Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
LOCK WILLOW, 12th July
Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,
How did your secretary come to know about Lock Willow? (That isn't arhetorical question. I am awfully curious to know.) For listen tothis: Mr. Jervis Pendleton used to own this farm, but now he has givenit to Mrs. Semple who was his old nurse. Did you ever hear of such afunny coincidence? She still calls him 'Master Jervie' and talks aboutwhat a sweet little boy he used to be. She has one of his baby curlsput away in a box, and it is red--or at least reddish!
Since she discovered that I know him, I have risen very much in heropinion. Knowing a member of the Pendleton family is the bestintroduction one can have at Lock Willow. And the cream of the wholefamily is Master Jervis--I am pleased to say that Julia belongs to aninferior branch.
The farm gets more and more entertaining. I rode on a hay wagonyesterday. We have three big pigs and nine little piglets, and youshould see them eat. They are pigs! We've oceans of little babychickens and ducks and turkeys and guinea fowls. You must be mad tolive in a city when you might live on a farm.
It is my daily business to hunt the eggs. I fell off a beam in thebarn loft yesterday, while I was trying to crawl over to a nest thatthe black hen has stolen. And when I came in with a scratched knee,Mrs. Semple bound it up with witch-hazel, murmuring all the time,'Dear! Dear! It seems only yesterday that Master Jervie fell off thatvery same beam and scratched this very same knee.'
The scenery around here is perfectly beautiful. There's a valley and ariver and a lot of wooded hills, and way in the distance a tall bluemountain that simply melts in your mouth.
We churn twice a week; and we keep the cream in the spring house whichis made of stone with the brook running underneath. Some of thefarmers around here have a separator, but we don't care for thesenew-fashioned ideas. It may be a little harder to separate the creamin pans, but it's sufficiently better to pay. We have six calves; andI've chosen the names for all of them.
1. Sylvia, because she was born in the woods.
2. Lesbia, after the Lesbia in Catullus.
3. Sallie.
4. Julia--a spotted, nondescript animal.
5. Judy, after me.
6. Daddy-Long-Legs. You don't mind, do you, Daddy? He's pure Jerseyand has a sweet disposition. He looks like this--you can see howappropriate the name is.
I haven't had time yet to begin my immortal novel; the farm keeps metoo busy.
Yours always, Judy
PS. I've learned to make doughnuts.
PS. (2) If you are thinking of raising chickens, let me recommend BuffOrpingtons. They haven't any pin feathers.
PS. (3) I wish I could send you a pat of the nice, fresh butter Ichurned yesterday. I'm a fine dairy-maid!
PS. (4) This is a picture of Miss Jerusha Abbott, the future greatauthor, driving home the cows.