Luncheon. 43 



are forwarded every week to the point where we are to 

 spend the succeeding Sunday, so that every Saturday 

 evening we replenish our wardrobe, and at the Sunday 

 dinner appear in full dress, making a difference be- 

 tween that and other days. This we found- well worth 

 observing, for our Sunday evenings were thereby made 

 somewhat unusual affairs. In no case did any failure 

 of this plan occur, nor were we ever put to the slightest 

 inconvenience about clothing. Our hotel accommoda- 

 tions were secured by telegraph. The General Manager 

 had engaged these for our first week's stage, previous 

 to our start. 



The question of luncheon soon came to the front, 

 for should we be favored with fine weather, much of 

 the poetry and romance of the journey was sure to 

 cluster round the midday halt. It was by a process of 

 natural selection that she who had proved her genius 

 for making salads on many occasions during the voyage 

 should be unanimously appointed to fill the important 

 position of stewardess, and given full and unlimited 

 control of the hampers. Our stewardess only lived up 

 to a well-deserved reputation by surprising us day after 

 day with luncheons far excelling any dinner. Two 

 coaching hampers, very complete affairs, were obtained 

 in London. These the stewardess saw filled at the inn 

 every morning with the best the country could afford, 

 under her personal supervision, a labor of love. Our 

 Pard's sweet tooth led him to many early excursions 



