.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilbour spend much time during the summer, driving about
from one town to another; certainly the most comfortable and agreeable
mode of travelling that one could adopt.

We have some agreeable neighbors here, who contribute somewhat to the
general entertainment. The aristocracy of Chappaqua are chiefly Quaker
families who have lived here since the days of the Indians, and who
look down quite doubtfully upon the New York families who come out here
for the summer only, and of whose ancestry they know nothing. The
fathers and mothers wear the Quaker dress, and use the "Friends"
phraseology, which I think very pretty and caressing, but the young
people depart somewhat from the way of grace, in speech, costume, and
habits. The young girls wear whatever color of the rainbow best suits
their fresh complexions, are skilled in flirting, and with the
assistance of the young gentlemen, have organized a club for weekly
croquet parties and private theatricals at the residences of the
different members, whilst picnics and riding-parties to Croton and Rye
Lakes, and other pretty points of interest, are of frequent occurrence.
But of the riding-parties Gabrielle has just written a sprightly
description to a school friend, and before the letter goes to the post,
I will transcribe it.

CHAPPAQUA, _June 18_.

"DEAR MOLLIE: I received your charming letter and photograph last week.
Many thanks for both. You ask me how do I pass my time, and what is
the latest excitement?

"Well, to begin with, you must know that we have just started a club in
Chappaqua for mutual amusement, but as I have been indisposed for some
time, I certainly have not yet derived much benefit from it, but spend
most of my time reading.

"Last Saturday I was just longing for something to happen, and
apostrophizing the world as a hollow sham, when Minna came up to say
that we had all been invited to an equestrian party, to start after
tea. You would have imagined I had been offered several kingdoms by my
delight. I gave two or three screams of condensed joy, while dancing
wildly around the room, much to Aunt Esther's surprise.

"But on second thoughts, what _was_ I to do for a horse? My ponies had
never been broken to the saddle, but having made up my mind to go, go I
would, if I had to ride a wild buffalo; so I ordered Lady Alice around
an hour before the time to start. When she arrived, the balcony was
filled with a large and anxious a