But at least I have started one most popular reform. Our daily bill
of fare has been increased, a change deplored by the cook as causing
trouble, and deplored by the rest of the staff as causing an immoral
increase in expense. ECONOMY spelt in capitals has been the guiding
principle of this institution for so many years that it has become a
religion. I assure my timid co-workers twenty times a day that, owing to
the generosity of our president, the endowment has been exactly doubled,
and that I have vast sums besides from Mrs. Pendleton for necessary
purposes like ice cream. But they simply CAN'T get over the feeling that
it is a wicked extravagance to feed these children.
The doctor and I have been studying with care the menus of the past, and
we are filled with amazement at the mind that could have devised them.
Here is one of her frequently recurring dinners:
BOILED POTATOES BOILED RICE BLANC MANGE
It's a wonder to me that the children are anything more than one hundred
and eleven little lumps of starch.
Looking about this institution, one is moved to misquote Robert
Browning.
"There may be heaven; there must be hell;
Meantime, there is the John Grier--well!"
S. McB.
THE JOHN GRIER HOME,
Saturday.
Dear Judy:
Dr. Robin MacRae and I fought another battle yesterday over a very
trivial matter (in which I was right), and since then I have adopted for
our doctor a special pet name. "Good morning, Enemy!" was my greeting
today, at which he was quite solemnly annoyed. He says he does not wish
to be regarded as an enemy. He is not in the least antagonistic--so long
as I mold my policy upon his wishes!
We have two new children, Isador Gutschneider and Max Yog, given to us
by the Baptist Ladies' Aid Society. Where on earth do you suppose those
children picked up such a religion? I didn't want to take them, but the
poor ladies were very persuasive, and they pay the princely sum of four
dollars and fifty cents per week per child. This makes 113, which makes
us very crowded. I have half a dozen babies to give away. Find me some
kind families who want to adopt.
You know it's very embarrassing not to be able to remember offhand how
large your family is, but mine seems to vary from day to day, like the
stock market. I should like to keep it at about par. When a woman
has more than a hundred children, she can't give them the individual
attention they ought to have.
Monday.
This letter has been lying two days on my desk, and I haven't found the
time to stick on a stamp. But now I seem to have a free evening ahead,
so I will add a page or two more before starting it on a pleasant
journey to Florida.