er. This is decidedly
an improvement on the bag dinner (which you think of going after) in an
economical point of view; and as I am a student of social and all other
sorts of economy, not only on this trip but on every other trip of mine
in this mortal life, I recommend it to you; at least I would have done
so if you had asked me this morning before you left home."

Eurie made a grimace.

"I might have brought a splendid lunch from home if I had only thought
of such a thing," she said, regretfully. "My thoughts always come
afterward."

"And it is quite the mode to take lunches with you when they are
elegantly put up," Flossy said, regretfully, as she prepared to follow
Ruth. "I wonder we never thought of it."

This last remark of Flossy's set the two girls left behind into a hearty
laugh.

"Do you suppose that when Flossy has to die she will be troubled lest it
may not be the fashion for young ladies to die that season?" Eurie said,
looking after the pretty little doll as she gathered her skirts about
her anxiously; for, whatever other qualifications East Buffalo may have,
cleanliness is not one of them.

"No," Marion answered, gravely, "not the least danger of it, because it
happens to be the fashion for ladies to die at all seasons; it is the
one thing that never seems to go out. I am heartily glad that we have
one thing that remains absolute in this fashionable world."

Eurie looked at her thoughtfully.

"Marion, one would think you were religious--sometimes," she said,
gravely. "You make such strange remarks."

Marion laughed immoderately.

"You ridiculous little infidel!" she said, as soon as she could speak.
"You do not even know enough about religion to detect the difference
between goodness and wickedness. Why, that was one of my wickedest
remarks, and here you are mistaking it for goodness. My dear child, run
and get your paper bag before it is time to go; or will you have my
slice of ham and half this doughnut? The bread and butter I want
myself."

The freshness and novelty of this journey wore away before the long
summer afternoon began to wane; the cars were crowded and uncomfortable,
and the cinders flew about in as trying a way as cinders can.

None of the girls had the least idea where they were going. They knew,
in a general way, that there must be such a place as Chautauqua Lake, as
the papers that they chanced to come in contact with had been full of
the delights of that region for many