The Hon. Cy was awfully impressed with the new dining room, especially
when he heard that Betsy had put on those rabbits with her own
lily-white hands. Stenciling rabbits on walls, he allows, is a fitting
pursuit for a woman, but an executive position like mine is a trifle out
of her sphere. He thinks it would be far wiser if Mr. Pendleton did not
give me such free scope in the spending of his money.
While we were still contemplating Betsy's mural flight, an awful crash
came from the pantry, and we found Gladiola Murphy weeping among the
ruins of five yellow plates. It is sufficiently shattering to my nerves
to hear these crashes when I am alone, but it is peculiarly shattering
when receiving a call from an unsympathetic trustee.
I shall cherish that set of dishes to the best of my ability, but if you
wish to see your gift in all its uncracked beauty, I should advise you
to hurry North, and visit the John Grier Home without delay.
Yours as ever,
SALLIE.
March 26. My dear Judy:
I have just been holding an interview with a woman who wants to take
a baby home to surprise her husband. I had a hard time convincing her
that, since he is to support the child, it might be a delicate attention
to consult him about its adoption. She argued stubbornly that it was
none of his business, seeing that the onerous work of washing and
dressing and training would fall upon her. I am really beginning to feel
sorry for men. Some of them seem to have very few rights.
Even our pugnacious doctor I suspect of being a victim of domestic
tyranny, and his housekeeper's at that. It is scandalous the way Maggie
McGurk neglects the poor man. I have had to put him in charge of an
orphan. Sadie Kate, with a very housewifely air, is this moment sitting
cross-legged on the hearth rug sewing buttons on his overcoat while he
is upstairs tending babies.
You would never believe it, but Sandy and I are growing quite
confidential in a dour Scotch fashion. It has become his habit, when
homeward bound after his professional calls, to chug up to our door
about four in the afternoon, and make the rounds of the house to
make sure that we are not developing cholera morbus or infanticide or
anything catching, and then present himself at four-thirty at my library
door to talk over our mutual problems.
Does he come to see me? Oh, no, indeed; he comes to get tea and toast
and marmalade. The man hath a lean and hungry look. His housekeeper
doesn't feed him enough. As soon as I get the upper hand of him a little
more, I am going to urge him on to revolt.