Daddy-Long-Legs - Jean Webster (best e reader for academics txt) š
- Author: Jean Webster
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I finish at Magnolia (thatās where she lives) the first of September, and shall probably spend the remaining three weeks at Lock Willowā I should like to see the Semples again and all the friendly animals.
How does my programme strike you, Daddy? I am getting quite independent, you see. You have put me on my feet and I think I can almost walk alone by now.
Princeton commencement and our examinations exactly coincideā which is an awful blow. Sallie and I did so want to get away in time for it, but of course that is utterly impossible.
Goodbye, Daddy. Have a nice summer and come back in the autumn rested and ready for another year of work. (Thatās what you ought to be writing to me!) I havenāt any idea what you do in the summer, or how you amuse yourself. I canāt visualize your surroundings. Do you play golf or hunt or ride horseback or just sit in the sun and meditate?
Anyway, whatever it is, have a good time and donāt forget Judy.
10th June Dear Daddy,This is the hardest letter I ever wrote, but I have decided what I must do, and there isnāt going to be any turning back. It is very sweet and generous and dear of you to wish to send me to Europe this summerāfor the moment I was intoxicated by the idea; but sober second thoughts said no. It would be rather illogical of me to refuse to take your money for college, and then use it instead just for amusement! You mustnāt get me used to too many luxuries. One doesnāt miss what one has never had; but itās awfully hard going without things after one has commenced thinking they are hisā hers (English language needs another pronoun) by natural right. Living with Sallie and Julia is an awful strain on my stoical philosophy. They have both had things from the time they were babies; they accept happiness as a matter of course. The World, they think, owes them everything they want. Maybe the World doesāin any case, it seems to acknowledge the debt and pay up. But as for me, it owes me nothing, and distinctly told me so in the beginning. I have no right to borrow on credit, for there will come a time when the World will repudiate my claim.
I seem to be floundering in a sea of metaphorābut I hope you grasp my meaning? Anyway, I have a very strong feeling that the only honest thing for me to do is to teach this summer and begin to support myself.
MAGNOLIA, Four days later
Iād got just that much written, whenāwhat do you think happened? The maid arrived with Master Jervieās card. He is going abroad too this summer; not with Julia and her family, but entirely by himself I told him that you had invited me to go with a lady who is chaperoning a party of girls. He knows about you, Daddy. That is, he knows that my father and mother are dead, and that a kind gentleman is sending me to college; I simply didnāt have the courage to tell him about the John Grier Home and all the rest. He thinks that you are my guardian and a perfectly legitimate old family friend. I have never told him that I didnāt know youāthat would seem too queer!
Anyway, he insisted on my going to Europe. He said that it was a necessary part of my education and that I mustnāt think of refusing. Also, that he would be in Paris at the same time, and that we would run away from the chaperon occasionally and have dinner together at nice, funny, foreign restaurants.
Well, Daddy, it did appeal to me! I almost weakened; if he hadnāt been so dictatorial, maybe I should have entirely weakened. I can be enticed step by step, but I WONāT be forced. He said I was a silly, foolish, irrational, quixotic, idiotic, stubborn child (those are a few of his abusive adjectives; the rest escape me), and that I didnāt know what was good for me; I ought to let older people judge. We almost quarrelledāI am not sure but that we entirely did!
In any case, I packed my trunk fast and came up here. I thought Iād better see my bridges in flames behind me before I finished writing to you. They are entirely reduced to ashes now. Here I am at Cliff Top (the name of Mrs. Patersonās cottage) with my trunk unpacked and Florence (the little one) already struggling with first declension nouns. And it bids fair to be a struggle! She is a most uncommonly spoiled child; I shall have to teach her first how to studyāshe has never in her life concentrated on anything more difficult than ice-cream soda water.
We use a quiet corner of the cliffs for a schoolroomāMrs. Paterson wishes me to keep them out of doorsāand I will say that I find it difficult to concentrate with the blue sea before me and ships a-sailing by! And when I think I might be on one, sailing off to foreign landsā but I WONāT let myself think of anything but Latin Grammar.
The prepositions a or ab, absque, coram, cum, de e or ex, prae, pro, sine, tenus, in, subter, sub and super govern the ablative.
