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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 held accountable for all the things that ca