Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-12-16
XII.
Writing Home.

II don't know what to tell
MW first. It's all so strange and
grand-the people are just
people, but the things are wonderful.
When l lived in the cove-it seems a
long, long time agony thoughts were
always away from dirt floors and cook
stoves and cedar logs and w%ashpans.
But the people in the big world keep
their minds tied right up to things
only the things are finer-they are
marble floors and magnificent restau-
rants and houses OF what they call
the best Streets At meals there are
all kinds Of little spoons md forks,
and they think to use a wrong one is
something dreadful.
"They have certain ways Of doing
doing them, and if you do a wrong
thing at a right time or a right thing
at q wrong time it shows you are from
the west.
Miss Sellimer is so nice to me. I
told her right at the start that 1 { didn't
know anything about the big world,
and she teaches me everything. I'd
be more comfortable if she could for
get about my saving her life, but she
never can, and is SO grateful it makes
me feel that Pm enjoying all this on
false pretenses, for you know my find
ing her was only an accident. Her
mother is very pleasant to me-much
vp1ro CO %J,11> Ia L1. T1s1 49,. -~,,
how you speak to your horse, some
times, when it acts contrary? That's
the way Miss Sellimer speaks to her
mother at times. However. they don't
seem very well acquainted with each
other. OF course if they'd lived to-
learned to tell each other their thoughts
and plans, but out in the big world
there isn't time for anything except to
dress and so.
"Im learning to dress. I used to think
a girl could do that to please herself
but no; the dresses are a thousand
times more important than the people
inside them. 1t wouldn't matter how
wise you are if your dress is wrong,
nor would it matter how foolish if your
dress is like anybody else's. A person
could be independent and do as she
pleased, but she wouldn't be in society,
because they don't know anything
about being independent; they want to
G governed by their things. A poor
person isn't cut off from society be
cause he hasn't money. but because be
doesn't know how to deal with high
things, not having practiced amongst
them. 1t isn't because society people
have lots Of money that they stick to.
gether, but because all of them know
what to do with the little forks and
spoons.
ut is like the dearest, ~jolliest kind OF
game to me to be with these people
and say just what they say and like
what they like and act as they act
and that's the difference between MT
and them; it's not a game to them; it's
deadly earnest. They think they're liv.
ing!
Miss Sellimer is witty and talented
and from the way she treats me
know she has a tender heart. And her
mother is a perfect wonder of a man
ager, and never makes mistakes except
such as happen to be the fad of the
hour. And Mr.. Edgerton Compton
could be splendid. for he seems to know
everything.
what they are working at now is
all they expect to work ut as long as
they live-and it takes awfully hard
work to keep up with their set. They
call it keeping in the SWIM and let
me tell you what it reminds me OLA
ing all the strength he has just to keep
on top Of the water instead of swim.
ming to shore and going somewhere.
Society people don't go anywhere; they
use all their energy staying right
where they are. and if one of them
loses grip and goes undergraduates!
Il know what Mrs. Sellimer has set
her heart on because she has already
begun %instructing me in her ideals. She
wants her daughter to marry a rich
man, and Mr.. Edgerton Compton isn't
rich, he only looks like he is. Mrs.
Sellimer feels that she's terribly pool
herself; it's the kind Of poverty that
has all it wants to eat and wear, but
hasn't as many horses and servants as
it wants.
81 feel like / oughtn't to be wasting
my time telling about my friends when
there are all these wonderful lights and
carpets and decorations and conven'
fences so much more interesting. We
are in q Kansas City hotel and when
eve you want hot water. instead OF
bringing a bucketful from the spring
and building Il fire and sitting down to
watch it simmer, you just turn a han
die and out it comes, smoking, and
whenever you want ice water you toucl
Il button and give Il boy 10 cents.
'The funny thing to me is that An
mabel and Mr.. Compton both think
they have to marry somebody rich, OF
not marry mt all. They really don'l
know they could marry each other be