Opening day is a joyous occasion!
Good night, Daddy dear, and don't be annoyed because your chick is
wanting to scratch for herself. She's growing up into an awfully
energetic little hen--with a very determined cluck and lots of
beautiful feathers (all due to you).
Affectionately,
Judy
30th September
Dear Daddy,
Are you still harping on that scholarship? I never knew a man so
obstinate, and stubborn and unreasonable, and tenacious, and
bull-doggish, and unable-to-see-other-people's-point-of-view, as you.
You prefer that I should not be accepting favours from strangers.
Strangers!--And what are you, pray?
Is there anyone in the world that I know less? I shouldn't recognize
you if I met you in the street. Now, you see, if you had been a sane,
sensible person and had written nice, cheering fatherly letters to your
little Judy, and had come occasionally and patted her on the head, and
had said you were glad she was such a good girl--Then, perhaps, she
wouldn't have flouted you in your old age, but would have obeyed your
slightest wish like the dutiful daughter she was meant to be.
Strangers indeed! You live in a glass house, Mr. Smith.
And besides, this isn't a favour; it's like a prize--I earned it by
hard work. If nobody had been good enough in English, the committee
wouldn't have awarded the scholarship; some years they don't. Also--
But what's the use of arguing with a man? You belong, Mr. Smith, to a
sex devoid of a sense of logic. To bring a man into line, there are
just two methods: one must either coax or be disagreeable. I scorn to
coax men for what I wish. Therefore, I must be disagreeable.
I refuse, sir, to give up the scholarship; and if you make any more
fuss, I won't accept the monthly allowance either, but will wear myself
into a nervous wreck tutoring stupid Freshmen.
That is my ultimatum!
And listen--I have a further thought. Since you are so afraid that by
taking this scholarship I am depriving someone else of an education, I
know a way out. You can apply the money that you would have spent for
me towards educating some other little girl from the John Grier Home.
Don't you think that's a nice idea? Only, Daddy, EDUCATE the new girl
as much as you choose, but please don't LIKE her any better than me.
I trust that your secretary won't be hurt because I pay so little
attention to the suggestions offered in his letter, but I can't help it
if he is. He's a spoiled child, Daddy. I've meekly given in to his
whims heretofore, but this time I intend to be FIRM.