff
ference. Yet somehow 1t did to me-
for I could imagine with what horror
my Englishman might look on such
proceedings. Even after l had writ
ten to him and explained the circum-
stances I was tormented by misgiv-
ings, for, although he didn't know 1t,
his good opinion mattered more to me
than anything else in the world.
All Wednesday Betty and worked
like majors. We had always rather
prided ourselves on the artistic ar
rangement OF our little parlor. Now,
In order to make 1t look bohemian we
had banked 1t with all the bizarre and
s.&. ~ tau
hands on. Billy's delicate water col
or sketches were jostled by famboy-
ant posters, theatrical photographs
adorned the mantel. and sundry pipes
and ash trays Uttered the table 1t
certainly looked queer; but. as Betty
and / confessed to ourselves, we
didn't. Betty was demure in a gray
gown, and wore my black net.
was just Fastening one of Harry Rock
minister's roses in my hair when the
bell rang.
There she isr' cried Betty hyster7
ically. "Now, don't act as II anything
unusual were happeningp'
Eleanor Cuyler was enthusiastic in
her greeting. and she was still telling
of her Joy In seeing us when we cross
Gu Tue tHTesuOiu VI the pdTiOt AZ
sight of the room she smothered
little gasp. which showed that our
work had not been in vain. Then Billy
came forward. and the loose blouse
and soft tie which he wore for the
occasion made him look as II he had
stepped straight out of the Latin quar-
ter. But Miss Cuyler wasn't any more
surprised at his appearance than he
was at hers. Somehow neither Betty
NOR had told him what a beauty Miss
Cuyier was-a childish little beauty
with a dun of golden hair and deep
blue eyes that opened very wide when
anything astonished her
Perry Eastwood and Harry Rock
minister came early. but there WASN'T
sign of Cynthia and worthington
They're half an hour late already
said Betty to me in an aside "Whni
on earth can be keeping them? I'm
afraid the dinner viii be spoiled
Something of our uneasiness reached
Billy, and he turned abruptly to Betty
According to Los Angeles. Cal |
Robert Simpson Of Burling
on, after writing brief note 10