Robin　MacRae　or　the　kindergarten　teacher　or　the　cook。　　I　seem　to　have　a　genius　for　discovering　enemies！
  Mr。　Wykoff　called　on　Wednesday　last　to　look　over　the　new　superintendent。
  Having　lowered　himself　into　my　most　comfortable　armchair；　he　proceeded　to　spend　the　day。　　He　asked　my　father's　business；　and　whether　or　not　he　was　well…to…do。　　I　told　him　that　my　father　manufactured　overalls；　and　that；　even　in　these　hard　times；　the　demand　for　overalls　was　pretty　steady。
  He　seemed　relieved。　　He　approves　of　the　utilitarian　aspect　of　overalls。　　He　had　been　afraid　that　I　had　come　from　the　family　of　a　minister　or　professor　or　writer；　a　lot　of　high　thinking　and　no　common　sense。　　Cyrus　believes　in　common　sense。
  And　what　had　been　my　training　for　this　position？
  That；　as　you　know；　is　a　slightly　embarrassing　question。　　But　I　produced　my　college　education　and　a　few　lectures　at　the　School　of　Philanthropy；　also　a　short　residence　in　the　college　settlement　（I　didn't　tell　him　that　all　I　had　done　there　was　to　paint　the　back　hall　and　stairs）。　　Then　I　submitted　some　social　work　among　my　father's　employees　and　a　few　friendly　visits　to　the　Home　for　Female　Inebriates。
  To　all　of　which　he　grunted。
  I　added　that　I　had　lately　made　a　study　of　the　care　of　dependent　children；　and　casually　mentioned　my　seventeen　institutions。
  He　grunted　again；　and　said　he　didn't　take　much　stock　in　this　new…fangled　scientific　charity。
  At　this　point　Jane　entered　with　a　box　of　roses　from　the　florist's。　　That　blessed　Gordon　Hallock　sends　me　roses　twice　a　week　to　brighten　the　rigors　of　institution　life。
  Our　trustee　began　an　indignant　investigation。　　He　wished　to　know　where　I　got　those　flowers；　and　was　visibly　relieved　when　he　learned　that　I　had　not　spent　the　institution's　money　for　them。　　He　next　wished　to　know　who　Jane　might　be。　　I　had　foreseen　that　question　and　decided　to　brazen　it　out。
  〃My　maid；〃　said　I。
  〃Your　what？〃　he　bellowed；　quite　red　in　the　face。
  〃My　maid。〃
  〃What　is　she　doing　here？〃
  I　amiably　went　into　details。　　〃She　mends　my　clothes；　blacks　my　boots；　keeps　my　bureau　drawers　in　order；　washes　my　hair。〃
  I　really　thought　the　man　would　choke；　so　I　charitably　added　that　I　paid　her　wages　out　of　my　own　private　income；　and　paid　five　dollars　and　fifty　cents　a　week　to　the　institution　for　her　board；　and　that；　though　she　was　big；　she　didn't　eat　much。
  He　allowed　that　I　might　make　use　of　one　of　the　orphans　for　all　legitimate　service。
  I　explainedstill　polite；　but　growing　boredthat　Jane　had　been　in　my　service　for　many　years；　and　was　indispensable。
  He　finally　took　himself　off；　after　telling　me　that　he；　for　one；　had　never　found　any　fault　with　Mrs。　Lippett。　　She　was　a　common…sense　Christian　woman；　without　many　fancy　ideas；　but　with　plenty　of　good　solid　work　in　her。　　He　hoped　that　I　would　be　wise　enough　to　model　my　policy　upon　hers！
  And　what；　my　dear　Judy；　do　you　think　of　that？
  The　doctor　dropped　in　a　few　minutes　later；　and　I　repeated　the　Hon。　Cyrus's　conversation　in　detail。　　For　the　first　time　in　the　history　of　our　intercourse　the　doctor　and　I　agreed。
