10th September
Dear Daddy,
He has gone, and we are missing him! When you get accustomed to peopleor places or ways of living, and then have them snatched away, it doesleave an awfully empty, gnawing sort of sensation. I'm finding Mrs.Semple's conversation pretty unseasoned food.
College opens in two weeks and I shall be glad to begin work again. Ihave worked quite a lot this summer though--six short stories and sevenpoems. Those I sent to the magazines all came back with the mostcourteous promptitude. But I don't mind. It's good practice. MasterJervie read them--he brought in the post, so I couldn't help hisknowing--and he said they were DREADFUL. They showed that I didn'thave the slightest idea of what I was talking about. (Master Jerviedoesn't let politeness interfere with truth.) But the last one Idid--just a little sketch laid in college--he said wasn't bad; and hehad it typewritten, and I sent it to a magazine. They've had it twoweeks; maybe they're thinking it over.
You should see the sky! There's the queerest orange-coloured lightover everything. We're going to have a storm.
It commenced just that moment with tremendously big drops and all theshutters banging. I had to run to close the windows, while Carrie flewto the attic with an armful of milk pans to put under the places wherethe roof leaks and then, just as I was resuming my pen, I rememberedthat I'd left a cushion and rug and hat and Matthew Arnold's poemsunder a tree in the orchard, so I dashed out to get them, all quitesoaked. The red cover of the poems had run into the inside; DoverBeach in the future will be washed by pink waves.
A storm is awfully disturbing in the country. You are always having tothink of so many things that are out of doors and getting spoiled.
Thursday
Daddy! Daddy! What do you think? The postman has just come with twoletters.
1st. My story is accepted. $50.
ALORS! I'm an AUTHOR.
2nd. A letter from the college secretary. I'm to have a scholarshipfor two years that will cover board and tuition. It was founded for'marked proficiency in English with general excellency in other lines.'And I've won it! I applied for it before I left, but I didn't have anidea I'd get it, on account of my Freshman bad work in maths and Latin.But it seems I've made it up. I am awfully glad, Daddy, because now Iwon't be such a burden to you. The monthly allowance will be all I'llneed, and maybe I can earn that with writing or tutoring or something.
I'm LONGING to go back and begin work.
Yours ever, Jerusha Abbott,
Author of When the Sophomores Won the Game. For sale at all news stands, price ten cents.