Four Girls at Chautauqua

mood, and it made almost no difference to her which side of the question she argued. "Webster says

ll that We

who were evidently in a new element. He was not a young man, and his gray hairs would have arrested the pertness of the reply on Marion's tongue at any other time than th

hed. The pertness

k he has written. I wish all authors had given us so much information. But I meant, is that a

gentleman, "so Webster adds. You see I am interested in the subject," and he laughed pleasantly. "I have been looking it up, which must be my apology for addressing you young ladies, if so old a man as I must apologize for being interested in girls. The fact is, I had occasion to talk with a young man yesterday who took the people to t

swering the first part of the sentence and bestowing a wicked glance on

that in view of this being a more pretentious house than either of the others they had a

expressive that all the party laughed. But the old

f to the human heart, since the very slightest departure from what is regarded as strictly true and right, when it is done by a Christian (societ

g at Christian lives! Was she really thus giving all the time an u

h plated spoons, if you were so fortunate as to secure one. The rush of people was ve

or was the rule, and selfishness and ungraciousness the exception. Inconveniences were put up with and

ook ment

for their dinner; they are patient and courteous under difficulties; they did not come he

rself watching curiously what proportion of the guests observed that instant of silent thanks with covered eyes. It was so brief, so slight a thing, I venture

wonder if they do all wear them? I wonder if the distinction is really marked, so one looking on could detect the difference, though all of them are strangers? I mean to watch during these two weeks. 'The pro

n utter disgust while Eurie merrily stirred her tea with her fork. When the waiter came at last, with hearty apologies for keeping them waiting for their spoons, and the old gentleman said cordially, "All in good t

than to find food for that spirit, and Ruth continued her pastime, waxing

s they can, without any doubt. Just imagine what it must be to get conveniences together for this vast crowd. They did not expect anything like such a large attendanc

me. Let people who cannot afford to pay any better take such as they can get. But what right had they to suppose that we had not the money to pay for what we wish? I'm sure I'm not a pauper! You

ttention of our girls. Eurie turned suddenly and tried to catch a glimpse of the speaker. Something in the voice sounded natu

is Mrs. Schuy

d, with sudden int

straw hat, and eating boiled potatoes with a steel f

lived in any grander style than the Erskines, or showed that she had more money, but every one knew that her bank accounts were very heavy, and, besides, she was the daughter of Gen. Wadsw

atoes with a two-tined steel fork! Could English nobility sink lower! Ruth looked over at her in quiet sur

leaders keep all their nice things and places for th

heir way down the hall. The girls looked and nudged each other as they recognized them. The younger of the two foremost had a face that can not easily be mistaken, an

rie. She threw down her fork to

an society eating pie at this very instant with the very fork which did duty on her potato, and he

le height, that her higher nature asserted itself, and shone forth in a rich, full laugh. T

w many seats there were, nor how many could be accommodated at the auditorium. Eurie set out to walk up and down the long aisles one day and count the seats, but she found that which so arrested her attention before she was half-way down the central aisle that she forgot all about it, and there was never any time afterward for that work. I

st as if I were not a real reporter because I write in plain good English, instead of racing over the paper and making queer little tracks t

ll these meetings? I thought we were only going to one now and then.

st think here we have been to every single meeting they ha

The speaker is Dr. Calkins, of Buffalo. I heard him four years ago, and it is one of the few sermons that I remember to this day. I always s

Flossy asked, with a

e can learn from me, I take it, and naturally I am anxious to know. Flossy isn't interested in that; I can see it from her face. She

hat?" Ruth asked, curiously. "I don't believe I w

. He says things exactly as though he knew they were so, and for the time being h

a 'perfect simpleton?' Is that the r

ys, if one could only stay made. It isn't the fault of the preaching that it all feels like a pretty story and nothing else; it is the fault of the wretched p

on exchanged comic glances when they discovered the "heathen" of the afternoon to be Socrates. And Marion presently

ates' wife! Upon my word I never knew it before. She

ack, with scornful eyes. "Socrates was

ays. I never could understand why his philosophy was so remarkable, only that he lived in a h

her eyes still flashing. "I would

their trials and wrongs. And yet she passed by in haughty silence the sublime life that of all others is the only perfect one on record, and she had no t