The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-12-09
CHAPTER xi.

When | lived In the coye-it seems
long, long time agony thoughts were
always away from dirt floors and cook
stoves and cedar logs and washpans.
But the people In the big world keep
their minds tied right up to things
only the things are tiner-tbey are
marble floors and magnificent restau-
rants and houses on what they call
the best streets At meals there are
all kinds of little spoons and forks,
and they think to use a wrong one Is
something dreadful.
"They have certain ways Of doing
everything, and just certain times fcr
doing them, and IL you do a wrong
thing at a right time or a right thing
at n wrong time 1t shows you are from
the west.
Miss Sellimer is so nice to me.
told her right at the start that ! didn't
know anything about the big world,
and she teaches me everything. I'D
be more comfortable IL she could for
get about my saving her life, but she
never can, and Is so grateful 1t makes
me feel that I'm 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
more so than to her. Bill. you know
how you speak to your horse. some
times, when 1t 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 II they'd lived to.
gether In a cove for years they'd have
learned TO tell each other their thoughts
there isn't time for anything except to
dress and go.
I'm learning to dress. l used to think
q girl could do that to please herself
but no; the dresses are thousand
times more important than the people
inside them. 1t wouldn't matter how
wise you are II your dress is wrong,
nor would II matter how foolish II your
dress is like anybody else's. A person
could be independent and do as she
pleased, but she wouldn't be I'm society,
because they don't know anything
about being independent; they want to
be governed by their things. A poor
person isn't cut of from society be-
cause he hasn't money, but because he
doesn't know how to deal with high
things, not having practiced amongst
them. II 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.
1T 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 me
and them; it's not a game to them; it's
deadly earnest. They think they're llv-
ing!
Miss Selllmer Is witty and talented
and from the way she treats me !
know she has 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 at as long as
they live-and 1t takes awfully hard
work to keep up with their set. They
call 1t keeping in the swim. and let
me tell you what II reminds me OLA
strong young steer out In tank US
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 II one of them
loses grip and goes undergraduates!
II know what Mrs. Selllmer 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 poor
herself; it's the kind OF poverty that
has all II wants to eat and wear, but
hasn't as many horses and servants as
Il wants.
II 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 a Kansas City hotel and when
ever you want hot water, instead Of
bringing a bucketful from the spring
and building a fire and sitting down TO
watch II simmer. you just turn han
die and out Il comes, smoking, and
whenever you want ice water you touch
button and give boy 10 cents.
"The funny thing to me Is that An
mabel and Mr.. Compton both think
they have TO marry somebody rich. or
not marry at all. They really don't
know they could marry each other be-
cause imagining they would be unable
% Keep the wolf from the door.