CHAPTER III
ATLANTIC CITY
Patty's day at the Barlows' was a decided contrast to her visit at Mrs.Allen's.
In the Allen home every detail of housekeeping was complete and verycarefully looked after, while at the Barlows' everything went along in aslipshod, hit-or-miss fashion.
Patty well remembered her visit at their summer home which they calledthe Hurly-Burly, and she could not see that their city residence was anyless deserving of the name. Her Aunt Grace and Uncle Ted were jolly,good-natured people, who cared little about system or method in theirhome. The result was that things often went wrong, but nobody caredespecially if they did.
"I meant to have a nicer luncheon for you, Patty," said her aunt, as theysat down at the table, "but the cook forgot to order lobsters, and when Itelephoned for fresh peas the grocer said I was too late, for they wereall sold. I'm so sorry, for I do love hothouse peas, don't you?"
"I don't care what I have to eat, Aunt Grace. I just came to visit youpeople, you know, and the luncheon doesn't matter a bit."
"That's nice of you to say so, child. I remember what an adaptable littlething you were when you were with us down in the country, and really, youdid us quite a lot of good that summer. You taught Bumble how to keep herbureau drawers in order. She's forgotten it now, but it was nice while itlasted."
"_Helen_, Mother, I do wish you would call me Helen. Bumble is such asilly name."
"I know it, my dear," said Mrs. Barlow, placidly, "and I do mean to, butyou see I forget."
"I forget it, too," said Patty. "But I'll try to call you Helen if youwant me to. What time does Uncle Ted come home, Aunt Grace?"
"Oh, about five o'clock, or perhaps six; and sometimes he gets here atfour. I never know what time he's coming home."
"It isn't only that," said Bob; "in fact, father usually comes home aboutthe same time. But our clocks are all so different that it depends onwhich room mother is in, as to what time she thinks it is."
"That's so," said Helen. "We have eleven clocks in this house, Patty, andevery one of them is always wrong. Still, it's convenient in a way; ifyou want to go anywhere at a certain time, no matter what time you start,you can always find at least one clock that's about where you want it tobe."
"I'm sure I don't see why the clocks don't keep the right time," saidMrs. Barlow. "A man comes every Saturday on purpose to wind and set themall."
"We fool with them," confessed Bob. "You see, Patty, we all like to getup late, and we set our clocks back every night, so that we can do itwith a good grace."
"Yes," said Helen, "and then if we want each other to go anywhere throughthe day,--on time, you know,--we go around the house, and set all theclocks forward. That's the only possible way to make anybody hurry up."
Patty laughed. The whole conversation was so characteristic of theBarlows as she remembered them, and she wondered how they could enjoyliving in such a careless way.
But they were an especially happy family, and most hospitable andentertaining. Patty thoroughly enjoyed her afternoon, although they didnothing in particular for her entertainment. But Aunt Grace was very fondof her motherless niece, and the twins just adored Patty.
At five o'clock tea was served, and though the appointments were not atall like Mrs. Allen's carefully equipped service, yet it was an hour ofcomfortable enjoyment. Uncle Ted came home, and he was so merry and fullof jokes, that he made them all laugh. Two or three casual callersdropped in, and Patty thought again, as she sometimes did, that perhapsshe liked her Barlow cousins best of all.
Dinner, not entirely to Patty's surprise, showed some of the samecharacteristics as luncheon had done. The salad course was lacking,because the mayonnaise dressing had been upset in the refrigerator; theice cream was spoiled, because by mistake the freezer had been set in thesun until the ice melted, and the pretty pink pyramid was in a state ofsoft collapse.
But, as Aunt Grace cheerfully remarked, if it hadn't been that, it wouldhave been something else, and it didn't matter much, anyway.
It was this happy philosophy of the Barlow family that charmed Patty so,and it left no room for embarrassment at these minor accidents, either onthe part of the family or their guest.
