hey would Lave
tickets for the hotel or one of the boarding-houses, Miss Erskine had
answered without hesitation:

"For the hotel, of course. I never have anything to do with
boarding-houses. They are almost certain to be second rate."

Said President kept his own counsel, thinking, I fancy, that here was a
girl who needed some lessons in the practical things of this life, and
Chautauqua hotels were good places in which to take lessons.

Imagine now, if you can, the look of this lady's face, as they made
their way with much difficulty down the long room, and looked about them
on either side for heats.

"A hotel, indeed!" she said, in utter contempt and disgust, as one of
the attendants signaled them and politely drew back the long board seat
that did duty in the place of chairs, and answered for five, or, if you
were good natured and crowded, for six people. He was just as polite in
his attentions as if the unplaned seat had been a carved chair of
graceful shape and pattern. One would suppose that Ruth might have taken
a hint from his example. But the truth is, she belonged to that class of
people who are so accustomed to polite attentions that it is only their
absence which calls forth remark.

"The idea of naming this horrid, dirty old lumber-room a hotel!" and she
carefully and disdainfully spread her waterproof cloak on the seat
before she took it.

Eurie's merry laugh rang out until others looked and smiled in sympathy
with her fun, whatever it was.

"What in the world did you expect, Ruthie? I declare, you are too
comical! I verily believe you expected Brussels carpets, and mirrors in
which you could admire yourself all the while you were eating."

"I expected a _hotel_," Ruth said, in no wise diminishing her lofty
tone. "That is what is advertised, and people naturally do not look for
so much deception in a religious gathering. This is nothing in the world
but a shanty."

Chautauqua was doing one thing for this young lady which surprised and
annoyed her. It was helping her to get acquainted with herself. Up to
this time she had looked upon herself as a person of smooth and even
temperament, not by any means easily ruffled or turned from her quiet
poise. She had prided herself on her composed, gracefully dignified way
of receiving things. She never hurried, she never was breathless and
flushed, and apologetic over something that she ought or ought not to
have done, which was a chronic state with Eurie.