News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-10-13

Letters of the Panama Pacific Expo.
sition by Florence Livingston
LETTER XIII

France has been busy recently on boil
sides CT the water. am sure she doesn'
feel like devoting herself to hospitalit,
at home, but within the last few week
she has been receiving at the Exposition
Her building is large, occupying three
sides of a spacious court, at the top O
which LIE Penseur sat and glOomed during
the spring, while the structure was being
finished and furnished. He is always SC
locked in meditation that it gave an added
significance to the 'Closed' sign which
was unfeelingly attached to him. Oh
course | knew that it was transferred
epithet and had to do only with the
building, but nevertheless it sent me a
little smile just for my own use.
Now, however, all is changed. LIE Pen
seur still continues his interterrestrial
FOUNDATIONS, but it is before doors which
are swung wide open to disclose glmpses
OF the most interesting treasures and to
admit throngs of visitors. BY the way
find that there is a great difference in
the classes attracted to various points !;
and before | gave much attention to the
elegance of my surroundings, was vivid
~ Impressed by the fact that | was
among men and women of the leisure
class, well-dressed, well groomed, and
| either cultured or clinging trantically to
| the hope of becoming so-chiefy the lat
ter, of course, because culture is not to
be had for the wanting, and generally
! refuses herself to the eager.
France is beautiful; without doubt,
the most luxurious building at the Expo
sltion. Its spacious interior is about
equally divided between art and artificial
adornment. In the central room you
may, IL you choose. feast your eyes upon
Art in the form of tapestries, paintings
and porcelain; but if you are a very ordi-
nary mortal, it may be well to enter by
the left wing, as Joe and l did, and work
up to pitch. ]
Joe climbed the steps with me and
took a survey.
This is just for rich folks. Miss Bet
ty," he concluded with swift decision.
Nonsense, Joe! Why shouldn't you
and 1 know what it means to be sur
rounded by fine things, and clothed with
them, too?"
81 Dunno" said Joe briefly, and with |
these unreconciled opinions we began |
our tour. | could not blame Joe for not |
being in instant sympathy with the ultra
refnements as understood by the materi-
al world of fashion. How should he, a
little waif. with accidental clothes and
problematc meals, have much interest
in the saperfluities of inherited or sud-
denly aequared wealth? am excepting
those who carefully build up their own
usually keep within the laws of reason,
only ralely breaking into the wild ex-
of the victims of enpui and
mental stagnation.
Disregarding Joe and his practical
standard, passed in slow ecstasy by the
most wonderful gloves and hosiery, in
vaded by elaborate patterns of jewels
and embroidery past rubber and elastic
in glorified form, past hats and trimmings
Of beads and feathers far in advance of
any Indian; and then discovered that
Joe was looking critically at the bottom
Of my skirt and at my walking shoes
with fine discrimination.
whats the use in staying here, Miss
Betty?" he asked frankly. "You amt in
It with the styles"
"But, joe" 1 demonstrated, hoping
not to lose all caste in the eyes of my
,harge, "rm only sightseeing. I'm not
;rying to be on dress parade"
"Huhw retorted Joe, with the only
against which 1 have no de-
ense. His expressive forefinger was
pointed at set of slipper heels at least
Tx inches high, studded with rhinestones.
Before so extreme an epitome of style
md discomfort, had nothing to say. 1t
ret these were as nothing compared with
'oudoir slippers entirely covered with
he iridescent breasts of beautiful birds.
These again were superseded by pair
which not only boosted the sacrifice of
many happy wild lives, but was further t
'rnamented by an upright tuft at the tip L
If the toe. There must be many bored r
aides in theworld, or unfeeling eccentric
ties like this would never have to be
levised by harassed manufacturers. S
With comparative serenity, L was able C
o contemplate the most beautiful buckles e
md buttons, set with colored stones and a
developed in pleasing patterns. Before q
he many cases of lingerie stood in ad- t
hiring and spell-bound silence, gazing at f
ucks so fine that could scarcely dis t
inguish one from another, and at en- G
'roidery so elaborate that it must have |
ost precious eyesight and a countless t
lumber of hours out of the few that are S
.iven to human beings. L admire these a
hings, to be sure, but some feminine in t
tinct must have been left out Of me. be- '
'ause my appreciation can never rise as t
Ugh as my sympathy with the obscure I