you will soon begin to menstruate, as the passing out of the
eggs is called, I shall have but little to add to what you already
know, but I will repeat it from the beginning in order that you may
have it all clear in your mind.

"First, bathe the entrance every time you bathe the rest of your body,
and at such other times as you may feel the need of doing so. Never
neglect this. It may have evil consequences. Just keep it clean, and
never touch it for any other purpose. And be careful to use only your
own towels, for disease is easily communicated to these parts by
cloths that are not clean, and you never can be too careful in this
respect. It is plain enough, and easy enough to do, isn't it
darling--and you will always remember about it, won't you?"

"Oh, yes, mamma, that is easy enough!" Elsie said quickly. "I could
remember a lot more than that, I'm sure."

"It would have been so infinitely much better for so many poor sick
creatures if they had known and remembered even that!" Mrs. Edson
sighed, holding her little daughter closely, as if she would protect
her from not only that harm but all others. "But," she continued, "I
must now tell you what you may be expecting to come to you before
long, when it will be harder to keep the entrance clean than it has
been so far, and when to keep it clean will be more necessary than
ever.

"Every twenty-eight days, dearie, beginning with you very soon now,
there will be a flow of blood into the little baby's nest, the womb,
and this will come out of your body through this entrance to the womb.
As soon as you see any signs of it on your body or clothing you must
come right and tell me, as you would if you had cut your finger or
stubbed your toe on a stone. It is something to be very proud of for
it shows the possibility of motherhood, and it must be given the very
best care, which is, as I have said, chiefly to keep the parts clean.
By and by when you are grown old enough and strong enough, and have a
husband, who will fertilize the eggs, one of them will grow into a
little baby, but it will be a long time yet before that can be, and
until then you will have this flow every twenty-eight days, for the
sake of your health. This brings more work for the womb to do, while
the menses, as they are called, continue, and therefore you may feel
out of sorts both mentally and bodily for two or three days. But this
will pass away when the flow ceases, and if proper care is taken of
th