S。　McBRIDE。
  Thursday。　Dear　Enemy：
  SOYEZ　TRANQUILLE。　　I　have　issued　orders；　and　in　the　future　the　children　shall　receive　all　of　the　cod…liver　oil　that　by　rights　is　theirs。　　A　wilfu'　man　maun　hae　his　way。
  S。　McB。
  March　22。　Dear　Judy：
  Asylum　life　has　looked　up　a　trifle　during　the　past　few　days　since　the　great　Cod…Liver　Oil　War　has　been　raging。　　The　first　skirmish　occurred　on　Tuesday；　and　I　unfortunately　missed　it；　having　accompanied　four　of　my　children　on　a　shopping　trip　to　the　village。　　I　returned　to　find　the　asylum　teeming　with　hysterics。　　Our　explosive　doctor　had　paid　us　a　visit。
  Sandy　has　two　passions　in　life：　one　is　for　cod…liver　oil　and　the　other　for　spinach；　neither　popular　in　our　nursery。　　Some　time　agobefore　I　came；　in　facthe　had　ordered　cod…liver　oil　for　all　　　　　　　　｛aenemic｝　　of　the｛　　　　　　　｝Heavens！　there's　that　word　again！　　　　　　　　｛aneamic｝　children；　and　had　given　instructions　as　to　its　application　to　Miss　Snaith。　　Yesterday；　in　his　suspicious　Scotch　fashion；　he　began　nosing　about　to　find　out　why　the　poor　little　rats　weren't　fattening　up　as　fast　as　he　thought　they　ought；　and　he　un　earthed　a　hideous　scandal。　　They　haven't　received　a　whiff　of　cod…　liver　oil　for　three　whole　weeks！　　At　that　point　he　exploded；　and　all　was　joy　and　excitement　and　hysterics。
  Betsy　says　that　she　had　to　send　Sadie　Kate　to　the　laundry　on　an　improvised　errand；　as　his　language　was　not　fit　for　orphan　ears。　　By　the　time　I　got　home　he　had　gone；　and　Miss　Snaith　had　retired；　weeping；　to　her　room；　and　the　whereabouts　of　fourteen　bottles　of　cod…liver　oil　was　still　unexplained。　　He　had　accused　her　at　the　top　of　his　voice　of　taking　them　herself。　　Imagine　Miss　Snaith；she　who　looks　so　innocent　and　chinless　and　inoffensive　stealing　cod…liver　oil　from　these　poor　helpless　little　orphans　and　guzzling　it　in　private！
  Her　defense　consisted　in　hysterical　assertions　that　she　loved　the　children；　and　had　done　her　duty　as　she　saw　it。　　She　did　not　believe　in　giving　medicine　to　babies；　she　thought　drugs　bad　for　their　poor　little　stomachs。　　You　can　imagine　Sandy！　　Oh；　dear！　oh；　dear！　　To　think　I　missed　it！
  Well；　the　tempest　raged　for　three　days；　and　Sadie　Kate　nearly　ran　her　little　legs　off　carrying　peppery　messages　back　and　forth　between　us　and　the　doctor。　　It　is　only　under　stress　that　I　communicate　with　him　by　telephone；　as　he　has　an　interfering　old　termagant　of　a　housekeeper　who　〃listens　in〃　on　the　down…stairs　switch。　　I　don't　wish　the　scandalous　secrets　of　the　John　Grier　spread　abroad。　　The　doctor　demanded　Miss　Snaith's　instant　dismissal；　and　I　refused。　　Of　course　she　is　a　vague；　unfocused；　inefficient　old　thing；　but　she　does　love　the　children；　and　with　proper　supervision　is　fairly　useful。
  At　least；　in　the　light　of　her　exalted　family　connections；　I　can't　pack　her　off　in　disgrace　like　a　drunken　cook。　　I　am　hoping　in　time　to　eliminate　her　by　a　process　of　delicate　suggestion；　perhaps　I　can　make　her　feel　that　her　health　requires　a　winter　in　California。　　And　also；　no　matter　what　the　doctor　wants；　so　positive　and　dictatorial　is　his　manner　that　just　out　of　self…　respect　one　must　take　the　other　side。　　When　he　states　that　the　world　is　round；　I　instantly　assert　it　to　be　triangular。
