Also；　our　colored　cook　Sallie　and　our　colored　useful　man　Noah　have　entered　upon　a　war　of　extermination。　　The　original　trouble　was　over　a　little　matter　of　kindling；　augmented　by　a　pail　of　hot　water　that　Sallie　threw　out　of　the　window　with；　for　a　woman；　unusual　accuracy　of　aim。　　You　can　see　what　a　rare　character　the　head　of　an　orphan　asylum　must　have。　　She　has　to　combine　the　qualities　of　a　baby　nurse　and　a　police　magistrate。
  The　doctor　had　told　only　the　half　when　we　reached　the　house；　and　as　he　had　not　yet　dined；　owing　to　meeting　me　three　times；　I　begged　him　to　accept　the　hospitality　of　the　John　Grier。　　I　would　get　Betsy　and　Mr。　Witherspoon；　and　we　would　hold　an　executive　meeting；　and　settle　all　our　neglected　businesses。
  Sandy　accepted　with　flattering　promptness。　　He　likes　to　dine　outside　of　the　family　vault。
  But　Betsy；　I　found；　had　dashed　home　to　greet　a　visiting　grandparent；　and　Percy　was　playing　bridge　in　the　village。　　It's　seldom　the　young　thing　gets　out　of　an　evening；　and　I'm　glad　for　him　to　have　a　little　cheerful　diversion。
  So　it　ended　in　the　doctor's　and　my　dining　tete…a…tete　on　a　hastily　improvised　dinner；it　was　then　close　upon　eight；　and　our　normal　dinner　hour　is　6：30；but　it　was　such　an　improvised　dinner　as　I　am　sure　Mrs。　McGurk　never　served　him。　　Sallie；　wishing　to　impress　me　with　her　invaluableness；　did　her　absolutely　Southern　best。　　And　after　dinner　we　had　coffee　before　the　fire　in　my　comfortable　blue　library；　while　the　wind　howled　outside　and　the　shutters　banged。
  We　passed　a　most　cordial　and　intimate　evening。　　For　the　first　time　since　our　acquaintance　I　struck　a　new　note　in　the　man。　　There　really　is　something　attractive　about　him　when　you　once　come　to　know　him。　　But　the　process　of　knowing　him　requires　time　and　tact。　　He's　no'　very　gleg　at　the　uptak。　　I've　never　seen　such　a　tantalizing　inexplicable　person。　　All　the　time　I'm　talking　to　him　I　feel　as　though　behind　his　straight　line　of　a　mouth　and　his　half…shut　eyes　there　were　banked　fires　smoldering　inside。　　Are　you　sure　he　hasn't　committed　a　crime？　　He　does　manage　to　convey　the　delicious　feeling　that　he　has。
  And　I　must　add　that　Sandy's　not　so　bad　a　talker　when　he　lets　himself　go。　　He　has　the　entire　volume　of　Scotch　literature　at　his　tongue's　end。
  〃Little　kens　the　auld　wife　as　she　sits　by　the　fire　what　the　wind　is　doing　on　Hurly…Burly…Swire；〃　he　observed　as　a　specially　fierce　blast　drove　the　rain　against　the　window。　　That　sounds　pat；　doesn't　it？　　I　haven't；　though；　the　remotest　idea　what　it　means。　　And　listen　to　this：　between　cups　of　coffee　（he　drinks　far　too　much　coffee　for　a　sensible　medical　man）　he　casually　let　fall　the　news　that　his　family　knew　the　R。　L。　S。　family　personally；　and　used　to　take　supper　at　17　Heriot　Row！　　I　tended　him　assiduously　for　the　rest　of　the　evening　in　a　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Did　you　once　see　Shelley　plain；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　did　he　stop　and　speak　to　you？　frame　of　mind。
  When　I　started　this　letter；　I　had　no　intention　of　filling　it　with　a　description　of　the　recently　excavated　charms　of　Robin　MacRae；　it's　just　by　way　of　remorseful　apology。　　He　was　so　nice　and　companionable　last　night　that　I　have　been　going　about　today　feeling　conscience…smitten　at　the　thought　of　how　mercilessly　I　made　fun　of　him　to　you　and　Jervis。　　I　really　didn't　mean　quite　all　of　the　impolite　things　that　I　said。　　About　once　a　month　the　man　is　sweet　and　tractable　and　engaging。
  Punch　has　just　been　paying　a　social　call；　and　during　the　course　of　it　he　lost　three　little　toadlings　an　inch　long。　　Sadie　Kate　recovered　one　of　them　from　under　the　bookcase；　but　the　other　two　hopped　away；　and　I'm　so　afraid　they've　taken　sanctuary　in　my　bed！　　I　do　wish　that　mice　and　snakes　and　toads　and　angleworms　were　not　so　portable。　　You　never　know　what　is　going　on　in　a　perfectly　respectable…looking　child's　pocket。
  I　had　a　beautiful　visit　in　Casa　Pendleton。　　Don't　forget　your　promise　to　return　it　soon。
  Yours　as　ever；
  SALLIE。
  P。S。　　I　left　a　pair　of　pale…blue　bedroom　slippers　under　the　bed。　　Will　you　please　have　Mary　wrap　them　up　and　mail　them　to　me？　　And　hold　her　hand　while　she　writes　the　address。　　She　spelt　my　name　on　the　place　cards　〃Mackbird。〃
  Tuesday。　Dear　Enemy：
  As　I　told　you；　I　left　an　application　for　an　accomplished　nurse　with　the　employment　bureau　of　New　York。
  Wanted！　　A　nurse　maid　with　an　ample　lap　suitable　for　the　accommodation　of　seventeen　babies　at　once。
  She　came　this　afternoon；　and　this　is　the　fine　figure　of　a　woman　that　I　drew！