  〃Mrs。　Lippett　indeed！〃　he　growled。　　〃The　blethering　auld　gomerel！　　May　the　Lord　send　him　mair　sense！〃
  When　our　doctor　really　becomes　aroused；　he　drops　into　Scotch。　　My　latest　pet　name　for　him　（behind　his　back）　is　Sandy。
  Sadie　Kate　is　sitting　on　the　floor　as　I　write；　untangling　sewing…silks　and　winding　them　neatly　for　Jane；　who　is　becoming　quite　attached　to　the　little　imp。
  〃I　am　writing　to　your　Aunt　Judy；〃　say　I　to　Sadie　Kate。　　〃What　message　shall　I　send　from　you？〃
  〃I　never　heard　of　no　Aunt　Judy。〃
  〃She　is　the　aunt　of　every　good　little　girl　in　this　school。〃
  〃Tell　her　to　come　and　visit　me　and　bring　some　candy；〃　says　Sadie　Kate。
  I　say　so；　too。
  My　love　to　the　president；
  SALLIE。
  March　13。
  MRS。　JUDY　ABBOTT　PENDLETON；
  Dear　Madam：
  Your　four　letters；　two　telegrams；　and　three　checks　are　at　hand；　and　your　instructions　shall　be　obeyed　just　as　quickly　as　this　overworked　superintendent　can　manage　it。
  I　delegated　the　dining　room　job　to　Betsy　Kindred。　　One　hundred　dollars　did　I　allow　her　for　the　rehabilitation　of　that　dreary　apartment。　　She　accepted　the　trust；　picked　out　five　likely　orphans　to　assist　in　the　mechanical　details；　and　closed　the　door。
  For　three　days　the　children　have　been　eating　from　the　desks　in　the　schoolroom。　　I　haven't　an　idea　what　Betsy　is　doing；　but　she　has　a　lot　better　taste　than　I；　so　there　isn't　much　use　in　interfering。
  It　is　such　a　heaven…sent　relief　to　be　able　to　leave　something　to　somebody　else；　and　be　sure　it　will　be　carried　out！　　With　all　due　respect　to　the　age　and　experience　of　the　staff　I　found　here；　they　are　not　very　open　to　new　ideas。　　As　the　John　Grier　Home　was　planned　by　its　noble　founder　in　1875；　so　shall　it　be　run　today。
  Incidentally；　my　dear　Judy；　your　idea　of　a　private　dining　room　for　the　superintendent；　which　I；　being　a　social　soul；　at　first　scorned；　has　been　my　salvation。　　When　I　am　dead　tired　I　dine　alone；　but　in　my　live　intervals　I　invite　an　officer　to　share　the　meal；　and　in　the　expansive　intimacy　of　the　dinnertable　I　get　in　my　most　effective　strokes。　　When　it　becomes　desirable　to　plant　the　seeds　of　fresh　air　in　the　soul　of　Miss　Snaith；　I　invite　her　to　dinner；　and　tactfully　sandwich　in　a　little　oxygen　between　her　slices　of　pressed　veal。
  Pressed　veal　is　our　cook's　idea　of　an　acceptable　PIECE　DE　RESISTANCE　for　a　dinner　party。　　In　another　month　I　am　going　to　face　the　subject　of　suitable　nourishment　for　the　executive　staff。
  Meanwhile　there　are　so　many　things　more　important　than　our　own　comfort　that　we　shall　have　to　worry　along　on　veal。
  A　terrible　bumping　has　just　occurred　outside　my　door。　　One　little　cherub　seems　to　be　kicking　another　little　cherub　downstairs。　　But　I　write　on　undisturbed。　　If　I　am　to　spend　my　days　among　orphans；　I　must　cultivate　a　cheerful　detachment。
  Did　you　get　Leonora　Fenton's　cards？　　She's　marrying　a　medical　missionary　and　going　to　Siam　to　live！　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　anything　so　absurd　as　Leonora　presiding　over　a　missionary's　menage？　　Do　you　suppose　she　will　entertain　the　heathen　with　skirt　dances？
