The mist of the morning had turned to rain, and the
roads at the front would be very bad. Besides, it was felt that the
"Chief" should give me permission to go to the front, and he had not
yet returned.
"How about seeing the Indians?" asked Colonel Fitzgerald, turning from
the map.
"I should like it very much."
The young officer was turned to, and agreed, like a British patriot
and gentleman, to show me the Indian villages. General Huguet offered
his car. The officer got his sheepskin-lined coat, for the weather was
cold.
"Thirty shillings," he said, "and nothing goes through it!"
I examined that coat. It was smart, substantial, lined throughout with
pure white fur, and it had cost seven dollars and a half.
There is a very popular English word just making its place in America.
The word is "swank." It is both noun and verb. One swanks when one
swaggers. One puts on swank when one puts on side. And because I hold
a brief for the English, and because I was fortunate enough to meet
all sorts of English people, I want to say that there is very little
swank among them. The example of simplicity and genuineness has been
set by the King and Queen. I met many different circles of people.
From the highest to the lowest, there was a total absence of that
arrogance which the American mind has so long associated with the
English.
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