  Finally；　after　three　pleasantly　exhilarating　days；　the　whole　business　settled　itself。　　An　apology　（a　very　dilute　one）　was　extracted　from　him　for　being　so　unkind　to　the　poor　lady；　and　full　confession；　with　promises　for　the　future；　was　drawn　from　her。　　It　seems　that　she　couldn't　bear　to　make　the　little　dears　take　the　stuff；　but；　for　obvious　reasons；　she　couldn't　bear　to　cross　Dr。　MacRae；　so　she　hid　the　last　fourteen　bottles　in　a　dark　corner　of　the　cellar。　　Just　how　she　was　planning　to　dispose　of　her　loot　I　don't　know。　　Can　you　pawn　cod…liver　oil？
  LATER。
  Peace　negotiations　had　just　ended　this　afternoon；　and　Sandy　had　made　a　dignified　exit；　when　the　Hon。　Cyrus　Wykoff　was　announced。　　Two　enemies　in　the　course　of　an　hour　are　really　too　much！
  The　Hon。　Cy　was　awfully　impressed　with　the　new　dining　room；　especially　when　he　heard　that　Betsy　had　put　on　those　rabbits　with　her　own　lily…white　hands。　　Stenciling　rabbits　on　walls；　he　allows；　is　a　fitting　pursuit　for　a　woman；　but　an　executive　position　like　mine　is　a　trifle　out　of　her　sphere。　　He　thinks　it　would　be　far　wiser　if　Mr。　Pendleton　did　not　give　me　such　free　scope　in　the　spending　of　his　money。
  While　we　were　still　contemplating　Betsy's　mural　flight；　an　awful　crash　came　from　the　pantry；　and　we　found　Gladiola　Murphy　weeping　among　the　ruins　of　five　yellow　plates。　　It　is　sufficiently　shattering　to　my　nerves　to　hear　these　crashes　when　I　am　alone；　but　it　is　peculiarly　shattering　when　receiving　a　call　from　an　unsympathetic　trustee。
  I　shall　cherish　that　set　of　dishes　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　but　if　you　wish　to　see　your　gift　in　all　its　uncracked　beauty；　I　should　advise　you　to　hurry　North；　and　visit　the　John　Grier　Home　without　delay。
  Yours　as　ever；
  SALLIE。
  March　26。　My　dear　Judy：
  I　have　just　been　holding　an　interview　with　a　woman　who　wants　to　take　a　baby　home　to　surprise　her　husband。　　I　had　a　hard　time　convincing　her　that；　since　he　is　to　support　the　child；　it　might　be　a　delicate　attention　to　consult　him　about　its　adoption。　　She　argued　stubbornly　that　it　was　none　of　his　business；　seeing　that　the　onerous　work　of　washing　and　dressing　and　training　would　fall　upon　her。　　I　am　really　beginning　to　feel　sorry　for　men。　　Some　of　them　seem　to　have　very　few　rights。
  Even　our　pugnacious　doctor　I　suspect　of　being　a　victim　of　domestic　tyranny；　and　his　housekeeper's　at　that。　　It　is　scandalous　the　way　Maggie　McGurk　neglects　the　poor　man。　　I　have　had　to　put　him　in　charge　of　an　orphan。　　Sadie　Kate；　with　a　very　housewifely　air；　is　this　moment　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　hearth　rug　sewing　buttons　on　his　overcoat　while　he　is　upstairs　tending　babies。
