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Wednesday。
What new branch of learning do you think I have introduced into my asylum？ Table manners！
I never had any idea that it was such a lot of trouble to teach children how to eat and drink。 Their favorite method is to put their mouths down to their mugs and lap their milk like kittens。 Good manners are not merely snobbish ornaments； as Mrs。 Lippett's regime appeared to believe。 They mean self…discipline and thought for others； and my children have got to learn them。
That woman never allowed them to talk at their meals； and I am having the most dreadful time getting any conversation out of them above a frightened whisper。 So I have instituted the custom of the entire staff； myself included； sitting with them at the table； and directing the talk along cheerful and improving lines。
Also I have established a small； very strict training table； where the little dears； in relays； undergo a week of steady badgering。 Our uplifting table conversations run like this：
〃Yes； Tom； Napoleon Bonaparte was a very great manelbows off the table。 He possessed a tremendous power of concentrating his mind on whatever he wanted to have； and that is the way to accomplishdon't snatch； Susan； ask politely for the bread； and Carrie will pass it to you。But he was an example of the fact that selfish thought just for oneself； without considering the lives of others； will come to disaster in theTom！ Keep your mouth shut when you chewand after the battle of Waterloolet Sadie's cooky alonehis fall was all the greater becauseSadie Kate； you may leave the table。 It makes no difference what he did。 Under no provocation does a lady slap a gentleman。〃
Two more days have passed； this is the same kind of meandering letter I write to Judy。 At least； my dear man； you can't complain that I haven't been thinking about you this week！ I know you hate to be told all about the asylum； but I can't help
it； for it's all I know。 I don't have five minutes a day to read the papers。 The big outside world has dropped away。 My interests all lie on the inside of this 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 gran