"Now," said Patty, after dinner, "if necessary, I'm going to set all theclocks forward, for, Helen, I do want you to be ready when Mrs. Allensends for us. She doesn't like to be kept waiting, one bit."
"Never mind the clocks, Patty," said Helen good-naturedly. "I'll beready." She scampered off to dress, and sure enough was entirely readybefore the carriage came.
"You see, Patty," she said, "we _can_ do things on time, only we'vefallen into the habit of not doing so, unless there's somebody like youhere to spur us up."
Patty admitted this, but told Bumble that she was sorry her influence wasnot more lasting.
* * * * *
On Saturday they started with the Banks's on the automobile trip. Mrs.Allen provided Patty with a long coat for the journey, and a veil to tieover her hat. Not being accustomed to motoring, Patty did not haveappropriate garments, and Mrs. Allen took delight in fitting her out withsome of Nan's.
Mr. Banks's motor-car was of the largest and finest type. It was what iscalled a palace touring car, and represented the highest degree ofcomfort and luxury.
Patty had never been in such a beautiful machine, and when she was snuglytucked in the tonneau between Mrs. Allen and Ethel, Mr. Banks and Mr.Allen climbed into the front seat, and they started off.
The ride to Atlantic City was most exhilarating, and Patty enjoyed everyminute of it. There was a top to the machine, for which reason the forceof the wind was not so uncomfortable, and the tourists were able toconverse with each other.
"I thought," said Patty, "that when people went in these big cars, atthis fearful rate of speed, you could hardly hear yourself think, muchless talk to each other. What's the name of your car, Mr. Banks?"
"The Flying Dutchman," was the reply.
"It's a flyer, all right," said Patty, "but I don't see anything Dutchabout it."
"That's in honour of one of my ancestors, who, they tell me, came overfrom Holland some hundreds of years ago."
"Then it's a most appropriate name," said Patty, "and it's the mostbeautiful and comfortable car I ever saw."
They went spinning on mile after mile at what Patty thought was terrificspeed, but which Mr. Banks seemed to consider merely moderate. After awhile, seeing how interested Patty was in the mechanism of the car, Mr.Allen offered to change seats with her, and let her sit with Mr. Banks,while that gentleman explained to her the working of it.
Patty gladly made the change, and eagerly listened while Mr. Banksexplained the steering gear, and as much of the motor apparatus as hecould make clear to her.
Patty liked Mr. Banks. He was a kind and courteous gentleman, and treatedher with a deference that gave Patty a sudden sense of importance. Itseemed strange to think that she, little Patty Fairfield, was thehonoured guest of the well-known Mr. Banks of Philadelphia. She did herbest to be polite and entertaining in return, and the result was verypleasant, and also very instructive in the art of motoring.
They reached Atlantic City late in the afternoon, and went at once to alarge hotel, where Mr. Banks had telegraphed ahead for rooms.
Patty and Ethel had adjoining rooms, and the Allens and Mr. Banks hadrooms across the hall from them.
Patty had begun to like Ethel before this trip had been planned, and asshe knew her better she liked her more. Ethel Banks, though the onlydaughter of a millionaire, was not in the least proud or ostentatious.She was a sweet, simple-minded girl, with friendly ways, and a goodcomradeship soon developed between her and Patty.
She was a little older than Patty, and had just come out in societyduring the past winter.
As Patty was still a schoolgirl, she could not be considered as "out,"but of course on occasions like the present, such formalities made littleor no difference.
; "Now, my dear," said Mr. Banks to Ethel, "if you and Miss Fairfield willhasten your toilettes a little, we will have time for a ride on the boardwalk before dinner." This pleased the girls, and in a short time they hadchanged their travelling clothes for pretty light-coloured frocks, andwent downstairs to find Mr. Banks waiting for them on the verandah. Heexplained that the Allens would not go with them on this expedition, sothe three started off. As their hotel faced the ocean, it was just a stepto the wide and beautiful board walk that runs for miles along the beachat Atlantic City.
