In a short while the very group of people who only ten days before were
being shown to their places in the Worldlys' own tapestry-hung marble
dining-room at Great Estates by a dozen footmen in satin knee breeches,
file into the "dining camp" and take their places at a long pine table,
painted turkey red, on ordinary wooden kitchen chairs, also red! The
floral decoration is of laurel leaves in vases made of preserve jars
covered with birch bark. Glass and china is of the cheapest. But there are
a long centerpiece of hemstitched crash and crash doilies, and there are
"real" napkins, and at each plate a birch bark napkin ring with a number
on it. Mrs. Worldly looks at her napkin ring as though it were an insect.
One or two of the others who have not been there before, look mildly
surprised.
Mrs. Kindhart smiles, "I'm sorry, but I told you it was 'roughing it.' Any
one who prefers innumerable paper napkins to using a washed one twice, is
welcome. But one napkin a day apiece is camp rule!" Mrs. Worldly tries to
look amiable, all the rest succeed.
The food is limited in variety but delicious. There are fresh trout from
the lake and venison steak; both well cooked in every way that can be
devised appear at every meal. All other supplies come in hampers from the
city. The head cook is the Kindharts' own, and so is the butler, with one
of the chauffeurs (when home) to help him wait on table. They wear
"liveries," evolved by Mrs. Kindhart, of gray flannel trousers, green
flannel blazers, very light gray flannel shirts, black ties, and
moccasins!
The table service, since there are only two to wait on twenty including
the children, is necessarily somewhat "farmer style"; ice, tea, rolls,
butter, marmalade, cake, fruit, are all on the table, so that people may
help themselves.
=THE AMUSEMENTS OFFERED=
After luncheon Kindhart points out a dozen guides who are waiting at the
boat-house to take anyone who wants to be paddled or to sail or to go out
into the woods. There is a small swimming pool which can be warmed
artificially. Those who like it cold swim in the lake. All the men
disappear in groups or singly with a guide. The women go with their
husbands, or two together, with a guide. Should any not want to go out,
she can take to one of the hammocks, or a divan in the living-room, and a
book.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account