Jerusha's eyes longingly sought the door. Her head was in a whirl of
excitement, and she wished only to escape from Mrs. Lippett's
platitudes and think. She rose and took a tentative step backwards.
Mrs. Lippett detained her with a gesture; it was an oratorical
opportunity not to be slighted.
'I trust that you are properly grateful for this very rare good fortune
that has befallen you? Not many girls in your position ever have such
an opportunity to rise in the world. You must always remember--'
'I--yes, ma'am, thank you. I think, if that's all, I must go and sew a
patch on Freddie Perkins's trousers.'
The door closed behind her, and Mrs. Lippett watched it with dropped
jaw, her peroration in mid-air.
The Letters of Miss Jerusha Abbot to Mr. Daddy-Long-Legs Smith
215 FERGUSSEN HALL
24th September
Dear Kind-Trustee-Who-Sends-Orphans-to-College,
Here I am! I travelled yesterday for four hours in a train. It's a
funny sensation, isn't it? I never rode in one before.
College is the biggest, most bewildering place--I get lost whenever I
leave my room. I will write you a description later when I'm feeling
less muddled; also I will tell you about my lessons. Classes don't
begin until Monday morning, and this is Saturday night. But I wanted
to write a letter first just to get acquainted.
It seems queer to be writing letters to somebody you don't know. It
seems queer for me to be writing letters at all--I've never written
more than three or four in my life, so please overlook it if these are
not a model kind.
Before leaving yesterday morning, Mrs. Lippett and I had a very serious
talk. She told me how to behave all the rest of my life, and
especially how to behave towards the kind gentleman who is doing so
much for me. I must take care to be Very Respectful.
But how can one be very respectful to a person who wishes to be called
John Smith? Why couldn't you have picked out a name with a little
personality? I might as well write letters to Dear Hitching-Post or
Dear Clothes-Prop.
I have been thinking about you a great deal this summer; having
somebody take an interest in me after all these years makes me feel as
though I had found a sort of family. It seems as though I belonged to
somebody now, and it's a very comfortable sensation. I must say,
however, that when I think about you, my imagination has very little to
work upon. There are just three things that I know: I. You are tall.
II. You are rich.