and Octavia and I as the guests of honour each received a present of a box of bonbons like a huge acorn; but when we opened them, out of mine there jumped a darling little real squirrel, quite tame and gentle, and coddled up in my neck and was too attractive, so I purred to it of course and caressed it, for the rest of the time; and Mr. Dick said it was not fair to waste all that on a dumb animal, when there were so many deserving talking squirrels in the room, and especially himself.  I have never had such an amusing evening.  Even the quaint and rather solemn touch pleased me, of the first toast being said between two freshly lighted candles, to those members who were dead.  The club dates from Colonial times, too, so there must have been a number of them, and if their spirits were there in the room they must have seen as merry a party as the old room had ever witnessed.

Dear, polite, courteous gentlemen!  And I wish you had been with us, Mamma.  I came a roundabout way back alone with my “partner-in-sauce” as we called him, in his automobile, an open one, and we just tore along for miles as fast as we could, and though he was driving himself, he managed to say all sorts of charming things; and when we got back to Kitty’s more people came, and we had an impromptu dance and then supper, and all the servants had gone to bed, so we had to forage for things in the pantry, and altogether I have never had such fun in my life, and Octavia, too.

To-day we go back to New York and then out West, so good-bye, dearest Mamma.  I will cable you from each stopping place, and write by every mail.

Fond love to my babies.

Your affectionate daughter,

ELIZABETH.

PLAZA HOTEL, NEW YORK

BACK IN NEW YORK, PLAZA HOTEL.

DEAREST MAMMA,—­All our preparations are made, and we start for the West by Niagara Falls, which I have always wanted to see.  The Vicomte is coming with us, and our charming Senator, Elias P. Arden.  So I am sure we shall have an agreeable time.  “Lola” and the husband have already started, and will join us at Los Angeles from San Francisco; and the Senator says he is “in touch” with Mr. Renour, and he hopes he will “be along” by the time we get to the private car.

These few days in New York have confirmed our opinion of everyone’s extraordinary kindness and hospitality.  All their peculiarities are just caused by being so young a nation; they are quite natural; whatever their real feelings are come out.  As children are touchy, so are they, and as children boast, so do they, and just as children’s hearts are warm and generous, so are theirs.  So I think this quality of youth is a splendid one, don’t you, Mamma?