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Dear Enemy

Page 6

The romantic glamour which Judy cast over this orphan asylum exists only

in her poetic imagination. The place is AWFUL. Words can't tell you

how dreary and dismal and smelly it is: long corridors, bare walls;

blue-uniformed, dough-faced little inmates that haven't the slightest

resemblance to human children. And oh, the dreadful institution smell!

A mingling of wet scrubbed floors, unaired rooms, and food for a hundred

people always steaming on the stove.

The asylum not only has to be made over, but every child as well, and

it's too herculean a task for such a selfish, luxurious, and lazy person

as Sallie McBride ever to have undertaken. I'm resigning the very first

moment that Judy can find a suitable successor, but that, I fear, will

not be 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.

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