dear enemy-第20章
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Returning at teatime； I was waylaid in the hall by Dr。 MacRae； who demanded some statistics from my office。 I opened the door； and there sat Mamie Prout exactly where she had been left four hours before。
〃Mamie darling！〃 I cried in horror。 〃You haven't been here all this time？〃
〃Yes； ma'am；〃 said Mamie； 〃you told me to wait until you came back。〃
That poor patient little thing was fairly swaying with weariness； but she never uttered a whimper。
I will say for Sandy that he was SWEET。 He gathered her up in his arms and carried her to my library； and petted her and caressed her back to smiles。 Jane brought the sewing table and spread it before the fire； and while the doctor and I had tea； Mamie had her supper。 I suppose； according to the theory of some educators； now； when she was thoroughly worn out and hungry； would have been the psychological moment to ply her with prunes。 But you will be pleased to hear that I did nothing of the sort； and that the doctor for once upheld my unscientific principles。 Mamie had the most wonderful supper of her life； embellished with strawberry jam from my private jar and peppermints from Sandy's pocket。 We returned her to her mates happy and comforted； but still possessing that regrettable distaste for prunes。
Did you ever know anything more appalling than this soul… crushing unreasoning obedience which Mrs。 Lippett so insistently fostered？ It's the orphan asylum attitude toward life； and somehow I must crush it out。 Initiative； responsibility； curiosity； inventiveness； fightoh dear！ I wish the doctor had a serum for injecting all these useful virtues into an orphan's circulation。
LATER。
I wish you'd come back to New York。 I've appointed you press agent for this institution； and we need some of your floweriest writing immediately。 There are seven tots here crying to be adopted； and it's your business to advertise them。
Little Gertrude is cross…eyed； but dear and affectionate and generous。 Can't you write her up so persuasively that some loving family will be willing to take her even if she isn't beautiful？ Her eyes can be operated on when she's older； but if it were a cross disposition she had； no surgeon in the world could remove that。 The child knows there is something missing； though she has never seen a live parent in her life。 She holds up her arms persuasively to every person who passes。 Put in all the pathos you are capable of； and see if you can't fetch her a mother and father。
Maybe you can get one of the New York papers to run a Sunday feature article about a lot of different children。 I'll send some photographs。 You remember what a lot of responses that 〃Smiling Joe〃 picture brought for the Sea Breeze people？ I can furnish equally taking portraits of Laughing Lou and Gurgling Gertrude and Kicking Karl if you will just add the literary touch。
And do find me some sports who are not afraid of heredity。 This wanting every child to come from one of the first families of Virginia is getting tiresome。
Yours； as usual；
SALLIE。
Friday。 My dear； dear Judy：
Such an upheaval！ I've discharged the cook and the housekeeper； and in delicate language conveyed the impression to our grammar teacher that she needn't come back next year。 But； oh； if I could only discharge the Honorable Cy！
I must tell you what happened this morning。 Our trustee； who has had a dangerous illness； is now dangerously well again； and dropped in to pay a neighborly call。 Punch was occupying a rug on my library floor； virtuously engaged with building blocks。 I am separating him from the other kindergarten children； and trying the Montessori method of a private rug and no nervous distraction。 I was flattering myself that it was working well； his vocabulary of late has become almost prudish。
After half an hour's desultory visit； the Hon。 Cy rose to go。 As the door closed behind him （I am at least thankful the child waited for that）； Punch raised his appealing brown eyes to mine and murmured； with a confiding smile：
〃Gee！ ain't he got de hell of a mug？〃
If you know a kind Christian family where I can place out a sweet little five…year boy； please communicate at once with
S。 McBRIDE；
Sup't John Grier Home。
Dear Pendletons：
I've never known anything like you two snails。 You've only just reached Washington； and I have had my suitcase packed for days； ready to spend a rejuvenating week end CHEZ VOUS。 Please hurry！ I've languished in this asylum atmosphere as long as humanely possible。 I shall gasp and die if I don't get a change。
Yours；
on the point of suffocation；
S。 McB。
P。S。 Drop a card to Gordon Hallock； telling him you are there。 He will be charmed to put himself and the Capitol at your disposal。 I know that Jervis doesn't like him； but Jervis ought to get over his baseless prejudices against politicians。 Who knows？ I may be entering politics myself some day。
My dear Judy：
We do receive the most amazing presents from our friends and benefactors。 Listen to this。 Last week Mr。 Wilton J。 Leverett （I quote from his card） ran over a broken bottle outside our gate； and came in to visit the institution while his chauffeur was mending the tire。 Betsy showed him about。 He took an intelligent interest in everything he saw； particularly our new camps。 That is an exhibit which appeals to men。 He ended by removing his coat； and playing baseball with two tribes of Indians。 After an hour and a half he suddenly looked at his watch； begged for a glass of water； and bowed himself off。
We had entirely forgotten the episode until this afternoon； when the expressman drove up to the door with a present for the John Grier Home from the chemical laboratories of Wilton J。 Leverett。 It was a barrelwell； anyway； a good sized kegfull of liquid green soap！
Did I tell you that the seeds for our garden came from Washington？ A polite present from Gordon Hallock and the U。 S。 Government。 As an example of what the past regime did not accomplish； Martin Schladerwitz； who has spent three years on this pseudo farm； knew no more than to dig a grave two feet deep and bury his lettuce seeds！
Oh； you can't imagine the number of fields in which we need making over； but of course you； of all people； can imagine。 Little by little I am getting my eyes wide open； and things that just looked funny to me at first； nowoh dear！ It's very disillusionizing。 Every funny thing that comes up seems to have a little tragedy wrapped inside it。
Just at present we are paying anxious attention to our mannersnot orphan asylum manners； but dancing school manners。 There is to be nothing Uriah Heepish about our attitude toward the world。 The little girls make curtseys when they shake hands； and the boys remove caps and rise when a lady stands； and push in chairs at the table。 （Tommy Woolsey shot Sadie Kate into her soup yesterday； to the glee of all observers except Sadie； who is an independent young damsel and doesn't care for these useless masculine attentions。） At first the boys were inclined to jeer； but after observing the politeness of their hero； Percy de Forest Witherspoon； they have come up to the mark like little gentlemen。
Punch is paying a call this morning。 For the last half…hour； while I have been busily scratching away to you； he has been established in the window seat； quietly and undestructively engaged with colored pencils。 Betsy； EN PASSANT； just dropped a kiss upon his nose。
〃Aw； gwan！〃 said Punch； blushing quite pink； and wiping off the caress with a fine show of masculine indifference。 But I notice he has resumed work upon his red…and…green landscape with heightened ardor and an attempt at whistling。 We'll succeed yet in conquering that young man's temper。
Tuesday。
The doctor is in a very grumbly mood today。 He called jus
