y assigned place at
a long table in the dining-room. I remembered that I once read that the
average boarding-house is a veritable school for students of human
nature. I wondered what I would learn from the people I met there. The
fat man across the table from me gave me no opportunity for any mental
ramblings. He launched me right into conversation by asking my opinion
of the war in Europe and whether or not we would be dragged into the
trouble.

"Really," I answered him, "I don't know much about it. I don't think of
it any more than I can help."

Of course that was the wrong thing to say. It started a deluge. A
studious-looking woman wearing heavy tortoise-shell rimmed spectacles
took my answer as a personal affront. "Why not, Miss Metz?" she
demanded. "Why should we not think about it? We women of America need to
wake up! In this country we are lolling in ease and safety while other
nations bleed and die that we might remain safe. We have no thoughts
higher than our hats or deeper than our boots if the catastrophe across
the sea does not waken in us an earnest desire to help the stricken
nations."

Others took up the argument and I sat quiet and helpless, for I know too
little about the cause and progress of the war to talk intelligently
about it. A sense of responsibility grazed my soul. I wished I were able
to help France and Belgium, but what can I do? The constant harping on
the subject of war irritated me. I felt relieved when a young girl near
me asked, "Miss Metz, do you like the movies? There's a place near here
where they show fine pictures, funny ones to make you forget the war for
several hours, at least."

On the whole, I think I'm going to like life at Mrs. McCrea's
boarding-house. I hear the views of so many different sorts of people.
And it certainly is different from my life on the farm.

CHAPTER XVIII

DIARY--THE MUSIC MASTER

_September 19._

MY four days in Philadelphia have just been one exclamation point after
another! The most wonderful thing happened to me last night! Mrs. Lee
invited me over for dinner. I glided through the courses a little more
gracefully--one can learn if the will is there. I always loved dainty
things. I suppose that is why I delight in the Lee home and am eager to
adopt the ways of my new friends.

After dinner Mr. Lee played again. Of course I enjoyed that. When I
praised his playing he said he heard