These Girls Come At Nine
And Stay Till Two, And Are Thoroughly Well Taught.
Little ones, too, are
instructed by the elder girls.
It is a capital education for the future
mothers and teachers. I suppose most of our girls go to service of that
class! We then went to General Wilson's, and breakfasted on soup, fish,
venison steak, &c. A very agreeable lady, a Southerner, was there, and
as General Wilson is a Republican, we argued, and he found all the party
against his views, but he is used to being crushed, for his wife is a
Democrat. He wanted us to go to see a famous library, but I was too
tired, and when he and the boys returned we went home, and Mr. and Mrs.
Neilson were waiting for us at the hotel. We then started for a very
high building near the river, when we mounted in an elevator, and had a
beautiful view of New York, and could see the splendid river and
water-way in which it rejoices, but everything is spoilt in America for
the sake of the _railways_, and steamers, and wharves, and you see
no pretty houses near the river banks in the cities. Brooklyn Bridge is
fine, and I half hoped to cross it and find out Dr. Penticost, but was
_finished up_, and went home to rest. Then visitors came: Mrs.
Gardener, daughter of Bishop Doane, of Albany, very nice; then we dined
at the Belmont's. The house is gorgeous in embroidery, and pictures, and
statues, and all in very good taste, and more _comfortable_ than
most of their fine houses. The dinner, too, was _very_ good, and I
was the better for the excellent champagne. Mrs. Belmont is a wonderful
little woman, with thick brown hair, and looking about forty, and I have
seen people look as old at thirty. He is short and lame, and rather
plain, but is clever and agreeable, and speaks with a strong foreign
accent. Their son, Mr. Percy Belmont, has been elected three times for
Congress. There was a southern lady there and her husband, Madame
Hoffman, I think, and a Miss Wright. Madame Hoffman is very handsome and
lively. The Belmonts apologized for a small party, because they are in
mourning. They keep up mourning dress and customs tremendously long
here. At first I thought there were a surprising number of widows going
about, but I discovered they were mourning for their aunts or
grandmothers.
The election was not settled till late last night, and they say the
Republicans are still disputing the returns - and they feared riots in
New York. I must say they seem wonderfully quiet, and I slept till
half-past eight this morning, longer than for weeks past. To-day's
papers announce Lord Londonderry's death and Mr. Fawcett's. How many
people one is interested in have died since we left England in August!
_Friday, 9th_. - Mr. Baillie Hamilton took Dick and me to, hear his
organ "_vocalian_," at a church, it was a _walk_ for me, and
the wind was very cold and strong, church very hot, and so I caught
cold. I should die of some lung complaint if I remained here long! We
started for Long Island about three, crossing in a ferry and then by
rail, and found on reaching the station that Mr. Jones and Miss Miller
were unhappy about us, as they could not find us in the train. Carriages
were waiting and we reached Unqua in twenty minutes. A good sized house
(and my bedroom quite splendid) on a bit of grass land, with stumpy
trees scattered anyhow, opposite and close to South Oyster Bay, - which
is divided from the Atlantic by a narrow strip of sand, back premises in
full view, with chickens and turkeys everywhere in full possession!
_All_ the establishment awaited out arrival, I think, in the hall,
including two smart waiters come for the auspicious occasion. Mrs. and
Miss Jones (her sister), and a Miss Jones (niece) with her father who is
a widower and lives there, and Col. Jones a grass widower whose wife
lives in Paris. At dinner I appeared as smart as I could, and I think
made a sensation, judging by the approving looks and smiles cast upon
me! Nearly all the neighbours are Jones's or Loyd Jones's, and some of
them dined.
_Saturday, 8th_. - I rested in my room till twelve, and then in a
smart tea gown was _seated_ next Mrs. Jones on a sofa, and was
introduced to each one as they shook hands with her and with me; they
were nearly all strangers to me, but some sat for a few minutes on my
other side and talked, and some asked us to go and see them, but I was
obliged to decline all hospitalities, as we have no time for more. They
were not particularly well dressed _generally_, nor was I struck by
the beauty of the young women. Mrs. Belmont, who is a leader of fashion
in New York, said, "I hope you won't think this is the _best_ of
New York society;" however, I know I have at different times seen the
_best_, and there were many there who represented _la creme de la
creme_. Sir Richard Temple was one of the very few English present,
all were very kind and cordial, and I really felt quite an important
_Personage!_ almost royalty! The luncheon was a terrific scramble,
for waiting is so bad in America, and I got nothing to eat till very
late, and my head ached horribly - after shaking hands with four hundred
people (three hundred came by special train from New York), it was not
much wonder, and I retired to lie down at half-past four, when they all
had gone.
_Sunday 9th_. - I was in bed quite ill till past four, and then I
came down and was petted and nursed. Dick went back yesterday afternoon,
and the last we saw of him was hanging on to the back of one of the
numerous carriages, which he caught just in time to reach the train.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 35 of 38
Words from 35168 to 36191
of 39002
