Four Girls at Chautauqua

fast and stood at the tent-door discussing the question whether they would go to the early meeting, Mrs. Duane S

sure in these strange surroundings. And you have a party with you? How delightful! We were just wishing for more ladies.

Duane Smithe was a Saratoga acquaintance of Ruth

e never pretended knowledge that she did not possess, so that you had only to keep still

e ride thither is said to be charming, and we are going to take a lunch, and picnic in a private way, just for the fun of getting together, you know, in a mor

hed her

strange as what brought y

ght would be just a trifle short of paradise, so what did he do but smuggle us all off this way. I shall find it a bore,

so it took almost no persuasion at all to induce them to join Mrs. Smithe's party, composed of two young ladies and four young gentlemen. It would be difficult to explain to you what a disappointment the decision to spend the day in frolic, instead of going to the meetings, was to Flossy. All the morning her heart had been in a great flutter of happiness over the beautiful day that stretched out before her. To meet those ea

aid, as she heard the happy little song. "I th

ne and smiled to herself. Yes, she had gotten over her home-sickness-she had found home.

what about t

de any inquiry, but I presume they will continue them all day just the same as

ad added, m

e aristocratic thing to do, no

seriously), "I assure you it is what the first people on the ground are doing. Of course none of them wo

th gravity, "My brain is already very t

mpossibility of explaining what would appear to the others as merely an ill-natured freak, and occasion n

to run away twenty miles with lunches done up in paper in search of a picnic, when Chautauqua was one great picnic ground, stretching out before them in

olonel Phillips. Very few people

erheard to say, "to take a party away fr

arty, as they paced the deck together. "The people all talk and act as though there was nowhere to go and

ways getting up absurd freaks, and this is one of them, and the worst one, in my opinion, that she has had for some time. I wanted

yed him

ht these meetings only a step below paradise?" she a

on flush

ut the truth is her eloquence, or her persistence, proved too much for me, though I don't like the looks of it, and I don't feel the pleasure of it, and I

sorry for you; perhaps you might prevail on the Captain to put you off now, and let you swim back; you

p to me. I need the help badly enough. I am in the rush and whirl of business all the time at home. This is the only two weeks in the year that I am free, and I wanted to make it a great spiritual help to me. I know very well that merely hovering around in such an atmosphere as that at Chautauqua is a help to the Christian, and I came with the full intenti

leisure, with plenty of time to cultivate the spiritual side of your natures, it should seem an unnecessary and perhaps a wearisome thing to attend all these meetings; but you can not understand what it is to be

nswer, but it was very different

d free easy time; go where I like and stay as long as I like; and for once in my life not be bound by conventional forms. If heaven is anything like that I shouldn't object to it; but I'm sure your and my idea of it would differ. There, I've been frank now, and shocked you, I know.

. He looked not onl

urse I am that. I think I had imagined that it was only Christians who could be

nstance?" Eurie s

see for some reason you don't think so. There are degrees in Christianity

, and he in obedience to the call found Eurie a seat near some

Greek' to you; you woul

m s

cted it. She had taken it for granted that not a single fanatic was of their party. In the secret of her wise heart she denominated all the earn

Charlie Flint was the gentleman who had drawn his

ink they are running that thing a little too steep over there. Who imagined that they were go

rion asked. "Let me see, this is the

rd for the lunatics who think they enjoy it. I am one of the victims to our cousi

ion said, in disgust. "I don't be

er this as a compliment, an

w tell me w

t class of people who ar

say, "Because they all look as though they had some degree of brain as well as body," but e

there is something in life worth doing and planning for

s liked to be considered de

s worth doing. But this eternal going to meeting,

r them, and things of that sort. Since we are made for the purpose of staying here and showing our fine clothes for al

scorn there was in her voice, and as f

terest sort, too! What in creation is she doi