  You　would　never　believe　it；　but　Sandy　and　I　are　growing　quite　confidential　in　a　dour　Scotch　fashion。　　It　has　become　his　habit；　when　homeward　bound　after　his　professional　calls；　to　chug　up　to　our　door　about　four　in　the　afternoon；　and　make　the　rounds　of　the　house　to　make　sure　that　we　are　not　developing　cholera　morbus　or　infanticide　or　anything　catching；　and　then　present　himself　at　four…thirty　at　my　library　door　to　talk　over　our　mutual　problems。
  Does　he　come　to　see　me？　　Oh；　no；　indeed；　he　comes　to　get　tea　and　toast　and　marmalade。　　The　man　hath　a　lean　and　hungry　look。　　His　housekeeper　doesn't　feed　him　enough。　　As　soon　as　I　get　the　upper　hand　of　him　a　little　more；　I　am　going　to　urge　him　on　to　revolt。
  Meanwhile　he　is　very　grateful　for　something　to　eat；　but　oh；　so　funny　in　his　attempts　at　social　grace！　　At　first　he　would　hold　a　cup　of　tea　in　one　hand；　a　plate　of　muffins　in　the　other；　and　then　search　blankly　for　a　third　hand　to　eat　them　with。　　Now　he　has　solved　the　problem。　　He　turns　in　his　toes　and　brings　his　knees　together；　then　he　folds　his　napkin　into　a　long；　narrow　wedge　that　fills　the　crack　between　them；　thus　forming　a　very　workable　pseudo　lap；　after　that　he　sits　with　tense　muscles　until　the　tea　is　drunk。　　I　suppose　I　ought　to　provide　a　table；　but　the　spectacle　of　Sandy　with　his　toes　turned　in　is　the　one　gleam　of　amusement　that　my　day　affords。
  The　postman　is　just　driving　in　with；　I　trust；　a　letter　from　you。　　Letters　make　a　very　interesting　break　in　the　monotony　of　asylum　life。　　If　you　wish　to　keep　this　superintendent　contented；　you'd　better　write　often。
  。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。
  Mail　received　and　contents　noted。
  Kindly　convey　my　thanks　to　Jervis　for　three　alligators　in　a　swamp。　　He　shows　rare　artistic　taste　in　the　selection　of　his　post　cards。　　Your　seven…page　illustrated　letter　from　Miami　arrives　at　the　same　time。　　I　should　have　known　Jervis　from　the　palm　tree　perfectly；　even　without　the　label；　as　the　tree　has　so　much　the　more　hair　of　the　two。　　Also；　I　have　a　polite　bread…and…butter　letter　from　my　nice　young　man　in　Washington；　and　a　book　from　him；　likewise　a　box　of　candy。　　The　bag　of　peanuts　for　the　kiddies　he　has　shipped　by　express。　　Did　you　ever　know　such　assiduity？
  Jimmie　favors　me　with　the　news　that　he　is　coming　to　visit　me　as　soon　as　father　can　spare　him　from　the　factory。　　The　poor　boy　does　hate　that　factory　so！　　It　isn't　that　he　is　lazy；　he　just　simply　isn't　interested　in　overalls。　　But　father　can't　understand　such　a　lack　of　taste。　　Having　built　up　the　factory；　he　of　course　has　developed　a　passion　for　overalls；　which　should　have　been　inherited　by　his　eldest　son。　　I　find　it　awfully　convenient　to　have　been　born　a　daughter；　I　am　not　asked　to　like　overalls；　but　am　left　free　to　follow　any　morbid　career　I　may　choose；　such　as　this。
  To　return　to　my　mail：　　There　arrives　an　advertisement　from　a　wholesale　grocer；　saying　that　he　has　exceptionally　economical　brands　of　oatmeal；　rice；　flour；　prunes；　and　dried　apples　that　he　packs　specially　for　prisons　and　charitable　institutions。　　Sounds　nutritious；　doesn't　it？
  I　also　have　letters　from　a　coup