Harper's Round Table, September 10, 1895 Part 2

_Miss Sommerfield_. They take sick children and babies for two weeks.

The house is large and clean, and quite near the water. Verandas go around three sides on every story. All the bedrooms open on to these verandas, and there, in the open air, the babies are wheeled, or rocked, or swung in hammocks. So they breathe that invigorating air day and night. The older children, as soon as they are able, dig in the sand, sheltered by tents. They have plenty of good milk to drink, bread and biscuit, oatmeal and mutton broth. The mothers have, in addition, meat, potatoes, tea, and coffee. The babies pick up surprisingly. They go away rosy and hearty. Many a life is saved.

_Olive_. What a pity they must go away.

_Charlotte_. Well, a fortnight is better than nothing. Isn't it the sweetest of charities? I am sure everybody in the hotel will come to our entertainment.

_Miss Sommerfield_. I heard one of the nurses singing lullaby while rocking some darling twin babies to sleep. I thought it so pretty I have remembered it. Would you like to hear it?

_All_. Please do. Yes, indeed.

[Miss Sommerfield _repeats lullaby_.]

By-by, babies, hushaby, Night and sleep are drawing nigh, Little birdies seek the nest, Tired lambkins drop to rest, By-by, babies, hushaby, Stars are lighting up the sky, Angels come to watch your beds; Slumber, little curly-heads.

[_Enter_ Helen Sayres _and_ Daisy James.]

_Helen_. Good-afternoon, girls. I am awfully late, but I met Miss James and got talking to her, and didn't realize how time was pa.s.sing. Miss James, young ladies.

[_All nod rather stiffly._ Miss Sommerfield _extends her hand, and_ Miss James _touches it with the tips of her fingers_.]

_Miss James_. So happy, I am sure. I was quite by meself, do you know, and Miss Sayres kindly spoke to me. Do you not find it rather lonely here?

_Olive_. Oh, not at all.

_Victoria_. It's simply perfect. We all know each other, and how could we be lonely?

_Miss James_. You all know each other? Just fancy! A party of girls travelling together. How very odd!

_Olive_. No, Miss James, we have made each other's acquaintance since we came here. But American girls get acquainted easily.

_Miss James_. Only fancy that, now! It is truly a democratic country. In England, you know, at the watering-places, I stay with mamma a whole season, and we never speak to strangers. Mamma is very particular.

_Madge_. Well, Miss James, to make you feel easier about us, we will give you references.

_Miss James_. I dare say you are all right. But in England it is so different, so much more established, you know. This is the land of the people.

_Grace_. Have you been to Chicago?

_Miss James_. No; but we are going there, of course.

_Grace_. Chicago is fine, when you get there; but it's dangerous travelling. Great herds of buffalo wander on the plains, and bands of Indians lie in ambush for the trains.

_Miss James_. Only fancy! How do the trains ever pa.s.s?

_Grace_. It all depends on your engineer. If he understands his business, he shoots at lightning speed through Indians and buffaloes.

But you can't feel quite safe till you get there.

_Miss James_. I must tell mamma of this. I am sure she will not go.

_Miss Sommerfield_. We should go on with our preparations, girls. Has anybody a suggestion to make?

_Helen_. I have an idea. We have among the hotel guests a fine pianist.

Perhaps he would play for us.

_Grace_. You mean that gloomy-looking man with such a name?

_Olive_. With a long mustache, and eyes with white in them?

_Helen_. Speak of him respectfully. He plays like an angel.

_Victoria_. What's his name?

_Helen_. Stradelerewsky.

_Charlotte_. Oh, horrors! Say it again slowly.

_Helen_. Strad-e- (_think of the Stradivarius fiddle_) le-rewsky (_think of Paderewsky_). Now, say it altogether.

_All_. Strad-e-le-rew-sky.

_Charlotte_. That name alone on the programme would be worth the price of admission.

_Victoria_. Well, who's going to bell the cat?

_Miss James_. Beg your pardon? What cat?

_Grace_. She means who is going to ask that scowling ever-with-a-cigar-in-his-mouth musician to play for us.

_Miss James_. I prefer not to. I have not been introduced, and mamma--

_Grace_. Will you, Miss Sommerfield?

_Miss Sommerfield_. Oh yes, I have been introduced.

_Grace_. Is he French?

_Victoria_. No; unmistakably Italian.

_Helen_. Or Polish, or Russian, or some sort of a Slav.

_Miss Sommerfield_. Russian, I think. He speaks English and French.

_Ida_. Did you talk French with him?

_Miss Sommerfield_. Yes.

_Ida_. I wish I could speak French. I can't even conjugate avoir.