lk to a person who will persist in
only answering with a negative or an affirmative. I have racked my
brains sometimes to think of fresh topics, when all my leading remarks
have been received with a 'Yes' or a 'No'. That is what I call dropping
the ball. When you see people are making an effort to entertain you, it
is only fair to play your part as well. I know you plead shyness, but
shyness can be conquered if we try to forget ourselves, and think only
how we can give pleasure to others. It is really a form of
self-consciousness, and ought to be fought against as well as any other
fault."

Games were not compulsory at The Grange, though Miss Drummond liked all
to take part in the weekly matches. But she considered it was
inadvisable to train girls to care for nothing but cricket and hockey,
and wished them to take up a number of small interests, such as they
could carry on afterwards at home. During recreation time she allowed
specially chosen recruits to help her in superintending the garden and
greenhouse, the poultry yard, and the bee-hives that were her particular
hobby. These country occupations proved very popular, and to be one of
Miss Drummond's "outdoor helpers" was an honour much sought after and
keenly appreciated.

There was a large shed in the yard, where a joiner's bench had been
fitted up, and on wet days this was devoted to carpentry or
chip-carving, some of the best efforts being reserved for a small annual
bazaar, generally held in aid of the Missionary Societies.

Sewing and embroidery were much encouraged. Miss Gray, the art mistress,
taught the girls to design their own patterns, and had obtained some
pretty results in applique and Oriental work. She was an enthusiast in
handicrafts, and allowed many pleasant variations from the usual drawing
course, thinking clay modelling, gesso, stencilling, wood-staining, and
pyrography as important parts of an art training as line or brush work.
The weekly afternoon spent in the studio was a revelation to Aldred,
whose really artistic nature revelled in all these hitherto unknown
delights. She took to them like a duck to water, and was absolutely
happy moulding clay, or stamping backgrounds with the poker-work
apparatus. She would have spent her whole leisure in the studio if that
had been allowed, and would often beg a piece of clay, with which to
practise modelling by herself.

Music, also, was not neglected at Birkwood. There were lessons in theory
and