Daddy-Long-Legs

'STONE GATE', WORCESTER, MASS., 31st December

Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,

I meant to write to you before and thank you for your Christmas cheque,but life in the McBride household is very absorbing, and I don't seemable to find two consecutive minutes to spend at a desk.

I bought a new gown--one that I didn't need, but just wanted. MyChristmas present this year is from Daddy-Long-Legs; my family justsent love.

I've been having the most beautiful vacation visiting Sallie. Shelives in a big old-fashioned brick house with white trimmings set backfrom the street--exactly the kind of house that I used to look at socuriously when I was in the John Grier Home, and wonder what it couldbe like inside. I never expected to see with my own eyes--but here Iam! Everything is so comfortable and restful and homelike; I walk fromroom to room and drink in the furnishings.

It is the most perfect house for children to be brought up in; withshadowy nooks for hide and seek, and open fire places for pop-corn, andan attic to romp in on rainy days and slippery banisters with acomfortable flat knob at the bottom, and a great big sunny kitchen, anda nice, fat, sunny cook who has lived in the family thirteen years andalways saves out a piece of dough for the children to bake. Just thesight of such a house makes you want to be a child all over again.

And as for families! I never dreamed they could be so nice. Salliehas a father and mother and grandmother, and the sweetestthree-year-old baby sister all over curls, and a medium-sized brotherwho always forgets to wipe his feet, and a big, good-looking brothernamed Jimmie, who is a junior at Princeton.

We have the jolliest times at the table--everybody laughs and jokes andtalks at once, and we don't have to say grace beforehand. It's arelief not having to thank Somebody for every mouthful you eat. (Idare say I'm blasphemous; but you'd be, too, if you'd offered as muchobligatory thanks as I have.)

Such a lot of things we've done--I can't begin to tell you about them.Mr. McBride owns a factory and Christmas eve he had a tree for theemployees' children. It was in the long packing-room which wasdecorated with evergreens and holly. Jimmie McBride was dressed asSanta Claus and Sallie and I helped him distribute the presents.

Dear me, Daddy, but it was a funny sensation! I felt as benevolent asa Trustee of the John Grier home. I kissed one sweet, sticky littleboy--but I don't think I patted any of them on the head!

And two days after Christmas, they gave a dance at their own house forME.

It was the first really true ball I ever attended--college doesn'tcount where we dance with girls. I had a new white evening gown (yourChristmas present--many thanks) and long white gloves and white satinslippers. The only drawback to my perfect, utter, absolute happinesswas the fact that Mrs. Lippett couldn't see me leading the cotillionwith Jimmie McBride. Tell her about it, please, the next time youvisit the J. G. H.

Yours ever, Judy Abbott

PS. Would you be terribly displeased, Daddy, if I didn't turn out tobe a Great Author after all, but just a Plain Girl?