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The hostess, after dinner and before the separation for the night, tells her guests that horses will be at their disposal the next morning, and also asks if they would like to play lawn- tennis, if they wish to explore the park, at what hour they will breakfast, or if they will breakfast in their rooms. "Luncheon is at one; and she will be happy to see them at that informal meal."
The most indifferent hostess could not fail, one would think, to interest herself sufficiently about the welfare of the solitary and expatriated guest under her roof, to consult with the doctor about him when he was dangerously ill.
She learned, too, that the girl was ambitious to be first, even in so slight a thing as sitting at the head of a table and playing hostess to five girls, generally of under classes. "Are you on the second floor again this year, Landis?" asked a little pink-and-white, china-doll girl from the foot of the table. "Yes, Mame. Min and I have the same rooms as before. The third time is the charm.
And every moment I expected that awful old woman to ask me what I paid my cook, and when I had changed the color of my hair Bella's being black. Dinner was a half hour late when we finally went out, Jimmy leading off with Aunt Selina, and I, as hostess, trailing behind the procession with Mr. Harbison. Dallas took in the two Mercer girls, for we were one man short, and Max took Anne.
And Eve as a hostess had gradually given up boring herself and her husband by large and stiff parties, and they had gone back to entertaining none but well-established and intimate friends with the maximum of informality as of old, to such an extent that occasionally in the vast and gorgeous dining-room of the noble mansion Eve would have the roast planted on the table and would carve it herself, also as of old; Brool did not seem to mind.
"Yer leddyship and me hae gang mony a daftlike road, but I think we fairly catched it the day." "I don't know how we can be grateful enough to you, Mrs. Ormiston," said Lady Arthur, turning to their hostess. "Well, you know we could hardly be so churlish as to shut our doors on storm-stayed travelers: we are very glad that we had it in our power to help them a little."
Jinx was at that moment occupying the only upholstered chair, but he had developed a strong liking for the frail little lady with the querulous voice and the shabby black dress. He had, indeed, insisted shortly after his entrance on leaping into her lap, and had thus sat for some time, completely eclipsing his hostess. "Just let him sit," Mrs. Boyd said placidly. "I like a dog.
In fact, it is a flagrant breach to leave without having thanked one's partner and a gentleman will never do it. A word or two is all that is necessary. The hostess, in taking leave of her guests, will gratefully acknowledge their thanks and say a word or two expressing her pleasure at their presence.
The ceiling of the room was covered with a gaily flowered European paper, and on the walls hung some cheap Chinese kakemonos. The state rooms, which were next to mine, were evidently held in great esteem, and my hostess displayed them with the reverent pride of a good New England woman showing her parlour. There were three of them, opening one into the other.
Before a week was over, like understanding like, her hostess felt as if she were a daughter until now long waiting for her somewhere in the infinite. The self-same morning, sir Haco sat down to his study-table, and began writing to every officer alive who had served with Francis Gordon, requesting to know his feeling, and that of the regiment about him.
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