e immediately. She has gone off South, leaving me stranded, and of
course, after having promised, I can't simply abandon her asylum. But in
the meantime I assure you that I'm homesick.

Write me a cheering letter, and send a flower to brighten my private
drawing room. I inherited it, furnished, from Mrs. Lippett. The wall
is covered with a tapestry paper in brown and red; the furniture is
electric-blue plush, except the center table, which is gilt. Green
predominates in the carpet. If you presented some pink rosebuds, they
would complete the color scheme.

I really was obnoxious that last evening, but you are avenged.

Remorsefully yours,

SALLIE McBRIDE.

P.S. You needn't have been so grumpy about the Scotch doctor. The man is
everything dour that the word "Scotch" implies. I detest him on sight,
and he detests me. Oh, we're going to have a sweet time working together

THE JOHN GRIER HOME,

February 22.

My dear Gordon:

Your vigorous and expensive message is here. I know that you have plenty
of money, but that is no reason why you should waste it so frivolously.
When you feel so bursting with talk that only a hundred-word telegram
will relieve an explosion, at least turn it into a night lettergram. My
orphans can use the money if you don't need it.

Also, my dear sir, please use a trifle of common sense. Of course I
can't chuck the asylum in the casual manner you suggest. It wouldn't
be fair to Judy and Jervis. If you will pardon the statement, they have
been my friends for many more years than you, and I have no intention
of letting them go hang. I came up here in a spirit of--well, say
adventure, and I must see the venture through. You wouldn't like me if
I were a short sport. This doesn't mean, however, that I am sentencing
myself for life; I am in tending to resign just as soon as the
opportunity comes. But really I ought to feel somewhat gratified that
the Pendletons were willing to trust me with such a responsible post.
Though you, my dear sir, do not suspect it, I possess considerable
executive ability, and more common sense than is visible on the surface.
If I chose to put my whole soul into this enterprise, I could make the
rippingest superintendent that any 111 orphans ever had.

I suppose you think that's funny? It's true. Judy and Jervis know it,
and that's why they asked me to come. So you see, when they have
shown so much confidence in me, I can't throw them over in quite the
unceremoni