I was sitting up in bed
looking out at the rain and feeling awfully bored with life in a great
institution, the nurse appeared with a long white box addressed to me,
and filled with the LOVELIEST pink rosebuds. And much nicer still, it
contained a card with a very polite message written in a funny little
uphill back hand (but one which shows a great deal of character). Thank
you, Daddy, a thousand times. Your flowers make the first real, true
present I ever received in my life. If you want to know what a baby I
am I lay down and cried because I was so happy.

Now that I am sure you read my letters, I'll make them much more
interesting, so they'll be worth keeping in a safe with red tape around
them--only please take out that dreadful one and burn it up. I'd hate
to think that you ever read it over.

Thank you for making a very sick, cross, miserable Freshman cheerful.
Probably you have lots of loving family and friends, and you don't know
what it feels like to be alone. But I do.

Goodbye--I'll promise never to be horrid again, because now I know
you're a real person; also I'll promise never to bother you with any
more questions.

Do you still hate girls?

Yours for ever,
Judy

8th hour, Monday

Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,

I hope you aren't the Trustee who sat on the toad? It went off--I was
told--with quite a pop, so probably he was a fatter Trustee.

Do you remember the little dugout places with gratings over them by the
laundry windows in the John Grier Home? Every spring when the hoptoad
season opened we used to form a collection of toads and keep them in
those window holes; and occasionally they would spill over into the
laundry, causing a very pleasurable commotion on wash days. We were
severely punished for our activities in this direction, but in spite of
all discouragement the toads would collect.

And one day--well, I won't bore you with particulars--but somehow, one
of the fattest, biggest, JUCIEST toads got into one of those big
leather arm chairs in the Trustees' room, and that afternoon at the
Trustees' meeting--But I dare say you were there and recall the rest?

Looking back dispassionately after a period of time, I will say that
punishment was merited, and--if I remember rightly--adequate.

I don't know why I am in such a reminiscent mood except that spring and
the