So you see, Daddy, I am already plunged into work with my eyes persistently set against temptation. Donāt be cross with me, please, and donāt think that I do not appreciate your kindness, for I doāalwaysāalways. The only way I can ever repay you is by turning out a Very Useful Citizen (Are women citizens? I donāt suppose they are.) Anyway, a Very Useful Person. And when you look at me you can say, `I gave that Very Useful Person to the world.ā
That sounds well, doesnāt it, Daddy? But I donāt wish to mislead you. The feeling often comes over me that I am not at all remarkable; it is fun to plan a career, but in all probability I shanāt turn out a bit different from any other ordinary person. I may end by marrying an undertaker and being an inspiration to him in his work. Yours ever, Judy
19th August Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,My window looks out on the loveliest landscapeāocean-scape, ratherā nothing but water and rocks.
The summer goes. I spend the morning with Latin and English and algebra and my two stupid girls. I donāt know how Marion is ever going to get into college, or stay in after she gets there. And as for Florence, she is hopelessābut oh! such a little beauty. I donāt suppose it matters in the least whether they are stupid or not so long as they are pretty? One canāt help thinking, though, how their conversation will bore their husbands, unless they are fortunate enough to obtain stupid husbands. I suppose thatās quite possible; the world seems to be filled with stupid men; Iāve met a number this summer.
In the afternoon we take a walk on the cliffs, or swim, if the tide is right. I can swim in salt water with the utmost ease you see my education is already being put to use!
A letter comes from Mr. Jervis Pendleton in Paris, rather a short concise letter; Iām not quite forgiven yet for refusing to follow his advice. However, if he gets back in time, he will see me for a few days at Lock Willow before college opens, and if I am very nice and sweet and docile, I shall (I am led to infer) be received into favour again.
Also a letter from Sallie. She wants me to come to their camp for two weeks in September. Must I ask your permission, or havenāt I yet arrived at the place where I can do as I please? Yes, I am sure I haveāIām a Senior, you know. Having worked all summer, I feel like taking a little healthful recreation; I want to see the Adirondacks; I want to see Sallie; I want to see Sallieās brotherā heās going to teach me to canoeāand (we come to my chief motive, which is mean) I want Master Jervie to arrive at Lock Willow and find me not there.
I MUST show him that he canāt dictate to me. No one can dictate to me but you, Daddyāand you canāt always! Iām off for the woods. Judy
CAMP MCBRIDE, 6th September
Dear Daddy,
Your letter didnāt come in time (I am pleased to say). If you wish your instructions to be obeyed, you must have your secretary transmit them in less than two weeks. As you observe, I am here, and have been for five days.
The woods are fine, and so is the camp, and so is the weather, and so are the McBrides, and so is the whole world. Iām very happy!
Thereās Jimmie calling for me to come canoeing. Goodbyeāsorry to have disobeyed, but why are you so persistent about not wanting me to play a little? When Iāve worked all the summer I deserve two weeks. You are awfully dog-in-the-mangerish.
HoweverāI love you still, Daddy, in spite of all your faults. Judy
3rd October Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,Back at college and a Seniorāalso editor of the Monthly. It doesnāt seem possible, does it, that so sophisticated a person, just four years ago, was an inmate of the John Grier Home? We do arrive fast in America!
What do you think of this? A note from Master Jervie directed to Lock Willow and forwarded here. Heās sorry, but he finds that he canāt get up there this autumn; he has accepted an invitation to go yachting with some friends. Hopes Iāve had a nice summer and am enjoying the country.
And he knew all the time that I was with the McBrides, for Julia told him so! You men ought to leave intrigue to women; you havenāt a light enough touch.
Julia has a trunkful of the most ravishing new clothesāan evening gown of rainbow Liberty crepe that would be fitting raiment for the angels in Paradise. And I thought that my own clothes this year were unprecedentedly (is there such a word?) beautiful. I copied Mrs. Patersonās wardrobe with the aid of a cheap dressmaker, and though the gowns didnāt turn out quite twins of the originals, I was entirely happy until Julia unpacked. But nowāI live to see Paris!
Dear Daddy, arenāt you glad youāre not a girl? I suppose you think that the fuss we make over clothes is too absolutely silly? It is. No doubt about it. But itās entirely your fault.
Did you ever hear about the learned Herr Professor who regarded unnecessary adornment with contempt and favoured sensible, utilitarian clothes for women? His wife, who was an obliging creature, adopted `dress reform.ā And what do you think he did? He eloped with a chorus girl. Yours ever, Judy
PS. The chambermaid in our corridor wears blue checked gingham aprons. I am going to get her some brown ones instead, and sink the blue ones in the bottom of the lake. I have a reminiscent chill every time I look at them.
17th November Dear Daddy-Long-Legs,Such a blight has fallen over my literary career. I donāt know whether to tell you or not, but I would
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