d monogramed, and she made me
promise never to let my husband use it. When she went away she left it
with me, and I carried it out and put it on the rafters, with the other
things--I seemed to be getting more to hide every day.

Things went all wrong the next day. Sis was in a bad temper, and as much
as said I was flirting with Carter Brooks, although she never intends to
marry him herself, owing to his not having money and never having asked
her.

I spent the morning in fixing up a Studio in the boat-house, and felt
better by noon. I took two boards on trestles and made a desk, and
brought a Dictionery and some pens and ink out. I use a Dictionery
because now and then I am uncertain how to spell a word.

Events now moved swiftly and terrably. I did not do much work, being
exhausted by my efforts to fix up the studio, and besides, feeling that
nothing much was worth while when one's Familey did not and never would
understand. At eleven o'clock Sis and Carter and Jane and some others
went in bathing from our dock. Jane called up to me, but I pretended not
to hear. They had a good time judging by the noise, although I should
think Jane would cover her arms and neck in the water, being very thin.
Legs one can do nothing with, although I should think stripes going
around would help. But arms can have sleaves.

However--the people next door went in to, and I thrilled to the core
when Mr. Beecher left the bath-house and went down to the beech. What
a physic! What shoulders, all brown and muscular! And to think that,
strong as they were, they wrote the tender Love seens of his plays.
Strong and tender--what descriptive words they are! It was then that I
saw he had been vacinated twice.

To resume. All the Pattens went in, and a new girl with them, in a
One-peace Suit. I do not deny that she was pretty. I only say that she
was not modest, and that the way she stood on the Patten's dock
and pozed for Mr. Beecher's benafit was unecessary and well, not
respectable.

She was nothing to me, nor I to her. But I watched her closely. I
confess that I was interested in Mr. Beecher. Why not? He was a Public
Character, and entitled to respect. Nay, even to love. But I maintain
and will to my dying day, that such love is diferent from that
ordinaraly born to the Other Sex, and a thing to be proud of.

Well, I was seeing a drama and did not even know it. After the rest
had gone, Mr. Patten came to the door into Mr. Beecher's room in