and Father said: Don't you worry, he's still a
long way from being a man or he would be more polite to his sisters and
their lady friends." This annoyed him frightfully, and since then he
never says a word when Ada and Rosa are with us. My birthday is coming
soon, thank goodness I shall be 12 then, only 2 years more and I shall
be 14; I am so glad. Hella wrote to me to-day for the second time. In
August she is going to Hungary to stay with her uncle, he has a great
estate and she will learn to ride there.

SECOND YEAR, AGE TWELVE TO THIRTEEN

SECOND YEAR

August 1st. It was awfully jolly on my birthday. We drove to Glashutte
where it is lovely; there we cooked our own dinner in the inn for the
landlady was ill and so was the cook. On one's birthday everyone
is always so nice to one. What I like most of all is the Ebeseder
paint-box, and the book too. But I never have any time to read. Hella
sent me a lovely picture: Maternal Happiness, a dachshund with two
puppies, simply sweet. When I go home I shall hang it up near the door
over the bookcase. Ada gave me a silk purse which she had worked for me
herself. Aunt Dora gave me a diary, but I can't use it because I prefer
to write upon loose sheets. Grandfather and Grandmother at B. sent me a
great piece of marzipan, splendid. Ada thinks it lovely; she didn't know
marzipan before.

August 9th. When it's not holidays Ada goes to school in St. Polten
staying there with her aunt and uncle, because the school in H. is
not so good as the school in St. P. Perhaps next term she is coming to
Vienna, for she has finished with the middle school and has to go on
learning. But she has no near relations in Vienna where she could stay.
She might come to live with us, Dora could have a room to herself as
she always wants, and Ada and I could share a room. I would much rather
share a room with her than with Dora who is always making such a fuss.

August 10th. I do really think! A boy can always get what he wants.
Oswald is really going for a fortnight to Znaim to stay with his chum;
only Oswald of course. I should like to see what would happen if Dora
or I wanted to go anywhere. A boy has a fine time. It's the injustice of
the thing which makes me furious. For we know for certain that he's had
a _bad_ report, even though he does not tell us anything about it. But
of course that doesn't matter. They throw every 2 in our teeth and when
he gets several Satisfactories he can go whe