  It　isn't　any　absurder；　though；　than　me　in　an　orphan　asylum；　or　you　as　a　conservative　settled　matron；　or　Marty　Keene　a　social　butterfly　in　Paris。　　Do　you　suppose　she　goes　to　embassy　balls　in　riding　clothes；　and　what　on　earth　does　she　do　about　hair？　　It　couldn't　have　grown　so　soon；　she　must　wear　a　wig。　　Isn't　our　class　turning　out　some　hilarious　surprises？
  The　mail　arrives。　　Excuse　me　while　I　read　a　nice　fat　letter　from　Washington。
  Not　so　nice；　quite　impertinent。　　Gordon　can't　get　over　the　idea　that　it　is　a　joke；　S。　McB。　in　conjunction　with　one　hundred　and　thirteen　orphans。　　But　he　wouldn't　think　it　such　a　joke　if　he　could　try　it　for　a　few　days。　　He　says　he　is　going　to　drop　off　here　on　his　next　trip　North　and　watch　the　struggle。　　How　would　it　be　if　I　left　him　in　charge　while　I　dashed　to　New　York　to　accomplish　some　shopping？　　Our　sheets　are　all　worn　out；　and　we　haven't　more　than　two　hundred　and　eleven　blankets　in　the　house。
  Singapore；　sole　puppy　of　my　heart　and　home；　sends　his　respectful　love。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　also；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。　McB。
  THE　JOHN　GRIER　HOME；
  Friday。　My　dearest　Judy：
  You　should　see　what　your　hundred　dollars　and　Betsy　Kindred　did　to　that　dining　room！
  It's　a　dazzling　dream　of　yellow　paint。　　Being　a　north　room；　she　thought　to　brighten　it；　and　she　has。　　The　walls　are　kalsomined　buff；　with　a　frieze　of　little　molly　cottontails　skurrying　around　the　top。　　All　of　the　woodworktables　and　benches　includedis　a　cheerful　chrome　yellow。　　Instead　of　tablecloths；　which　we　can't　afford；　we　have　linen　runners；　with　stenciled　rabbits　hopping　along　their　length。　　Also　yellow　bowls；　filled　at　present　with　pussywillows；　but　looking　forward　to　dandelions　and　cowslips　and　buttercups。　　And　new　dishes；　my　dearwhite；　with　yellow　jonquils　（we　think）；　though　they　may　be　roses；　there　is　no　botany　expert　in　the　house。　　Most　wonderful　touch　of　all；　we　have　NAPKINS；　the　first　we　have　seen　in　our　whole　lives。　　The　children　thought　they　were　handkerchiefs　and　ecstatically　wiped　their　noses。
  To　honor　the　opening　of　the　new　room；　we　had　ice…cream　and　cake　for　dessert。　　It　is　such　a　pleasure　to　see　these　children　anything　but　cowed　and　apathetic；　that　I　am　offering　prizes　for　boisterousnessto　every　one　but　Sadie　Kate。　　She　drummed　on　the　table　with　her　knife　and　fork　and　sang；　〃Welcome　to　dem　golden　halls。〃
  You　remember　that　illuminated　text　over　the　dining…room　door〃The　Lord　Will　Provide。〃　　We've　painted　it　out；　and　covered　the　spot　with　rabbits。　　It's　all　very　well　to　teach　so　easy　a　belief　to　normal　children；　who　have　a　proper　family　and　roof　behind　them；　but　a　person　whose　only　refuge　in　distress　will　be　a　park　bench　must　learn　a　more　militant　creed　than　that。
  〃The　Lord　has　given　you　two　hands　and　a　brain　and　a　big　world　to　use　them　in。　　Use　them　well；　and　you　will　be　provided　for；　use　them　ill；　and　you　wi