eckla,
who taught the little girls to Count and to Sing.

Why, the whole world, surely the up-on-the mountain-world, seemed full
of Only-Just-Ladies.

Not just a Lady here and there, coming to visit with hats on, to talk a
little to the Sisters, to look at the little girls with blue checked
aprons on. But here they were coming and going all the time, moving
about, and living in the cabins, walking everywhere with or without
hats on, standing on the gray cliffs, and looking down--maybe into the
heart of a worldwide violet there, off the edge of the cliff, such as
Bessie Bell saw or fancied she saw.

So many Ladies.

Bessie Bell leaned against the little fluted post of the gallery to the
cabin that she and Sister Helen Vincula lived in, and decided to
herself that, strange as it was, yet was it true that the whole world
was full of--Ladies.

There were yet stranger things for Bessie Bell to learn.

She had not for long played with those many little girls in all sorts
of clothes, and with larger girls, and with boys,--some with
short-striped-stocking-legs and some with
long-striped-stocking-legs,--before she heard one child say: "Mama says
she will take me to Sweet Fern Cave to-morrow."

Or perhaps it was another child who said: "Mama won't let me wade in
the branch."

Or another child said: "Mama says I can have a party for all the little
girls and boys on the mountain next Friday!"

Then another little child said: "My Mama has made me a beautiful pink
dress, and I will wear that to your party."

Mama? My Mama?

Bessie Bell leaned against the little fluted post of the gallery to the
cabin where she and Sister Helen Vincula lived, and thought a great
deal about that.

And Bessie Bell wondered a great deal what that could mean: Mama? My
Mama?

There were strange new things in this world.

Bessie Bell almost forgot to remember now, because every day was so
full of such strange new things to know.

Mama? My Mama?

Bessie Bell did a great deal of thinking about that.

One day the little children were playing at building rock chimneys.

There was not much sand there for little children to play in, so that
the children often built rock chimneys, and rock tables, and rock
fences.

As they were playing one little girl suddenly left the playground and
ran, calling: "Mama! Mama! Come here; come this way, and see the
chimney we have built!"

Bessie Bell turned quickly from play and looked after the li