Rollo's Day With a Débutante

How Our Innocent Little Hero Appeared at the Ritz With His Very Modern Cousin

GEORGE S. CHAPPELL

WE have already told in a previous issue how Rollo's family decided to move from their pleasant farm to an apartment in the city. It is now our privilege to accompany Rollo on some of the expeditions by which he was not only greatly entertained hut from which he also acquired much valuable instruction. While primarily intended for youthful minds, it is the author's hope that older persons as well may find useful lessons in the experiences of our innocent little HERO.—EDITOR.

ONE day Rollo was sitting on the little green cricket, which Jonas had made for him, in a very discontented frame of mind. He was staring at the open fireplace, in which were three birch logs; or rather he had at first thought they were logs, until Jonas pointed out to him that they were only clever imitations made of iron, full of tiny holes, through which flowed an evil-smelling odour called gas when Jonas turned a small faucet. Rollo was at first mightily amused at these logs, and admired especially.the life-like way in which the bark was shown to be covered with moss on one side.

"They are much prettier than real logs", said he, and thought he should never tire of turning them on and off and making them sparkle and blaze and smell.

In spite of all this, Rollo was dull and despondent. He was just beginning to wonder whether he should go out in the hall and push the elevator-buttons, or remove the telephone receiver from the hook, or what he should do to amuse himself when his mother looked up from a letter she was reading and said, "Rollo, how should you like to go to luncheon tomorrow with your cousin Stella?"

"Splendid", said Rollo, "anything for a change. But I did not know I had a cousin Stella. Who is she?"

"She is not really your cousin", said his mother, "but the daughter of an old friend of mine, Mrs. Bradley. We have always spoken of her as Aunt Estelle. Stella is about your age. She lives in the city and would like to have you lunch with her to-morrow at the Ritz. She is a debutante or what I prefer to call 'a bud'."

"What is that?" asked Rollo eagerly.

Rollo's mother explained that "a bud" was the term used to describe an innocent young lady who is just beginning to go about to sociables and lectures by herself.

So pleased was Rollo with his plans for the morrow that he played quite contentedly until bedtime and was not surprised to hear his father say, "Our little Rollo is so good to-day! . . . there must be something the matter with him".

Rollo at first thought he should take his luncheon with him in a basket, but his mother explained that she did not think Mr. Ritz would like that, and that in the city "luncheon" meant the noon-day meal.

"Remember, my son", said his father, "this is to be your dinner, so eat heartily and enjoy yourself. Here is a dime for pocket-money, but be sure not to spend it".

Rollo had no difficulty whatsoever in finding the Ritz, but, once there and safely through the strange doors which revolved like a great mill-wheel, it was quite another matter to find his Cousin Stella. Rollo decided to solve his own difficulty in the simplest way. Standing in the center of the hallway, he shouted lustily, "Cousin Stel-la! Cousin Stel-la!" It was not long before he heard an answering voice cry, "Rol-lo", and saw a beautiful young lady waving and beckoning to him from a table in the corner. Walking toward it, Rollo said, "Is this Cousin Stella?" It was even so, and Rollo, after bowing very low and presenting his cousin with a large, bright orange which he had brought for her, took his place by her side and -the famous luncheon began.

Besides his cousin Stella there were at the table two others, a young lady named Annabelle Litchfield and a lad about Rollo's age whose name was Rupert Hogan. Rollo made his best bow to each and said, "I am very pleased indeed to make your acquaintance", just as his mother had taught him from the deportment book which Jonas had purchased. Soon the young folk were chatting merrily. Indeed there were so many strange and wonderful things to see and hear, that Rollo could scarce taste the delicious food that was set before him, though, taste it or not, he remembered his father's warning to eat as heartily as possible.

First of all there was a band of music, the like of which Rollo had never heard before. There was also the prettiest little fountain.

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"Do you suppose they would let me angle in the fountain, Cousin Stella?" asked Rollo thinking of his little line and bobbin at home, and keeping time to the music with his fork.

"Yes indeed, Rollo, old Kid", said his cousin.

