disposition. She spoke sharply to the steward, although he was doing his
best to serve her.

"And is it that you shall be all night in arranging my chair?" she
exclaimed. Then, as she was finally seated, she continued her grumbling.
"And is it not enough that I must be delayed, but still I have received
no MENU? One shall see if this is to be permitted!"

The steward did not seem unduly alarmed at the little old lady's angry
speech, but hastened to bring her the daintily printed bill of fare.

Raising her jewelled lorgnon, the French lady scanned the MENU, and
having made a choice of soup, she laid the card down, and turning toward
Patty surveyed her leisurely through her glasses.

Her manner as she scrutinised Patty was by no means rude or impertinent.
It had rather the effect of an honest curiosity and a polite interest.

"There is no denying, my dear," she said at last, "that you are of a
beauty. And of a sweetness. An American of Americans. New York--is it
not so?"

There was an indefinable charm about the old lady's manner that won
Patty's heart at once, and though in any case she would have been
polite, she answered with cordiality:

"Yes, madame, I live in New York, although I was born in the South and
lived there for many years."

"Ah, then, it is explained. It is your Southern States that make the