s　institution；　and　know　from　the　bitter　inside　what　these　little　tots　need。　　Sometimes　the　tragedy　of　your　childhood　fills　me　with　an　anger　that　makes　me　want　to　roll　up　my　sleeves　and　fight　the　whole　world　and　force　it　into　making　itself　over　into　a　place　more　fit　for　children　to　live　in。　　That　Scotch…Irish　ancestry　of　mine　seems　to　have　deposited　a　tremendous　amount　of　FIGHT　in　my　character。
  If　you　had　started　me　with　a　modern　asylum；　equipped　with　nice；　clean；　hygienic　cottages　and　everything　in　running　order；　I　couldn't　have　stood　the　monotony　of　its　perfect　clockwork。　　It's　the　sight　of　so　many　things　crying　to　be　done　that　makes　it　possible　for　me　to　stay。　　Sometimes；　I　must　confess；　I　wake　up　in　the　morning　and　listen　to　these　institution　noises；　and　sniff　this　institution　air；　and　long　for　the　happy；　carefree　life　that　by　rights　is　mine。
  You　my　dear　witch；　cast　a　spell　over　me；　and　I　came。　　But　often　in　the　night　watches　your　spell　wears　thin；　and　I　start　the　day　with　the　burning　decision　to　run　away　from　the　John　Grier　Home。　　But　I　postpone　starting　until　after　breakfast。　　And　as　I　issue　into　the　corridor；　one　of　these　pathetic　tots　runs　to　meet　me；　and　shyly　slips　a　warm；　crumpled　little　fist　into　my　hand；　and　looks　up　with　wide　baby　eyes；　mutely　asking　for　a　little　petting；　and　I　snatch　him　up　and　hug　him。　　And　then；　as　I　look　over　his　shoulder　at　the　other　forlorn　little　mites；　I　long　to　take　all　113　into　my　arms　and　love　them　into　happiness。　　There　is　something　hypnotic　about　this　working　with　children。　　Struggle　as　you　may；　it　gets　you　in　the　end。
  Your　visit　seems　to　have　left　me　in　a　broadly　philosophical　frame　of　mind；　but　I　really　have　one　or　two　bits　of　news　that　I　might　convey。　　The　new　frocks　are　marching　along；　and；　oh；　but　they　are　going　to　be　sweet！　　Mrs。　Livermore　was　entranced　with　those　parti…colored　bales　of　cotton　cloth　you　sent；you　should　see　our　workroom；　with　it　all　scattered　about；and　when　I　think　of　sixty　little　girls；　attired　in　pink　and　blue　and　yellow　and　lavender；　romping　upon　our　lawn　of　a　sunny　day；　I　feel　that　we　should　have　a　supply　of　smoked　eye　glasses　to　offer　visitors。　　Of　course　you　know　that　some　of　those　brilliant　fabrics　are　going　to　be　very　fadeable　and　impractical。　　But　Mrs。　Livermore　is　as　bad　as　youshe　doesn't　give　a　hang。　　She'll　make　a　second　and　a　third　set　if　necessary。　　DOWN　WITH　CHECKED　GINGHAM！
  I　am　glad　you　liked　our　doctor。　　Of　course　we　reserve　the　right　to　say　anything　about　him　we　choose；　but　our　feelings　would　be　awfully　hurt　if　anybody　else　should　make　fun　of　him。
  He　and　I　are　still　superintending　each　other's　reading。　　Last　week　he　appeared　with　Herbert　Spencer's　〃System　of　Synthetic　Philosophy〃　for　me　to　glance　at。　　I　gratefully　accepted　it；　and　gave　him　in　return　the　〃Diary　of　Marie　Bashkirtseff。〃　　Do　you　remember　in　college　how　we　used　to　enrich　our　daily　speech　with　quotations　from　Marie？　　Well；　Sandy　took　her　home　and　read　her　painstakingly　and　thoughtfully。
  〃Yes；〃　he　acknowledged　today　when　he　came　to　report；　〃it　is　a　truthful　record　of　a　certain　kind　of　morbid；　egotistical　personality　that　unfortunately　does　exist。　　But　I　can't　understand　why　you　care　to　read　it；　for；　thank　God！　　Sally　Lunn；　you　and　Bash　haven't　anything　in　common。〃
  That's　the　nearest　to　a　compliment　he　ever　came；　and　I　feel　extremely　flattered。　　As　to　poor　Marie；　he　refers　to　her　as　〃Bash〃　because　he　can't　pronounce　her　name；　and　is　too　disdainful　to　try。
  We　have　a　child　here；　the　daughter　of　a　chorus　girl；　and　she　is　a　conceited；　selfish；　vain；　posing；　morbid；　lying　little　minx；　but　she　has　eyelashes！　　Sandy　has　taken　the　most　violent　dislike　to　that　child。　　And　since　reading　poor　Marie's　diary；　he　has　found　a　new　comprehensive　adjective　for　summing　up　all　of　her　distressing　qualities。　　He　calls　her　BASHY；　and　dismisses　her。
  Good…by　and　come　again。
  SALLIE。
  P。S。　　My　children　show　a　distressing　tendency　to　draw　out　their　entire　bank　accounts　to　buy　candy。
  Tuesday　night。　My　dear　Judy：
  What　do　you　think　Sandy　has　done　now？　　He　has　gone　off　on　a　pleasure　trip　to　that　psychopathic　institution　whose　head　alienist　visited　us　a　month　or　so　ago。　　Did　you　ever　know　anything　like　the　man？　　He　is　fascinated　by　insane　people；　and　can't　let　them　alone。
  When　I　asked　for　some　parting　medical　instructions；　he　replied：
  〃Feed　a　cowld　and　hunger　a　colic　and　put　nae　faith　in　doctors。〃
