Daddy Long Legs

The McBrides have asked me to spend the summer at their camp in the

Adirondacks! They belong to a sort of club on a lovely little lake in

the middle of the woods. The different members have houses made of

logs dotted about among the trees, and they go canoeing on the lake,

and take long walks through trails to other camps, and have dances once

a week in the club house--Jimmie McBride is going to have a college

friend visiting him part of the summer, so you see we shall have plenty

of men to dance with.

Wasn't it sweet of Mrs. McBride to ask me? It appears that she liked

me when I was there for Christmas.

Please excuse this being short. It isn't a real letter; it's just to

let you know that I'm disposed of for the summer.

Yours,

In a VERY contented frame of mind,

Judy

5th June

Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,

Your secretary man has just written to me saying that Mr. Smith prefers

that I should not accept Mrs. McBride's invitation, but should return

to Lock Willow the same as last summer.

Why, why, WHY, Daddy?

You don't understand about it. Mrs. McBride does want me, really and

truly. I'm not the least bit of trouble in the house. I'm a help.

They don't take up many servants, and Sallie an I can do lots of useful

things. It's a fine chance for me to learn housekeeping. Every woman

ought to understand it, and I only know asylum-keeping.

There aren't any girls our age at the camp, and Mrs. McBride wants me

for a companion for Sallie. We are planning to do a lot of reading

together. We are going to read all of the books for next year's

English and sociology. The Professor said it would be a great help if

we would get our reading finished in the summer; and it's so much

easier to remember it if we read together and talk it over.

Just to live in the same house with Sallie's mother is an education.

She's the most interesting, entertaining, companionable, charming woman

in the world; she knows everything. Think how many summers I've spent

with Mrs. Lippett and how I'll appreciate the contrast. You needn't be

afraid that I'll be crowding them, for their house is made of rubber.

When they have a lot of company, they just sprinkle tents about in the

woods and turn the boys outside. It's going to be such a nice, healthy

summer exercising out of doors every minute. Jimmie McBride is going

to teach me how to ride horseback and paddle a canoe, and how to shoot

and--oh, lots of things I ought to know. It's the kind of nice, jolly,

care-free time that I've never had; and I think every girl deserves it

once in her life. Of course I'll do exactly as you say, but please,

PLEASE let me go, Daddy. I've never wanted anything so much.