l "submit" paper and type, etc. to me, and hopes to
please. "But you are _so_ particular!"

I need hardly say I have written to place everything in his hands. I
am "not such a fool as" to think I can teach _him_! (though I am
insisting upon certain arrangements of types, etc., etc., to give a
_literary_--not Toy Book--aspect to the volume).

Andre I _know I help_. But then only a man of real talent and mind
would accept the help and be willing to be taught. The last batch of
_A Soldier's Children_ that came had three pages that grated on me.

1. "They mayn't have much time for their prayers on active service,
_and we ought to say them instead_." The first part of this line is
splendidly done by a brush with Zulus among mealies, but the second
part (as underlined) was thus. Nice old church (good idea) and the
officer's wife and children at prayer. BUT--the lady was like
a shop-girl, in a hat and feathers, tight-fitting jacket with skimpy
fur edge (inexpressibly vulgar cheap finery style!), kneeling with a
highly-developed figure backwards on to the spectator! and with her
eyes up in a theatrical gaze heavenwards. Little boy _sitting_ on
seat, with his hat on.

2. For "GOD bless the good soldiers like old father and
Captain Powder and the men with good conduct medals, and please let
the naughty ones be forgiven,"--he had got some men being released out
of prison cells.

3. For "There are eight verses and eight Alleluias, and we can't sing
very well, but we did our best.

"Only Mary would cry in the verse about 'Soon, soon to faithful
warriors comes their rest'!"--
--he had got a very poor thing of three children singing.

Now these were all highly-finished drawings. Quite complete, and I
know the man is _driven_ with work (for cheap pay!). So I hesitated,
and worried myself. At last I took courage and sent them back, having
faith in the "thoroughness" which he so eminently works with.

For 1, I sent him a sketch! said the lady must wear a bonnet in
church, and her boys must take off their hats! That she must kneel
_forwards_, be dressed in a deep sealskin with heavy fox edge, and
have her eyes _down_, and the children must kneel _imitating her_, and
I should like an old _brass_ on the wall above them with one of those
queer old kneeling families in ruffs.

For 2, I said I could not introduce child readers to the cells, and I
begged for an old Chelsea Pensioner showing his good conduct medal to
a little boy.