t know what you think about slapping. Will you please write and
say what you think? You know I am anxsuch to do well. But I think I
know as much as Albertina about some things. She uster treat me like a
dog, but it is most a year now since I saw her before.

"Well, here we are, Aunt Gertrude and me, too. Grandpa did not like
her at first. She looked so much like summer folks, and acted that
way, too. He does not agree with summer folks, but she got him talking
about foreign parts and that Spanish girl that made eyes at him, and
nearly got him away from Grandma, and the time they were wrecked going
around the horn, and showing her dishes and carvings from China. Now
he likes her first rate. She laughs all the time. Grandma likes her
too, but not when Grandpa tells her about that girl in Spain.

"We eat in the dining-room, and have lovely food, only Grandpa does
not like it, but we have him a pie now for breakfast,--his own pie
that he can eat from all the time and he feels better. Aunt Gertrude
is happy seeing him eat it for breakfast and claps her hands when he
does it, only he doesn't see her.

"She is teaching me more manners, and to swim, and some French. It is
vacation and I don't have regular lessons, the way I did while we
were on Long Island.

"Didn't we have a good time in that hotel? Do you remember the night I
stayed up till ten o'clock and we sat on the beach and talked? I do. I
love you very much. I think it is nice to love anybody. Only I miss
you. I would miss you more if I believed what Albertina said about my
not being your favorite. I am.

"I wish you could come down here. Uncle Jimmie is coming and then I
don't know what Albertina will say.

"About teaching me. Aunt Gertrude's idea of getting me cultivated is
to read to me from the great Masters of literature and funny books
too, like Mark Twain and the Nonsense Thology. Then I say what I think
of them, and she just lets me develop along those lines, which is
pretty good for summer.

"Here is a poem I wrote. I love you best.

"The sun and wind are on the sea,
The waves are clear and blue,
This is the place I like to be,
If I could just have you.

"The insects chirrup in the grass,
The birds sing in the tree,
And oh! how quick the time would pass
If you were here with me."

"What do you think of slapping,