uldn't have had one--the audience just screamed with
laughter over that; I thought they never would quiet down. Out in The
big world, babies and old fathers and mothers seem to be jokes. The
star of the evening was a married actress with 'Miss' before her name.
You could hear every word she spoke, but the others didn't seem to try
to make themselves plain--I guess that's why they aren't stars, too.

"I've lived more during the last week than I had the previous
fifty-one. We must have been to everything there is, except a church.
Yesterday was Sunday, and I asked Mrs. Sellimer about it, but she said
people didn't go to church any more.

"Maybe you wonder why I don't tell you about our crowd, but I guess
it's because I feel as if they didn't matter. I wouldn't say that to
anybody in the world but to you, Brick and Bill, and if I hadn't
promised to write you every single thing, I wouldn't even tell you,
because they are so good to me. It sounds untrue to them, doesn't it?
But you won't tell anybody, because you've nobody to tell! And
besides, they could be different in a minute if they wanted to be; it
isn't as if they were helpless.

"Miss Sellimer is witty and talented, and from the way she treats me, I
know she has a tender heart. And her mother is a perfect wonder of a
manager, and never makes mistakes except such as happen to be the fad
of the hour. And Mr. Edgerton Compton could be splendid, for he seems
to know everything, and when we travel with him, or go to the parks and
all that, people do just as he says, as if he were a prince; he has a
magnificent way of showering money on porters and waiters and cabmen
that is dazzling; and he holds himself perfectly WITHOUT TRYING, and
dresses so that you are glad you're with him in a crowd; he knows what
to do ALL the time about EVERYTHING. But there he stops. I mean, he
isn't trying to do anything that matters. Neither are any of the rest.

"What they are working at now, is all they expect to work at as long as
they live--and it takes awfully hard work to keep up with their set.
They call it 'keeping in the swim,' and let me tell you what it reminds
me of--a strong young steer out in a 'tank,' using all the strength he
has just to keep on top of the water, instead of swimming to shore and
going somewhere. Society people don't go anywhere; they use all their
energy staying right where they are; and if one of them loses grip and
goes under--GOODNESS!

"I kn