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. I
could not go out to tea as arranged with some relations, but the others
did excepting Mrs. and Miss Jones.
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