the big fire and then turn in.

The etiquette of this sort of a party is so apparently lacking that its
inclusion perhaps seems out of place. But it is meant merely as a
"picture" of a phase of fashionable life that is not much exploited, and
to show that well-bred people never deteriorate in manner. Their behavior
is precisely the same whether at Great Estates or in camp. A gentleman may
be in his shirt sleeves actually, but he never gets into shirt sleeves
mentally--he has no inclination to.

To be sure, on the particular party described above, Mrs. Worldly wore a
squirrel fur cap in the evening as well as the daytime; she said it was
because it was so warm and comfortable. It was really because she could
not do her hair!

Perhaps some one asks about Ernest? At the end of two days of aloof and
distasteful idleness, Ernest became quite a human being; invaluable as
baiter of worms for the children's fish-hooks, as extra butler, and did
not scorn even temporary experiments as kitchen-maid. In fact, he proved
the half-hearted recommendation that he "might be useful" so thoroughly
that the first person of all to be especially invited for next year and
future years, was--exactly--Ernest.

CHAPTER XXVII

NOTES AND SHORTER LETTERS

In writing notes or letters, as in all other forms of social observance,
the highest achievement is in giving the appearance of simplicity,
naturalness and force.

Those who use long periods of flowered prolixity and pretentious
phrases--who write in complicated form with meaningless flourishes, do not
make an impression of elegance and erudition upon their readers, but
flaunt instead unmistakable evidence of vainglory and ignorance.

The letter you write, whether you realize it or not, is always a mirror
which reflects your appearance, taste and character. A "sloppy" letter
with the writing all pouring into one corner of the page, badly worded,
badly spelled, and with unmatched paper and envelope--even possibly a
blot--proclaims the sort of person who would have unkempt hair, unclean
linen and broken shoe laces; just as a neat, precise, evenly written note
portrays a person of like characteristics. Therefore, while it can not be
said with literal accuracy that one may read the future of a person by
study of his handwriting, it is true that if a young man wishes to choose
a wife in whose daily life he is sure always to find the unfinished task,
the untidy mind and the syncopated ho