Rye Lake--Making Tea on the
Beach--A Sail at Sunset--Fortune-telling by Firelight--The Drive
Home--Sunday Morning--A Row on the Pond--Dramatic Representations in
the Barn--A Drive to Lake Wampas--Starlight Row.

_August 24_.

A visit last night from Mr. Collins, the Principal of Chappaqua
Institute. This gentleman is one of our neighbors; so when the duties
of school hours are over, he frequently calls in to play a game of
croquet, or to join in the evening rubber of whist, of which Marguerite
and Gabrielle are so fond. I had often heard his name before he was
introduced to us, and imagined, from his responsible position, that he
must be some staid, gray-haired Quaker; but, upon meeting him, I was
surprised to discover that, although Principal of the "Friends'
Seminary," he belonged to the "world's people"; and was quite young
enough to impress the more susceptible among his young lady pupils.

_August 27_.

In speaking of the handsome residences about and near Chappaqua, I have
unintentionally overlooked one of the finest among them. It is
situated about half-way between Chappaqua and Mount Kisco; and so far
as I can judge by a view from the road, the grounds are both extensive
and well cultivated. The house stands back from the road, and is quite
imbedded in trees, and the lawn and flower-beds are very prettily laid
out.

Upon asking Bernard one day, as we were driving to Mount Kisco, to whom
this place belonged, he said that he had forgotten the owner's name,
but believed he was now in Europe; and it was not until quite recently
that I ascertained it was the property of Mr. Elliott O. Cowdin, of New
York City, Paris, or Westchester County. I really do not know which
place to accredit to him as his residence.

Yesterday Mr. Cowdin dined with us, and we had quite a merry time
recalling our adventures upon leaving Paris in 1870. It was only three
days before the battle of Sedan, when every one was rushing away from
the doomed city, that we also decided to leave; and Mr. Cowdin was very
kind in helping us off. We had many tribulations and delays in
procuring our tickets, and having our luggage registered, for thousands
were waiting in the Gare St. Lazare to escape from the range of
Prussian shells; but between the energy of Mr. Cowdin and his servant
Harry, and the talismanic name of Washburne (for our ambassador had
kindly given us his card to present at the ticket and freight offices),
we succeeded i