Village Improvement Society a polite society?" asked Kitty.

"Yes, of course, sister. But I don't mean that. I mean, in a business
letter like this they always abbreviate some words."

"Well, abbreviate 'community,' that's the longest word," suggested Dick.

"No, that isn't the right kind of a word to abbreviate. It ought to be
something like acc't for account."

"Oh, that kind? Well, perhaps we can use that word in some other letter.
But can't we do the abbreviating in the signature? That's pretty long."

"So we can," said King. "Let's sign it, 'The Village Imp. Society.'"

This was adopted, as it didn't occur to any of the children that the
abbreviated word might convey an unintended meaning.

Mr. Crane was attended to next, and, as they warmed to their subject,
his letter was a little more peremptory. It ran:

"MR. CRANE,

"_Dear Sir_: We're improving our village, and, unless you fix up
your place pretty quick, we will call and argue with you. On no
acc't let it go another week looking as disreputibil as it now
does. We mean well, if you do; but if you don't,--beware!

"THE VILLAGE IMP. SOCIETY."

"That's fine!" exclaimed Gladys, as this effusion was read out. "Now,
let's do two more, and then we can each take one for a copy, and make a
lot of them, just put different names at the top, you know."

"Let's make a more gentle one," said Marjorie. "Those are all right for
men, but there's old Mrs. Hill, she ought to be told pleasantly to fix
up her garden and keep her pigs and chickens shut up. We almost ran
over a lot of them the other day."

So a gentle petition was framed:

"DEAR MRS. HILL:

"Won't you please be so kind as to straighten out your garden a
little? We'd like to see it look neat like Mr. Fulton's, or Mr.
Maynard's, or Mr. Adams'. Don't go to too much trouble in this
matter, but just kill or shut up your pigs and chickens, and we
will all help you if need be.

"Lovingly yours,
"THE VILLAGE IMP. SOCIETY."

"That's sweet," said Marjorie; "I like that 'Lovingly yours'; it shows
we have no hard feelings."

One more was framed, with a special intent toward the shopkeepers:

"MR. GREEN:

"We wish to goodness you'd keep your goods in better order. In
front of your store, on sidewalk and gutter, are old fruits,
potatoes, and sundry other things too old to be quite nice. So
spruce things up, and you will be surpris