ob. She was sitting on the piazza, rather shabbily
dressed, her skirt decidedly travel-stained. Traces of the butter used
on the corn were visible about her mouth and she was smoking a large
and very strong cigar, a sight not so common at that time in this
country. A rocking chair was to her a delightful novelty and she had
already bought six large rocking chairs of wickerwork. She was sitting
in one and busily swaying back and forward and said: "Here I do repose
myself and I take these chairs home with me and when de gentlemen and
de ladies do come to see me in Florence, I do show them how to repose
themselves."
Suddenly she looked at me and began to laugh immoderately. "Oh," she
explained, seeing my puzzled expression, "I deed think of you as so
_deeferent_, I deed think you were very tall and theen, with leetle,
wiggly curls on each side of your face."
She evidently had in mind the typical old maid with gimlet ringlets!
So we sat and rocked and laughed, for I was equally surprised to meet
a person so "different" from my romantic ideal. Like the two Irishmen,
who chancing to meet were each mistaken in the identity of the other.
As one of them put it, "We looked at each other and, faith, it turned
out to be nayther of us."
The Princess Massalsky sent to Mrs. Oliver and myself valuable tokens
of her regard as souvenirs.
CHAPTER VII
Elected to be the First President of New Hampshire Daughters in
Massachusetts and New Hampshire--Now Honorary President--Kind Words
which I Highly Value--Three, but not "of a Kind"--A Strictly Family
Affair--Two Favourite Poems--Breezy Meadows.
On May 15, 1894, I was elected to be the first president of the New
Hampshire Daughters in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and held the
position for three years. Was then made Honorary President.
* * * * *
Some unsolicited approval:
Hers was a notable administration, and brought to the
organization a prestige which remains. Rules might fail, but
the brilliant president never. She governed a merry company,
many of them famous, but she was chief. They loved her, and
that affection and pride still exist.
A daughter of the "Granite State," who can certainly take front
rank among business women, is Kate Sanborn, the beloved
president of New Hampshire's Daughters.
Another thing that has occupied Miss Sanborn's time this
summer aside from fa
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