The food is wonderful, extraordinarily good; but although the footmen are
English they don't wait anything like as well as if they had remained at
home; and Octavia's old maid, Wilbor, told her the hurly burly downstairs
is beyond description; snatching their meals anywhere, with no time or
etiquette or housekeeper's room; all, everyone for himself, and the devil
take the hindmost. And the absolutely disrespectful way they speak of their
master and mistress--machines to make money out of, they seem to
think--perfectly astonished Wilbor, who highly disapproves of it all.
Agnès, having a French woman's eye to the main chance, says, "N'importe,
ici on gagne beaucoup d'argent!" So probably she will leave me before we
return.

What volumes I have written, dearest Mamma!

Best love from your,

Affectionate daughter,
ELIZABETH.




PLAZA HOTEL, NEW YORK


PLAZA HOTEL, NEW YORK,
_Friday._

Dearest Mamma,--Octavia and I feel we are growing quite "rattled." (Do
forgive me for using such a word, but it is American and describes us.) The