ad kept away from the subject long enough
and had a right to recur to it, at least indirectly, "I should like to
have Rose see it, and get his impressions."

"I've an idea he wouldn't approve of it. His mother says his mind is
turning more and more to philanthropy."

Kenby could not forego such a chance to speak of Mrs. Adding. "It's one
of the prettiest things to see how she understands Rose. It's charming
to see them together. She wouldn't have half the attraction without
him."

"Oh, yes," March assented. He had often wondered how a man wishing to
marry a widow managed with the idea of her children by another marriage;
but if Kenby was honest; it was much simpler than he had supposed. He
could not say this to him, however, and in a certain embarrassment he
had with the conjecture in his presence he attempted a diversion. "We're
promised something at the Volksfest which will be a great novelty to
us as Americans. Our driver told us this morning that one of the houses
there was built entirely of wood."

When they reached the grounds of the Volksfest, this civil feature of
the great military event at hand, which the Marches had found largely
set forth in the programme of the parade, did not fully keep the glowing
promises made for it; in fact it could not easily have done so. It was
in a pleasant neighborhood of new villas such as form the modern quarter
of every German city, and the Volksfest was even more unfinished than
its environment. It was not yet enclosed by the fence which was to hide
its wonders from the non-paying public, but March and Kenby went in
through an archway where the gate-money was as effectually collected
from them as if they were barred every other entrance.

The wooden building was easily distinguishable from the other edifices
because these were tents and booths still less substantial. They did not
make out its function, but of the others four sheltered merry-go-rounds,
four were beer-gardens, four were restaurants, and the rest were devoted
to amusements of the usual country-fair type. Apparently they had little
attraction for country people. The Americans met few peasants in the
grounds, and neither at the Edison kinematograph, where they refreshed
their patriotism with some scenes of their native life, nor at the
little theatre where they saw the sports of the arena revived, in the
wrestle of a woman with a bear, did any of the people except tradesmen
and artisans seem to be taking part