When Rollo was not engaged in looking about the room, he was occupied in watching his Cousin Stella, who did many things which surprised him. To begin with, she always talked when her mouth was full, and she was never still a moment, what with pointing, gesticulating and jumping from her chair to greet other friends who passed their table. At every thing Rollo said, Stella and Annabelle and Rupie laughed very loud, and Rupie surprised Rollo several times by slapping him sharply on the back, on one occasion causing him to spill several drops of water on the corner of his lace collar. This vexed Rollo very much, and at first he was inclined to be in a pet.

All the while the music was playing gaily, and you may be sure Rollo was enjoying himself thoroughly.

"Would you like to dance?" asked Stella, with a merry smile.

"Would I not, indeed!" cried Rollo.

"Let me see," said Stella, "what o'clock is it? Three o'clock. Let us meet here again at five when there is dancing. " have to go to the hairdressers. Will you come, Rollo?"

"No, thank you," said Rollo politely. I must go to my apartment and tell my mother what I propose to do."

"Very well! said Stella, "we will meet here at five." And so it was arranged.

Rollo was not sorry when he reached the apartment to find that no one was at home. The very first thing he did was to look in his box for his fish-line and bobbin. There it was, just where he had put it when he left home. Rollo put it in his pocket and walked slowly back to the Ritz. .In the hall-way he met Stella and the others and they were soon at a table in another room where the music was playing pleasantly.

"Who will dance with us?" asked Rollo, presently.

"Why, I will dance with you, and Rupie will dance with Annabelle," said his cousin Stella.

It embarrassed him very much when Stella placed his arm about her waist and led him into the middle of the room, where many other young people were dancing and bumping each other and laughing rudely..

"It is a Toddle," said Stella, tickling Rollo's ear with her hair.

Rollo did not know what this meant, but he did his best and managed to keep a-going until the music stopped, when they went back to their table.

"I dance very ill," said Rollo, completely out of breath. "Indeed .1 stumble as much as Old Trumpeter, our horse, going over a rough spot in the road."

Rollo danced several more dances, doing a little better each time. During the last dance which was what is called a fox-trot, he was somewhat surprised to find that Stella's cheek was pressed close to his. This caused Rollo to blush furiously. He could not help thinking of his mother's words, "She is not really your Cousin"—but "after all," thought Rollo, "she is nearly so." Thus the dance was concluded very pleasantly and Rollo was quite disappointed when several other boys came to their table and invited Stella and Annabelle for the next dance and for the one after that. Rupie had disappeared, so that Rollo was left quite alone. The others danced nicely for several dances, until it began to be quite late.

"What has become of Rollo?" said Stella. "Wherever can he be?"

Just then they saw him approaching. With him was'a tall man in unifprm. It was evident from Rollo's expression that he was in some sort of trouble.

"What is the matter, Rollo?" cried Stella, and Annabelle and Rupie, in one breath.

"Matter enough," said Rollo, endeavouring to control his voice. "While you were dancing I have been angling in the fountain."

"But you did not catch anything," Said Stella.

"Did I'not?" said Rollo. "Look," and he held up a string on which hung three bright golden fish. "I caught these three in no time at all, and had I not been interrupted, I should have caught them all, I dare say."

Then there was a great hub-hub you may be sure. Stella and Annabelle and Rupie laughed a great deal, and even the tall man in the uniform smiled a little, especially when Rupie slipped something into his hand. Shortly after the tall man went away.

It was now six o'clock and time for Rollo to go home to his supper. While he was getting his cap which he had left with a young lady in a small room near the door he saw that most of the gentlemen, when they took their hats, placed a coin in a saucer that stood near-by. This reminded Rollo that he had paid for nothing and that he still had the dime which his father had given him.

"Surely," thought Rollo, "if I should give my dime to this young lady it would not be spending it." After some reflection he placed the dime in the saucer, for which he was rewarded by a kind smile, and gathering up his cap and his fish he joined his companions in the hall-way.

"Good-bye, Stella, Good-bye, Annabelle, Good-bye, Rupie!" cried Rollo, waving his fish at them, and they all cried "Good-bye," and promised Rollo they should have another holiday together soon.

As he walked homeward Rollo realized that perhaps he ought not to have angled in the little fountain. But here were his fish and what was he to do with them? Just then he saw a lady putting a letter in an iron box which was fastened to a post on a corner of the street. "Just the place for my fish!" thought Rollo and suiting the action to the word he popped the little fish in the box and went on his way.