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to economize on the Continent。
I have in my mind a little settlement of this kind at Versailles；
which was a type。 The formal old city； fallen from its grandeur；
was a singularly appropriate setting to the little comedy。 There
the modest purses of the exiles found rents within their reach； the
quarters vast and airy。 The galleries and the park afforded a
diversion； and then Paris； dear Paris； the American Mecca； was
within reach。 At the time I knew it； the colony was fairly
prosperous； many of its members living in the two or three
principal PENSIONS； the others in apartments of their own。 They
gave feeble little entertainments among themselves； card…parties
and teas； and dined about with each other at their respective
TABLES D'HOTE； even knowing a stray Frenchman or two； whom the
quest of a meal had tempted out of their native fastnesses as it
does the wolves in a hard winter。 Writing and receiving letters
from America was one of the principal occupations； and an epistle
descriptive of a particular event at home went the rounds； and was
eagerly read and discussed。
The merits of the different PENSIONS also formed a subject of vital
interest。 The advantages and disadvantages of these rival
establishments were； as a topic； never exhausted。 MADAME UNE TELLE
gave five o'clock tea； included in the seven francs a day； but her
rival gave one more meat course at dinner and her coffee was
certainly better； while a third undoubtedly had a nicer set of
people。 No one here at home can realize the importance these
matters gradually assume in the eyes of the exiles。 Their slender
incomes have to be so carefully handled to meet the strain of even
this simple way of living； if they are to show a surplus for a
little trip to the seashore in the summer months； that an extra
franc a day becomes a serious consideration。
Every now and then a family stronger…minded than the others； or
with serious reasons for returning home （a daughter to bring out or
a son to put into business）； would break away from its somnolent
surroundings and re…cross the Atlantic； alternating between hope
and fear。 It is here that a sad fate awaits these modern Rip Van
Winkles。 They find their native cities changed beyond recognition。
（For we move fast in these days。） The mother gets out her visiting
list of ten years before and is thunderstruck to find that it
contains chiefly names of the 〃dead； the divorced； and defaulted。〃
The waves of a decade have washed over her place and the world she
once belonged to knows her no more。 The leaders of her day on
whose aid she counted have retired from the fray。 Younger； and
alas！ unknown faces sit in the opera boxes and around the dinner
tables where before she had found only friends。 After a feeble
little struggle to get again into the 〃swim；〃 the family drifts
back across the ocean into the quiet back water of a continental
town； and goes circling around with the other twigs and dry leaves；
moral flotsam and jetsam； thrown aside by the great rush of the
outside world。
For the parents the life is not too sad。 They have had their day；
and are； perhaps； a little glad in their hearts of a quiet old age；
away from the heat and sweat of the battle； but for the younger
generation it is annihilation。 Each year their circle grows
smaller。 Death takes away one member after another of the family；
until one is left alone in a foreign land with no ties around her；
or with her far…away 〃home；〃 the latter more a name now than a
reality。
A year or two ago I was taking luncheon with our consul at his
primitive villa； an hour's ride from the city of Tangier； a ride
made on donkey…back； as no roads exist in that sunny land。 After
our coffee and cigars； he took me a half…hour's walk into the
wilderness around him to call on his nearest neighbors； whose mode
of existence seemed a source of anxiety to him。 I found myself in
the presence of two American ladies； the younger being certainly
not less than seventy…five。 To my astonishment I found they had
been living there some thirty years； since the death of their
parents； in an isolation and remoteness impossible to describe； in
an Arab house； with native servants； 〃the world forgetting； by the
world forgot。〃 Yet these ladies had names well known in New York
fifty years ago。
The glimpse I had of their existence made me thoughtful as I rode
home in the twilight； across a suburb none too safe for strangers。
What had the future in store for those two？ Or； worse still； for
the survivor of those two？ In contrast； I saw a certain humble
〃home〃 far away in America； where two old ladies were ending their
lives surrounded by loving friends and relations； honored and
cherished and guarded tenderly from the rude world。
In big cities like Paris and Rome there is another class of the
expatriated； the wealthy who have left their homes in a moment of
pique after the failure of some social or political ambition； and
who find in these centres the recognition refused them at home and
for which their souls thirsted。
It is not to these I refer； although it is curious to see a group
of people living for years in a country of which they； half the
time； do not speak the language （beyond the necessities of house…
keeping and shopping）； knowing but few of its inhabitants； and
seeing none of the society of the place； their acquaintance rarely
going beyond that equivocal； hybrid class that surrounds rich
〃strangers〃 and hangs on to the outer edge of the GRAND MONDE。 One
feels for this latter class merely contempt； but one's pity is
reserved for the former。 What object lessons some lives on the
Continent would be to impatient souls at home； who feel
discontented with their surroundings； and anxious to break away and
wander abroad！ Let them think twice before they cut the thousand
ties it has taken a lifetime to form。 Better monotony at your own
fireside； my friends； where at the worst； you are known and have
your place； no matter how small； than an old age among strangers。
CHAPTER 12 … 〃Seven Ages〃 of Furniture
THE progress through life of active…minded Americans is apt to be a
series of transformations。 At each succeeding phase of mental
development； an old skin drops from their growing intelligence； and
they assimilate the ideas and tastes of their new condition； with a
facility and completeness unknown to other nations。
One series of metamorphoses particularly amusing to watch is； that
of an observant； receptive daughter of Uncle Sam who； aided and
followed （at a distance） by an adoring husband； gradually develops
her excellent brain； and rises through fathoms of self…culture and
purblind experiment； to the surface of dilettantism and
connoisseurship。 One can generally detect the exact stage of
evolution such a lady has rea