his　little　iron　inclosure。
  I　am　at　present；
  S。　McBRIDE；
  Superintendent　of　the
  John　Grier　Home。
  Thursday。　Dear　Enemy：
  〃Time　is　but　the　stream　I　go　a…fishing　in。〃　　Hasn't　that　a　very　philosophical；　detached；　Lord　of　the　Universe　sound？　　It　comes　from　Thoreau；　whom　I　am　assiduously　reading　at　present。　　As　you　see；　I　have　revolted　against　your　literature　and　taken　to　my　own　again。　　The　last　two　evenings　have　been　devoted　to　〃Walden；〃　a　book　as　far　removed　as　possible　from　the　problems　of　the　dependent　child。
  Did　you　ever　read　old　Henry　David　Thoreau？　　You　really　ought。　　I　think　you'd　find　him　a　congenial　soul。　　Listen　to　this：　　〃Society　is　commonly　too　cheap。　　We　meet　at　very　short　intervals；　not　having　had　time　to　acquire　any　new　value　for　each　other。　　It　would　be　better　if　there　were　but　one　habitation　to　a　square　mile；　as　where　I　live。〃　　A　pleasant；　expansive；　neebor…like　man　he　must　have　been！　　He　minds　me　in　some　ways　o'　Sandy。
  This　is　to　tell　you　that　we　have　a　placing…out　agent　visiting　us。　　She　is　about　to　dispose　of　four　chicks；　one　of　them　Thomas　Kehoe。　　What　do　you　think？　　Ought　we　to　risk　it？　　The　place　she　has　in　mind　for　him　is　a　farm　in　a　no…license　portion　of　Connecticut；　where　he　will　work　hard　for　his　board；　and　live　in　the　farmer's　family。　　It　sounds　exactly　the　right　thing；　and　we　can't　keep　him　here　forever；　he'll　have　to　be　turned　out　some　day　into　a　world　full　of　whisky。
  I'm　sorry　to　tear　you　away　from　that　cheerful　work　on　〃Dementia　Precox；〃　but　I'd　be　most　obliged　if　you'd　drop　in　here　toward　eight　o'clock　for　a　conference　with　the　agent。
  I　am；　as　usual；
  S。　McBRIDE。
  June　17。　My　dear　Judy：
  Betsy　has　perpetrated　a　most　unconscionable　trick　upon　a　pair　of　adopting　parents。　　They　have　traveled　East　from　Ohio　in　their　touring　car　for　the　dual　purpose　of　seeing　the　country　and　picking　up　a　daughter。　　They　appear　to　be　the　leading　citizens　of　their　town；　whose　name　at　the　moment　escapes　me；　but　it's　a　very　important　town。　　It　has　electric　lights　and　gas；　and　Mr。　Leading　Citizen　owns　the　controlling　interest　in　both　plants。　　With　a　wave　of　his　hand　he　could　plunge　that　entire　town　into　darkness；　but　fortunately　he's　a　kind　man；　and　won't　do　anything　so　harsh；　not　even　if　they　fail　to　reelect　him　mayor。　　He　lives　in　a　brick　house　with　a　slate　roof　and　two　towers；　and　has　a　deer　and　fountain　and　lots　of　nice　shade　trees　in　the　yard。　　（He　carries　its　photograph　in　his　pocket。）　　They　are　good…natured；　generous；　kind…hearted；　smiling　people；　and　a　little　fat；　you　can　see　what　desirable　parents　they　would　make。
  Well；　we　had　exactly　the　daughter　of　their　dreams；　only；　as　they　came　without　giving　us　notice；　she　was　dressed　in　a　flannellet　nightgown；　and　her　face　was　dirty。　　They　looked　Caroline　over；　and　were　not　impressed；　but　they　thanked　us　politely；　and　said　they　would　bear　her　in　mind。　　They　wanted　to　visit　the　New　York　Orphanage　before　deciding。　　We　knew　well　that；　if　they　saw　that　superior　assemblage　of　children；　our　poor　little　Caroline　would　never　have　a　chance。
  Then　Betsy　rose　to　the　emergency。　　She　graciously　invited　them　to　motor　over　to　her　house　for　tea　that　afternoon　and　inspect　one　of　our　little　wards　who　would　be　visiting　her　baby　niece。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Leading　Citizen　do　not　know　many　people　in　the　East；　and　they　haven't　been　receiving　the　invitations　that　they　feel　are　their　due；　so　they　were　quite　innocently　pleased　at　the　prospect　of　a　little　social　diversion。　　The　moment　they　had　retired　to　the　hotel　for　luncheon；　Betsy　called　up　her　car；　and　rushed　baby　Caroline　over　to　her　house。　　She　stuffed　her　into　baby　niece's　best　pink…and…white　embroidered　frock；　borrowed　a　hat　of　Irish　lace；　some　pink　socks　and　white　slippers；　and　set　her　picturesquely　upon　the　green　lawn　under　a　spreading　beech　tree。　　A　white…aproned　nurse　（borrowed　also　from　baby　niece）　plied　her　with　bread　and　milk　and　gaily　colored　toys。　　By　the　time　prospective　parents　arrived；　our　Caroline；　full　of　food　and　contentment；　greeted　them　with　cooes　of　delight。　　From　the　moment　their　eyes　fell　upon　her　they　were　ravished　with　desire。　　Not　a　suspicion　crossed　their　unobservant　minds　that　this　sweet　little　rosebud　was　the　child　of　the　morning。　　And　so；　a　few　formalities　having　been　complied　with；　it　really　looks　as　though　baby　Caroline　would　live　in　the　Towers　and　grow　into　a　leading　citizen。