In all her life Patty had never seen such a sight as this before, and thebeauty and wonder of it all nearly took her breath away.
The board walk was forty feet wide, and was like a moving picture ofgaily-dressed and happy-faced people.
Although early in April, it seemed like summer time, so balmy was theair, so bright the sunshine. Patty gazed with delight at the blue ocean,dotted with whitecaps, and then back to the wonderful panorama of the gaycrowd, the music of the bands, and the laughter of the children.
"The best way to get an idea of the extent of this thing," said Mr.Banks, "is to take a ride in the wheeled chairs. You two girls hop intothat double one, and I will take this single one, and we'll go along thewalk for a mile or so."
The chairs were propelled by strong young coloured men, who were affableand polite, and who explained the sights as they passed them, and pointedout places of interest. Patty said to Ethel that she felt as if she werein a perambulator, except that she wasn't strapped in. But she soonbecame accustomed to the slow, gentle motion of the chairs, and declaredthat it was indeed an ideal way to see the beautiful place. On one sidewas an endless row of small shops or bazaars, where wares of all sortswere offered for sale. At one of these, a booth of oriental trinkets, Mr.Banks stopped and bought each of the girls a necklace of gay-colouredbeads. They were not valuable ornaments, but had a quaint, foreign air,and were very pretty in their own way. Patty was greatly pleased, andwhen they passed another booth which contained exquisite Armenianembroideries, she begged Ethel to accept the little gift from her, andpicking out some filmy needle-worked handkerchiefs, she gave them to herfriend.
On they went, past the several long piers, until Mr. Banks said it wastime to turn around if they would reach the hotel in time for dinner.
So back they went to the hotel, and, after finding the Allens, they allwent to the dining-room.
Privately, Patty wondered how these people could spend so much timeeating dinner, when they might be out on the beach. At last, to her greatsatisfaction, dinner was over, and Mr. Allen proposed that they all goout for a short stroll on the board walk.
Although it had been a gay scene in the afternoon, that was as nothing tothe evening effect. Thousands,--millions, it seemed to Patty,--ofelectric lights in various wonderful devices, and in every possiblecolour, made the place as light as day, and the varied gorgeousness ofthe whole scene made it seem, as Patty said, like a big kaleidoscope.
They walked gaily along, mingling with the good-natured crowd, noticingvarious sights or incidents here and there, until they reached the greatsteel pier, where Mr. Allen invited them to go with him to the concert.So in they went to listen to a band concert. This pleased Patty, for shewas especially fond of a brass band, but Mrs. Allen said it was nothingshort of pandemonium.
"Your tastes are barbaric, Patty," she said, laughing. "You love lightand colour and noise, and I don't believe you could have too much of anyof the three."
"I don't believe I could," said Patty, laughing herself, as the musicbanged and crashed.
"And that gewgaw you've got hanging around your neck," went on Mrs.Allen; "your fancy for that proves you a true barbarian."
"I think it's lovely," said Patty, looking at her gay-coloured beads. "Idon't care if I do like crazy things. Ethel likes these beads, too."
"That's all right," said Mrs. Allen. "Of course you like them,chickadees, and they look very pretty with your light frocks. It's nocrime, Patty, to be barbaric. It only means you have youth and enthusiasmand a capacity for enjoyment."
"Indeed I have," said Patty. "I'm enjoying all this so much that I feelas if I should just burst, or fly away, or something."
"Don't fly away yet," said Ethel. "We can't spare you. There are lotsmore things to see."
And so there were. After the concert they walked on, and on, continuallyseeing new and interesting scenes of one sort or another. Indeed, theywalked so far that Mr. Allen said they must take chairs back. So againthey got into the rolling chairs, and rolled slowly back to the hotel.
Patty was thoroughly tired out, but very happy, and went to sleep withthe music of the dashing surf sounding in her ears.