dictating　to　her　in　the　deaf…and…dumb　alphabet〃？　…　and　　goes　on：
  〃The　amanuensis　has　her　head　quite　turned；　and　believes　herself　to　　be　the　author　of　this　novel　＇AND　IS　TO　SOME　EXTENT。　…　A。M。＇　and　as　　the　creature　（！）　has　not　been　wholly　useless　in　the　matter　＇I　TOLD　　YOU　SO！　…　A。M。＇　I　propose　to　foster　her　vanity　by　a　little　　commemoration　gift！　。　。　。　I　shall　tell　you　on　some　other　occasion；　　and　when　the　A。M。　is　out　of　hearing；　how　VERY　much　I　propose　to　　invest　in　this　testimonial；　but　I　may　as　well　inform　you　at　once　　that　I　intend　it　to　be　cheap；　sir　…　damned　cheap！　　My　idea　of　　running　amanuenses　is　by　praise；　not　pudding；　flattery；　and　not　　coins。〃
  Truly；　a　rare　and　rich　nature　which　could　thus　draw　sunshine　out　of　　its　trials！　…　which；　by　aid　of　the　true　philosopher's　stone　of　　cheerfulness　and　courage；　could　transmute　the　heavy　dust　and　clay　　to　gold。
  His　interests　are　so　wide　that　he　is　sometimes　pulled　in　different　　and　conflicting　directions；　as　in　the　contest　between　his　desire　to　　aid　Mataafa　and　the　other　chiefs；　and　his　literary　work　…　between　　letters　to　the　TIMES　about　Samoan　politics；　and；　say；　DAVID　　BALFOUR。　　Here　is　a　characteristic　bit　in　that　strain：
  〃I　have　a　good　dose　of　the　devil　in　my　pipestem　atomy；　I　have　had　　my　little　holiday　outing　in　my　kick　at　THE　YOUNG　CHEVALIER；　and　I　　guess　I　can　settle　to　DAVID　BALFOUR；　to…morrow　or　Friday　like　a　　little　man。　　I　wonder　if　any　one　had　ever　more　energy　upon　so　　little　strength？　　I　know　there　is　a　frost；　。　。　。　but　I　mean　to　　break　that　frost　inside　two　years；　and　pull　off　a　big　success；　and　　Vanity　whispers　in　my　ear　that　I　have　the　strength。　　If　I　haven't；　　whistle　owre　the　lave　o't！　　I　can　do　without　glory；　and　perhaps　the　　time　is　not　far　off　when　I　can　do　without　corn。　　It　is　a　time　　coming　soon　enough；　anyway；　and　I　have　endured　some　two　and　forty　　years　without　public　shame；　and　had　a　good　time　as　I　did　it。　　If　　only　I　could　secure　a　violent　death；　what　a　fine　success！　　I　wish　　to　die　in　my　boots；　no　more　Land　of　Counterpane　for　me。　　To　be　　drowned；　to　be　shot；　to　be　thrown　from　a　horse　…　ay；　to　be　hanged；　　rather　than　pass　again　through　that　slow　dissolution。〃
  He　would　not　consent　to　act　the　invalid　unless　the　spring　ran　down　　altogether；　was　keen　for　exercise　and　for　mixing　among　men　…　his　　native　servants　if　no　others　were　near　by。　　Here　is　a　bit　of　　confession　and　casuistry　quite　A　LA　Stevenson：
  〃To　come　down　covered　with　mud　and　drenched　with　sweat　and　rain　　after　some　hours　in　the　bush；　change；　rub　down；　and　take　a　chair　in　　the　verandah；　is　to　taste　a　quiet　conscience。　　And　the　strange　　thing　that　I　mark　is　this：　　If　I　go　out　and　make　sixpence；　bossing　　my　labourers　and　plying　the　cutlass　or　the　spade；　idiot　conscience　　applauds　me；　if　I　sit　in　the　house　and　make　twenty　pounds；　idiot　　conscience　wails　over　my　neglect　and　the　day　wasted。〃
  His　relish　for　companionship　is　indeed　strong。　　At　one　place　he　　says：
  〃God　knows　I　don't　care　who　I　chum　with　perhaps　I　like　sailors　　best；　but　to　go　round　and　sue　and　sneak　to　keep　a　crowd　together　…　　never！〃