  With　that　advice；　and　a　few　bottles　of　cod…liver　oil　we　are　left　to　our　own　devices。　　I　feel　very　free　and　adventurous。　　Perhaps　you　had　better　run　up　here　again；　as　there's　no　telling　what　joyous　upheaval　I　may　accomplish　when　out　from　under　Sandy's　dampening　influence。
  S。
  THE　JOHN　GRIER　HOME；
  Friday。　Dear　Enemy：
  Here　I　stay　lashed　to　the　mast；　while　you　run　about　the　country　disporting　yourself　with　insane　people。　　And　just　as　I　was　thinking　that　I　had　nicely　cured　you　of　this　morbid　predilection　for　psychopathic　institutions！　　It's　very　disappointing。　　You　had　seemed　almost　human　of　late。
  May　I　ask　how　long　you　are　intending　to　stay？　　You　had　permission　to　go　for　two　days；　and　you've　already　been　away　four。
  Charlie　Martin　fell　out　of　a　cherry　tree　yesterday　and　cut　his　head　open；　and　we　were　driven　to　calling　in　a　foreign　doctor。　　Five　stitches。　　Patient　doing　well。　　But　we　don't　like　to　depend　on　strangers。　　I　wouldn't　say　a　word　if　you　were　away　on　legitimate　business；　but　you　know　very　well　that；　after　associating　with　melancholics　for　a　week；　you　will　come　back　home　in　a　dreadful　state　of　gloom；　dead　sure　that　humanity　is　going　to　the　dogs；　and　upon　me　will　fall　the　burden　of　getting　you　decently　cheerful　again。
  Do　leave　those　insane　people　to　their　delusions；　and　come　back　to　the　John　Grier　Home；　which　needs　you。
  I　am　most　fervent'　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　friend　and　servant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。　McB。
  P。S。　　Don't　you　admire　that　poetical　ending？　　It　was　borrowed　from　Robert　Burns；　whose　works　I　am　reading　assiduously　as　a　compliment　to　a　Scotch　friend。
  July　6。　Dear　Judy：
  That　doctor　man　is　still　away。　　No　word；　just　disappeared　into　space。　　I　don't　know　whether　he　is　ever　coming　back　or　not；　but　we　seem　to　be　running　very　happily　without　him。
  I　lunched　yesterday　CHEZ　the　two　kind　ladies　who　have　taken　our　Punch　to　their　hearts。　　The　young　man　seems　to　be　very　much　at　home。　　He　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　did　the　honors　of　the　garden；　presenting　me　with　the　bluebell　of　my　choice。　　At　luncheon　the　English　butler　lifted　him　into　his　chair　and　tied　on　his　bib　with　as　much　manner　as　though　he　were　serving　a　prince　of　the　blood。　　The　butler　has　lately　come　from　the　household　of　the　Earl　of　Durham；　Punch　from　a　cellar　in　Houston　Street。　　It　was　a　very　uplifting　spectacle。
  My　hostesses　entertained　me　afterward　with　excerpts　from　their　table　conversations　of　the　last　two　weeks。　　（I　wonder　the　butler　hasn't　given　notice；　he　looked　like　a　respectable　man。）　　If　nothing　more　comes　of　it；　at　least　Punch　has　furnished　them　with　funny　stories　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。　　One　of　them　is　even　thinking　of　writing　a　book。　　〃At　least；〃　says　she；　wiping　hysterical　tears　from　her　eyes；　〃we　have　lived！〃
  The　Hon。　Cy　dropped　in　at　6：30　last　night；　and　found　me　in　an　evening　gown；　starting　for　a　dinner　at　Mrs。　Livermore's　house。　　He　mildly　observed　that　Mrs。　Lippett　did　not　aspire　to　be　a　society　leader；　but　saved　her　energy　for　her　work。　　You　know　I'm　not　vindictive；　but　I　never　look　at　that　man　without　wishing　he　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　duck　pond；　securely　anchored　to　a　rock。
  Otherwise　he'd　pop　up　and　float。
  Singapore　respectfully　salutes　you；　and　is　very　glad　that　you　can't　see　him　as　he　now　appears。　　A　shocking　calamity　has　befallen　his　good　looks。　　Some　bad　childand　I　don't　think　she's　a　boyhas　clipped　that　poor　beastie　in　spots；　until　he　looks　like　a　mangy；　moth…eaten　checkerboard。　　No　one　can　imagine　who　did　it。　　Sadie　Kate　is　very　handy　with　the　scissors；　but　she　is　also　handy　with　an　alibi！　　During　the　time　when　the　clipping　presumably　occurred；　she　was　occupying　a　stool　in　the　corner　of　the　schoolroom　with　her　face　to　the　wall；　as　twenty…eight　children　can　testify。　　However；　it　has　become　Sadie　Kate's　daily　duty　to　treat　those　spots　with　your　hair　tonic。
  I　am；　as　usual；
  SALLIE。
  P。S。　　This　is　a　recent　portrait　of　the　Hon。　Cy　drawn　from　life。　　The　man；　in　some　respects；　is　a　fascinating　talker；　he　makes　gestures　with　his　nose。
  Thursday　evening。　Dear　Judy：
  Sandy　is　back　after　a　ten…days'　absence；no　explanations；and　plunged　deep　into　gloom。　　He　resents　our　amiable　efforts　to　cheer　him　up；　and　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　of　us　except　baby　Allegra。　　He　took　her　to　his　house　for　supper　tonight　and　never　brought　her　back　until　half…past　seven；　a　scandalous　hour　for