u are too broad gauge to want things like that," he said; "those
bitter thoughts are for the puny growths."

And I suddenly felt inclined to cry, Mamma; I can't think why. So I came
up to bed;--and I am homesick and I want Hurstbridge and Ermyntrude, and
what's the good of anything?

Your affectionate daughter,

ELIZABETH.

ON THE PRIVATE CAR

_On the private car_.

DEAREST MAMMA,--My spirits have quite recovered; you can't imagine the
fun we are having! We only stayed the day in San Francisco to look round
at those Golden Gates and other things. The astonishing pluck of the
people, reconstructing the whole town with twenty storey houses on
the old sites! One would think they would be afraid of their being
earthquaked again, but not a bit, and the city part is nearly all
re-made. Everything being brand new is naturally not so interesting as
the results of the tragedy, but you have read all about it so often
there is no use my telling you. We were shown one of the "graft"
buildings, and one wonders how they were able to put it up without
people seeing the tricks at the time. There are numbers of ways to get
rich, aren't there?

Finally the whole party started for Los Angeles, passing down the coast.
A company of ten, five drawing-rooms were naturally impossible; indeed
we could only get two, so this time Octavia and I insisted upon sleeping
under the green curtains and let the girls have our drawing-room,
because we wanted to see what it was like. They said they often
travelled like that, and did not mind a bit; but we insisted, and we
felt quite excited when bed-time came! Lola and the husband had the
other drawing-room, and the Senator and Tom the section next to us on
one side, and the Vicomte and secretary the one on the other, so we were
well guarded.

We laughed so tremendously undressing;--Lola let us take off the outside
things with her and Agnes and Wilbor helping made so many remarks and
fuss, we sent them off to their berths, and crept in dressing-gowns to
our section, which was fortunately by the door. Of course Gaston was
waiting to know if he could be of any use, because he said I would
remember he could be a "tres habile" lady's maid years ago on the
Sauterelle! But we would not let him tuck us up, and so he got into his
own and peeped out through the curtains while Tom and the Senator saw we
were all right.

I had the top of ours, so had Gaston of theirs, and ever so many times
he