. Our Philadelphia. like the loneliness in a crowd, doubly so if all theothers in the crowd know each other. In the dressing-roomthat first evening it was so overwhelming to discover my-self entirely out of it where I should have been entirely in,that, without the stay and support of my friend, of old thePrince of Denmark to my iGhost of Hamlets Father, andher sister, who had come out under more favourable con-ditions, I do not think I could have gone a step furtherin the great social adventure. As it was, with my heart in my boots, my hand trem-bling on my Brothers arm, to the music of Hassle
. Our Philadelphia. like the loneliness in a crowd, doubly so if all theothers in the crowd know each other. In the dressing-roomthat first evening it was so overwhelming to discover my-self entirely out of it where I should have been entirely in,that, without the stay and support of my friend, of old thePrince of Denmark to my iGhost of Hamlets Father, andher sister, who had come out under more favourable con-ditions, I do not think I could have gone a step furtherin the great social adventure. As it was, with my heart in my boots, my hand trem-bling on my Brothers arm, to the music of Hasslers band,I entered the big bare hall of the Natatorium, and was outwith no more fuss and with nobody particularly excitedabout it save mj^self. Things were a little better once away from the dress-ing-room. My Brother was gay, had been out for two orthree years, knew everybody. If he could not introduceme to the women he could introduce the men to me, andthe freemasonry existing among them from their all having ^0 I. THE PHILADELPHIA CLUB THIRTEENTH AND WALNUT STREETS THE SOCIAL ADVENTURE 143 gone to the Episcopal Academy and the University ofPennsylvania together, from their all having played cricketand baseball and football, or gone hunting together, fromtheir all belonging to the same clubs, was not the kind fromwhich I need suffer. Besides, those were the days when itwas easy for the Philadelphia girl to get to know men, tomake friends of them, without the Philadelphia gossippouncing upon her and the Philadelphia father askingthem their intentions—^they could call upon her as oftenas they liked and the Philadelphia father would retreatfrom the front and back parlours, she could go out alonewith them and the Philadelphia father would not interfere,knowing they had been brought up to see in themselvesher protectors, especially appointed to look out for signs of change I might have discerned had I beenobservant. More than the five oclock tea affectation wasto come of
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