  If　Stevenson's　natural　bent　was　to　be　an　explorer；　a　mountain…　climber；　or　a　sailor　…　to　sail　wide　seas；　or　to　range　on　mountain…　tops　to　gain　free　and　extensive　views　…　yet　he　inclines　well　to　　farmer　work；　and　indeed；　has　to　confess　it　has　a　rare　attraction　　for　him。
  〃I　went　crazy　over　outdoor　work；〃　he　says　at　one　place；　〃and　had　at　　last　to　confine　myself　to　the　house；　or　literature　must　have　gone　　by　the　board。　　NOTHING　is　so　interesting　as　weeding；　clearing；　and　　path…making：　　the　oversight　of　labourers　becomes　a　disease。　　It　is　　quite　an　effort　not　to　drop　into　the　farmer；　and　it　does　make　you　　feel　so　well。〃
  The　odd　ways　of　these　Samoans；　their　pride　of　position；　their　　vices；　their　virtues；　their　vanities；　their　small　thefts；　their　　tricks；　their　delightful　INSOUCIANCE　sometimes；　all　amused　him。　　He　　found　in　them　a　fine　field　of　study　and　observation　…　a　source　of　　fun　and　fund　of　humanity　…　as　this　bit　about　the　theft　of　some　　piglings　will　sufficiently　prove：
  〃Last　night　three　piglings　were　stolen　from　one　of　our　pig…pens。　　　The　great　Lafaele　appeared　to　my　wife　uneasy；　so　she　engaged　him　in　　conversation　on　the　subject；　and　played　upon　him　the　following　　engaging　trick：　　You　advance　your　two　forefingers　towards　the　　sitter's　eyes；　he　closes　them；　whereupon　you　substitute　（on　his　　eyelids）　the　fore　and　middle　fingers　of　the　left　hand；　and　with　　your　right　（which　he　supposes　engaged）　you　tap　him　on　the　head　and　　back。　　When　you　let　him　open　his　eyes；　he　sees　you　withdrawing　the　　two　forefingers。　　'What　that？'　asked　Lafaele。　　'My　devil；'　says　　Fanny。　　'I　wake　um；　my　devil。　　All　right　now。　　He　go　catch　the　man　　that　catch　my　pig。'　　About　an　hour　afterwards　Lafaele　came　for　　further　particulars。　　'Oh；　all　right；'　my　wife　says。　　'By…and…by　　that　man　be　sleep；　devil　go　sleep　same　place。　　By…and…by　that　man　　plenty　sick。　　I　no　care。　　What　for　he　take　my　pig？'　　Lafaele　cares　　plenty；　I　don't　think　he　is　the　man；　though　he　may　be；　but　he　knows　　him；　and　most　likely　will　eat　some　of　that　pig　to…night。　　He　will　　not　eat　with　relish。'〃
  Yet　in　spite　of　this　R。　L。　Stevenson　declares　that：
  〃They　are　a　perfectly　honest　people：　　nothing　of　value　has　ever　　been　taken　from　our　house；　where　doors　and　windows　are　always　wide　　open；　and　upon　one　occasion　when　white　ants　attacked　the　silver　　chest；　the　whole　of　my　family　treasure　lay　spread　upon　the　floor　of　　the　hall　for　two　days　unguarded。〃
  Here　is　a　bit　on　a　work　of　peace；　a　reflection　on　a　day's　weeding　　at　Vailima　…　in　its　way　almost　as　touching　as　any：
  〃I　wonder　if　any　one　had　ever　the　same　attitude　to　Nature　as　I　　hold；　and　have　held　for　so　long？　　This　business　fascinates　me　like　　a　tune　or　a　passion；　yet　all　the　while　I　thrill　with　a　strong　　distaste。　　The　horror　of　the　thing；　objective　and　subjective；　is　　always　present　to　my　mind；　the　horror　of　creeping　things；　a　　superstitious　horror　of　the　void　and　the　powers　about　me；　the　　horror　of　my　own　devastation　and　continual　murders。　　The　life　of　　the　plants　comes　through　my　finger…tips；　their　struggles　go　to　my　　heart　like　supplications。　　I　feel　myself　blood…boltered；　then　I　　look　back　on　my　cleared　grass；　and　count　myself　an　ally　in　a　fair　　quarrel；　and　make　stout　my　heart。〃
