now and then I discover a new dimple in him. I
can never quite believe he is really the same creature as that scrawny,
yellow, ugly little changeling I brought home in the soup tureen.
Nobody has ever heard a word from Jim Anderson. If he never comes back
I shall keep Jims always. Everybody here worships and spoils him--or
would spoil him if Morgan and I didn't stand remorselessly in the way.
Susan says Jims is the cleverest child she ever saw and can recognize
Old Nick when he sees him--this because Jims threw poor Doc out of an
upstairs window one day. Doc turned into Mr. Hyde on his way down and
landed in a currant bush, spitting and swearing. I tried to console his
inner cat with a saucer of milk but he would have none of it, and
remained Mr. Hyde the rest of the day. Jims's latest exploit was to
paint the cushion of the big arm-chair in the sun parlour with
molasses; and before anybody found it out Mrs. Fred Clow came in on Red
Cross business and sat down on it. Her new silk dress was ruined and
nobody could blame her for being vexed. But she went into one of her
tempers and said nasty things and gave me such slams about 'spoiling'
Jims that I nearly boiled over, too. But I kept the lid on till she had
waddled away and then I exploded.

"'The fat, clumsy, horrid old thing,' I said--and oh, what a
satisfaction it was to say it.

"'She has three sons at the front,' mother said rebukingly.

"'I suppose that covers all her shortcomings in manners,' I retorted.
But I was ashamed--for it is true that all her boys have gone and she
was very plucky and loyal about it too; and she is a perfect tower of
strength in the Red Cross. It's a little hard to remember all the
heroines. Just the same, it was her second new silk dress in one year
and that when everybody is--or should be--trying to 'save and serve.'

"I had to bring out my green velvet hat again lately and begin wearing
it. I hung on to my blue straw sailor as long as I could. How I hate
the green velvet hat! It is so elaborate and conspicuous. I don't see
how I could ever have liked it. But I vowed to wear it and wear it I
will.

"Shirley and I went down to the station this morning to take Little Dog
Monday a bang-up Christmas dinner. Dog Monday waits and watches there
still, with just as much hope and confidence as ever. Sometimes he
hangs around the station house and talks to people and the rest of his
time he sits at his little kennel door and watches the tra