s to admit this. It composes his nerves to sleep, it
stimulates to unwonted exertion. The fanatics of the place declare that
the fogs are not damp as at other resorts on the coast. Fashion can make
even a fog dry. But the air is delicious. In this latitude, and by
reason of the hills, the atmosphere is pure and elastic and stimulating,
and it is softened by the presence of the sea. This union gives a
charming effect. It is better than the Maine Law. The air being like
wine, one does not need stimulants. If one is addicted to them and is
afraid to trust the air, he is put to the trouble of sneaking into masked
places, and becoming a party to petty subterfuges for evading the law.
And the wretched man adds to the misdemeanor of this evasion the moral
crime of consuming bad liquor.

"Everybody" was at Bar Harbor, or would be there in course of the season.
Mrs. Cortlandt was there, and Mrs. Pendragon of New Orleans, one of the
most brilliant, amiable, and charming of women. I remember her as far
back as the seventies. A young man like Mr. King, if he could be called
young, could not have a safer and more sympathetic social adviser. Why
are not all handsome women cordial, good-tempered, and well-bred! And
there were the Ashleys--clever mother and three daughters, au-fait girls,
racy and witty talkers; I forget whether they were last from Paris,
Washington, or San Francisco. Family motto: "Don't be dull." All the Van
Dams from New York, and the Sleiderheifers and Mulligrubs of New Jersey,
were there for the season, some of them in cottages. These families are
intimate, even connected by marriage, with the Bayardiers of South
Carolina and the Lontoons of Louisiana. The girls are handsome, dashing
women, without much information, but rattling talkers, and so exclusive!
and the young men, with a Piccadilly air, fancy that they belong to the
"Prince of Wales set," you know. There is a good deal of monarchical
simplicity in our heterogeneous society.

Mrs. Cortlandt was quite in her element here as director-general of
expeditions and promoter of social activity. "I have been expecting
you," she was kind enough to say to Mr. King the morning after his
arrival. "Kitty Van Sanford spied you last night, and exclaimed, 'There,
now, is a real reinforcement!" You see that you are mortgaged already."

"It's very kind of you to expect me. Is there anybody else here I know?"

"Several hundreds, I should say. If you cannot find friends her