  We　couldn't　keep　a　baby　from　sliding　off　her　lap　unless　we　fastened　him　firmly　with　safety　pins。
  Please　give　Sadie　Kate　the　magazine。　　I'll　read　it　tonight　and　return　it　tomorrow。
  Was　there　ever　a　more　docile　and　obedient　pupil　than
  S。　McBRIDE？
  Thursday。　My　dear　Judy：
  I've　been　spending　the　last　three　days　busily　getting　under　way　all　those　latest　innovations　that　we　planned　in　New　York。　　Your　word　is　law。　　A　public　cooky　jar　has　been　established。
  Also；　the　eighty　play　boxes　have　been　ordered。　　It　is　a　wonderful　idea；　having　a　private　box　for　each　child；　where　he　can　store　up　his　treasures。　　The　ownership　of　a　little　personal　property　will　help　develop　them　into　responsible　citizens。　　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　it　myself；　but　for　some　reason　the　idea　didn't　come。　　Poor　Judy！　　You　have　inside　knowledge　of　the　longings　of　their　little　hearts　that　I　shall　never　be　able　to　achieve；　not　with　all　the　sympathy　I　can　muster。
  We　are　doing　our　best　to　run　this　institution　with　as　few　discommoding　rules　as　possible；　but　in　regard　to　those　play　boxes　there　is　one　point　on　which　I　shall　have　to　be　firm。　　The　children　may　not　keep　in　them　mice　or　toads　or　angleworms。
  I　can't　tell　you　how　pleased　I　am　that　Betsy's　salary　is　to　be　raised；　and　that　we　are　to　keep　her　permanently。　　But　the　Hon。　Cy　Wykoff　deprecates　the　step。　　He　has　been　making　inquiries；　and　he　finds　that　her　people　are　perfectly　able　to　take　care　of　her　without　any　salary。
  〃You　don't　furnish　legal　advice　for　nothing；〃　say　I　to　him。　　〃Why　should　she　furnish　her　trained　services　for　nothing？〃
  〃This　is　charitable　work。〃
  〃Then　work　which　is　undertaken　for　your　own　good　should　be　paid；　but　work　which　is　undertaken　for　the　public　good　should　not　be　paid？〃
  〃Fiddlesticks！〃　says　he。　　〃She's　a　woman；　and　her　family　ought　to　support　her。〃
  This　opened　up　vistas　of　argument　which　I　did　not　care　to　enter　with　the　Hon。　Cy；　so　I　asked　him　whether　he　thought　it　would　be　nicer　to　have　a　real　lawn　or　hay　on　the　slope　that　leads　to　the　gate。　　He　likes　to　be　consulted；　and　I　pamper　him　as　much　as　possible　in　all　unessential　details。　　You　see；　I　am　following　Sandy's　canny　advice：　　〃Trustees　are　like　fiddlestrings；　they　maunna　be　screwed　ower　tight。　　Humor　the　mon；　but　gang　your　ain　gait。〃　　Oh；　the　tact　that　this　asylum　is　teaching　me！　　I　should　make　a　wonderful　politician's　wife。
  Thursday　night。
  You　will　be　interested　to　hear　that　I　have　temporarily　placed　out　Punch　with　two　charming　spinsters　who　have　long　been　tottering　on　the　brink　of　a　child。　　They　finally　came　last　week；　and　said　they　would　like　to　try　one　for　a　month　to　see　what　the　sensation　felt　like。
  They　wanted；　of　course；　a　pretty　ornament；　dressed　in　pink　and　white　and　descended　from　the　Mayflower。　　I　told　them　that　any　one　could　bring　up　a　daughter　of　the　Mayflower　to　be　an　ornament　to　society；　but　the　real　feat　was　to　bring　up　a　son　of　an　Italian　organ…grinder　and　an　Irish　washerwoman。　　And　I　offered　Punch。　　That　Neapolitan　heredity　of　his；　artistically　speaking；　may　turn　out　a　glorious　mixture；　if　the　right　environment　comes　along　to　choke　out　all　the　weeds。
  I　put　it　up　to　them　as　a　sporting　proposition；　and　they　were　game。　　They　have　agreed　to　take　him　for　one　month　and　concentrate　upon　his　remaking　all　their　years　of　conserved　force；　to　the　end　that　he　may　be　fit　for　adoption　in　some　moral　family。　　They　both　have　a　sense　of　humor　and　ACCOMPLISHING　characters；　or　I　should　never　have　dared　to　propose　it。　　And　really　I　believe　it's　going　to　be　the　one　way　of　taming　our　young　fire…eater。　　They　will　furnish　the　affection　and　caresses　and　attention　that　in　his　whole　abused　little　life　he　has　never　had。
  They　live　in　a　fascinating　old　house　with　an　Italian　garden；　and　furnishings　selected　from　the　whole　round　world。　　It　does　seem　like　sacrilege　to　turn　that　destructive　child　loose　in　such　a　collection　of　treasures。　　But　he　hasn't　broken　anything　here　for　more　than　a　month；　and　I　believe　that　the　Italian　in　him　will　respond　to　all　that　beauty。
  I　warned　them　that　they　must　not　shrink　from　any　profanity　that　might　issue　from　his　pretty　baby　lips。
  He　departed　last　night　in　a　very　fancy　automobile；　and　maybe　I　wasn't　glad　to　say　good…by　to　our　disreputable　young　man！　　He　has　absorbed　just　about　half　of　my　energy。
  Friday。
  The　pendant　arrived　this　morning。　　Many　thanks！　　But　you　really　ought　not　to　have　given　me　another；　a　hostess　cannot　be　h