25th August
Well, Daddy, Master Jervie's here. And such a nice time as we'rehaving! At least I am, and I think he is, too--he has been here tendays and he doesn't show any signs of going. The way Mrs. Semplepampers that man is scandalous. If she indulged him as much when hewas a baby, I don't know how he ever turned out so well.
He and I eat at a little table set on the side porch, or sometimesunder the trees, or--when it rains or is cold--in the best parlour. Hejust picks out the spot he wants to eat in and Carrie trots after himwith the table. Then if it has been an awful nuisance, and she has hadto carry the dishes very far, she finds a dollar under the sugar bowl.
He is an awfully companionable sort of man, though you would neverbelieve it to see him casually; he looks at first glance like a truePendleton, but he isn't in the least. He is just as simple andunaffected and sweet as he can be--that seems a funny way to describe aman, but it's true. He's extremely nice with the farmers around here;he meets them in a sort of man-to-man fashion that disarms themimmediately. They were very suspicious at first. They didn't care forhis clothes! And I will say that his clothes are rather amazing. Hewears knickerbockers and pleated jackets and white flannels and ridingclothes with puffed trousers. Whenever he comes down in anything new,Mrs. Semple, beaming with pride, walks around and views him from everyangle, and urges him to be careful where he sits down; she is so afraidhe will pick up some dust. It bores him dreadfully. He's alwayssaying to her:
'Run along, Lizzie, and tend to your work. You can't boss me anylonger. I've grown up.'
It's awfully funny to think of that great big, long-legged man (he'snearly as long-legged as you, Daddy) ever sitting in Mrs. Semple's lapand having his face washed. Particularly funny when you see her lap!She has two laps now, and three chins. But he says that once she wasthin and wiry and spry and could run faster than he.
Such a lot of adventures we're having! We've explored the country formiles, and I've learned to fish with funny little flies made offeathers. Also to shoot with a rifle and a revolver. Also to ridehorseback--there's an astonishing amount of life in old Grove. We fedhim on oats for three days, and he shied at a calf and almost ran awaywith me.
Wednesday
We climbed Sky Hill Monday afternoon. That's a mountain near here; notan awfully high mountain, perhaps--no snow on the summit--but at leastyou are pretty breathless when you reach the top. The lower slopes arecovered with woods, but the top is just piled rocks and open moor. Westayed up for the sunset and built a fire and cooked our supper.Master Jervie did the cooking; he said he knew how better than me andhe did, too, because he's used to camping. Then we came down bymoonlight, and, when we reached the wood trail where it was dark, bythe light of an electric bulb that he had in his pocket. It was suchfun! He laughed and joked all the way and talked about interestingthings. He's read all the books I've ever read, and a lot of othersbesides. It's astonishing how many different things he knows.
We went for a long tramp this morning and got caught in a storm. Ourclothes were drenched before we reached home but our spirits not evendamp. You should have seen Mrs. Semple's face when we dripped into herkitchen.
'Oh, Master Jervie--Miss Judy! You are soaked through. Dear! Dear!What shall I do? That nice new coat is perfectly ruined.'
She was awfully funny; you would have thought that we were ten yearsold, and she a distracted mother. I was afraid for a while that weweren't going to get any jam for tea.