  I　must　really　get　to　work；　without　any　further　delay；　upon　the　burning　question　of　new　clothes　for　our　girls。
  With　the　highest　esteem；　I　am；　　　　　　　　D'r　Ma'am；　　　　　　　　　　　　Y'r　most　ob'd't　and　h'mble　serv't；
  SAL。　McBRIDE。
  June　19th。　My　dearest　Judy：
  Listen　to　the　grandest　innovation　of　all；　and　one　that　will　delight　your　heart。
  NO　MORE　BLUE　GINGHAM！
  Feeling　that　this　aristocratic　neighborhood　of　country　estates　might　contain　valuable　food　for　our　asylum；　I　have　of　late　been　moving　in　the　village　social　circles；　and　at　a　luncheon　yesterday　I　dug　out　a　beautiful　and　charming　widow　who　wears　delectable；　flowing　gowns　that　she　designs　herself。　　She　confided　to　me　that　she　would　have　loved　to　have　been　a　dressmaker；　if　she　had　only　been　born　with　a　needle　in　her　mouth　instead　of　a　golden　spoon。　　She　says　she　never　sees　a　pretty　girl　badly　dressed　but　she　longs　to　take　her　in　hand　and　make　her　over。　　Did　you　ever　hear　anything　so　apropos？　　From　the　moment　she　opened　her　lips　she　was　a　marked　man。
  〃I　can　show　you　fifty…nine　badly　dressed　girls；〃　said　I　to　her；　and　you　have　got　to　come　back　with　me　and　plan　their　new　clothes　and　make　them　beautiful。〃
  She　expostulated；　but　in　vain。　　I　led　her　out　to　her　automobile；　shoved　her　in；　and　murmured；　〃John　Grier　Home〃　to　the　chauffeur。　　The　first　inmate　our　eyes　fell　upon　was　Sadie　Kate；　just　fresh；　I　judge；　from　hugging　the　molasses　barrel；　and　a　shocking　spectacle　she　was　for　any　esthetically　minded　person。　　In　addition　to　the　stickiness；　one　stocking　was　coming　down；　her　pinafore　was　buttoned　crookedly；　and　she　had　lost　a　hair…ribbon。　　Butas　alwayscompletely　at　ease；　she　welcomed　us　with　a　cheery　grin；　and　offered　the　lady　a　sticky　paw。
  〃Now；〃　said　I；　in　triumph；　〃you　see　how　much　we　need　you。　　What　can　you　do　to　make　Sadie　Kate　beautiful？〃
  〃Wash　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Livermore。
  Sadie　Kate　was　marched　to　my　bathroom。　　When　the　scrubbing　was　finished　and　the　hair　strained　back　and　the　stocking　restored　to　seemly　heights；　I　returned　her　for　a　second　inspectiona　perfectly　normal　little　orphan。　　Mrs。　Livermore　turned　her　from　side　to　side；　and　studied　her　long　and　earnestly。
  Sadie　Kate　by　nature　is　a　beauty；　a　wild；　dark；　Gypsyish　little　colleen。　　She　looks　fresh　from　the　wind…swept　moors　of　Connemara。　　But；　oh；　we　have　managed　to　rob　her　of　her　birthright　with　this　awful　institution　uniform！
  After　five　minutes'　silent　contemplation；　Mrs。　Livermore　raised　her　eyes　to　mine。
  〃Yes；　my　dear；　you　need　me。〃
  And　then　and　there　we　formed　our　plans。　　She　is　to　head　the　committee　on　C　L　O　T　H　E　S。　　She　is　to　choose　three　friends　to　help　her。　　And　they；　with　the　two　dozen　best　sewers　among　the　girls　and　our　sewing…teacher　and　five　sewing　machines；　are　going　to　make　over　the　looks　of　this　institution。　　And　the　charity　is　all　on　our　side。　　We　are　supplying　Mrs。　Livermore　with　the　profession　that　Providence　robbed　her　of。　　Wasn't　it　clever　of　me　to　find　her？　　I　woke　this　morning　at　dawn　and　crowed！
  Lots　more　news；I　could　run　into　a　second　volume；but　I　am　going　to　send　this　letter　to　town　by　Mr。　Witherspoon；　who；　in　a　very　high　collar　and　the　blackest　of　evening　clothes；　is　on　the　point　of　departure　for　a　barn　dance　at　the　country　club。　　I　told　him　to　pick　out　the　nicest　girls　he　danced　with　to　come　and　tell　stories　to　my　children。
  It　is　dreadful；　the　scheming　person　I　am　getting　to　be。　　All　the　time　I　am　talking　to　any　one；　I　am　silently　thinking；　〃What　use　can　you　be　to　my　asylum？〃
  There　is　grave　danger　that　this　present　superintendent　will　become　so　interested　in　her　job　that　she　will　never　want　to　leave。　　I　sometimes　picture　her　a　white…haired　old　lady；　propelled　about　the　building　in　a　wheeled　chair；　but　still　tenaciously　superintending　her　fourth　generation　of　orphans。
  PLEASE　discharge　her　before　that　day！
  Yours；
  SALLIE。
  Friday。　Dear　Judy：
  Yesterday　morning；　without　the　slightest　warning；　a　station　hack　drove　up　to　the　door　and　disgorged　upon　the　steps　two　men；　two　little　boys；　a　baby　girl；　a　rocking　horse；　and　a　Teddy　bear；　and　then　drove　off！
  The　men　were　artists；　and　the　little　ones　were　children　of　another　artist；　dead　three　weeks　ago。　　They　had　brought　the　mites　to　us　because　they　thought　〃John　Grier〃　sounded　solid　and　respectable；　an