The servants all know each
other; they meet in the back elevator, and get acquainted. I don't
encourage it. You can't tell what kind of families they belong to."
"But surely," the Altrurian persisted, "you have friends in the city whom
you think of as your neighbors?"
"No, I can't say that I have," said Mrs. Makely. "I have my visiting-list,
but I shouldn't think of anybody on _that_ as a neighbor."
The Altrurian looked so blank and baffled that I could hardly help
laughing. "Then I should not know how to explain Altruria to you, I'm
afraid."
"Well," she returned, lightly, "if it's anything like neighborliness as
I've seen it in small places, deliver me from it! I like being
independent. That's why I like the city. You're let alone."
"I was down in New York once, and I went through some of the streets and
houses where the poor people live," said young Camp, "and they seemed to
know each other and to be quite neighborly."
"And would you like to be all messed in with one another that way?"
demanded the lady.
"Well, I thought it was better than living as we do in the country, so far
apart that we never see one another, hardly.
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