  Here；　again；　is　the　way　in　which　he　celebrates　an　act　of　friendly　　kindness　on　the　part　of　Mr　Gosse：
  〃MY　DEAR　GOSSE；　…　Your　letter　was　to　me　such　a　bright　spot　that　I　　answer　it　right　away　to　the　prejudice　of　other　correspondents　or　…　　dants　（don't　know　how　to　spell　it）　who　have　prior　claims。　。　。　。　It　　is　the　history　of　our　kindnesses　that　alone　makes　this　world　　tolerable。　　If　it　were　not　for　that；　for　the　effect　of　kind　words；　　kind　looks；　kind　letters；　multiplying；　spreading；　making　one　happy　　through　another　and　bringing　forth　benefits；　some　thirty；　some　　fifty；　some　a　thousandfold；　I　should　be　tempted　to　think　our　life　a　　practical　jest　in　the　worst　possible　spirit。　　So　your　four　pages　　have　confirmed　my　philosophy　as　well　as　consoled　my　heart　in　these　　ill　hours。〃
  CHAPTER　VIII　…　WORK　OF　LATER　YEARS
  MR　HAMMERTON；　in　his　STEVENSONIANA　（pp。　323…4）；　has　given　the　　humorous　inscriptions　on　the　volumes　of　his　works　which　Stevenson　　presented　to　Dr　Trudeau；　who　attended　him　when　he　was　in　Saranac　in　　1887…88　…　very　characteristic　in　every　way；　and　showing　fully　　Stevenson's　fine　appreciation　of　any　attention　or　service。　　On　the　　DR　JEKYLL　AND　MR　HYDE　volume　he　wrote：
  〃Trudeau　was　all　the　winter　at　my　side：　I　never　saw　the　nose　of　Mr　Hyde。〃
  And　on　KIDNAPPED　is　this：
  〃Here　is　the　one　sound　page　of　all　my　writing；　The　one　I'm　proud　of　and　that　I　delight　in。〃
  Stevenson　was　exquisite　in　this　class　of　efforts；　and　were　they　all　　collected　they　would　form　indeed；　a　fine　supplement　and　　illustration　of　the　leading　lesson　of　his　essays　…　the　true　art　of　　pleasing　others；　and　of　truly　pleasing　one's　self　at　the　same　time。　　　To　my　thinking　the　finest　of　all　in　this　line　is　the　legal　（？）　deed　　by　which　he　conveyed　his　birthday　to　little　Miss　Annie　Ide；　the　　daughter　of　Mr　H。　C。　Ide；　a　well…known　American；　who　was　for　　several　years　a　resident　of　Upolo；　in　Samoa；　first　as　Land　　Commissioner；　and　later　as　Chief　Justice　under　the　joint　　appointment　of　England；　Germany；　and　the　United　States。　　While　　living　at　Apia；　Mr　Ide　and　his　family　were　very　intimate　with　the　　family　of　R。　L。　Stevenson。　　Little　Annie　was　a　special　pet　and　　protege　of　Stevenson　and　his　wife。　　After　the　return　of　the　Ides　to　　their　American　home；　Stevenson　〃deeded〃　to　Annie　his　birthday　in　　the　following　unique　document：
  I；　ROBERT　LOUIS　STEVENSON；　advocate　of　the　Scots　Bar；　author　of　THE　　MASTER　OF　BALLANTRAE　and　MORAL　EMBLEMS；　civil　engineer；　sole　owner　　and　patentee　of　the　palace　and　plantation　known　as　Vailima；　in　the　　island　of　Upolo；　Samoa；　a　British　subject；　being　in　sound　mind；　and　　pretty　well；　I　thank　you；　in　mind　and　body；
  In　consideration　that　Miss　Annie　H。　Ide；　daughter　of　H。　C。　Ide；　in　　the　town　of　Saint　Johnsbury；　in　the　County　of　Caledonia；　in　the　　State　of　Vermont；　United　States　of　America；　was　born；　out　of　all　　reason；　upon　Christmas　Day；　and　is；　theref