THE HESPERIAN
lnrgo, very largo, mid atout. Hor ftico is
broud and ilabby and hor features aro almoBt
lost in it, yet alio is not lacking in forehead,
which is rondorod all tho moro conspicuous
by tho way alio combs hor light hair back
sovorely smooth. Hor head is thou sot off
by a Grecian knot bound by a gold band.
In dross sho is a classic Grook, but oh, sho
Badly lacks in form and foatnro?
My duties aro various. As soon as I got
up, which ib ovory morning at six, I join
my mistress in tho obsorvatory, a small room
at tho top of tho houso. From this placo
wo "oontomplato," as sho says, tho boauty
and strangoncss of nature; this nature is a
sky often cloudod with smoke, a limitod
viow of houso tops and chimnoys and, in tho
distance, a btroak of dark wulur. YoL she
is always inspired and speaks in a manner
wildly poetic.
After wo have breakfasted on a meal
which is, in my opinion, too mortally sub
stantial to bo associatod with tho idea of
litorary productions, sho attonds to hor
housohold duties I am sure that I do not
know what they can bo and I go to feod
tho pots, my lady's dearest friouds.
Hamlet muBt be pettod, a horrid little
monkoy. 1 must soothe and humor him,
and this is tho most disagrooablo of all my
duties. Then, thoro is tho crow, Long
fellow. Ho and 1 aro very good friends.
1 am fond of tho birds, too, ton pretty
yellow canaries and livo Chinese finches.
All tho rest of tho forenoon I have to
myself.
At noon wo lunch on a dinner. Then wo
retire to the darkened study. Sho dictatos
to me, sometimes poetry, but oftonor wo
spend tho afternoon upon a story. I think
that sho muBt finish thorn sometime when
sho is alone for I never hoar tho end of
them. I cannot judge of tho worth of hor
writings. Sho may bo some famous author
writing id'idor a nom do plumo.
Wo gonorally pass tho ovoning roading.
I often play on the piano for her. Sho is
an excellent player horsolf, sho Bays, but
hor soul responds most naturally to tho
strains of others, and so sho profors to liston
to mo.
To-night wo aro going to havo a rocoption
to which a number of distinguished ladios
and gentleman aro invited. Tho groator
numbor of thorn aro authors of noto.
I addrcsaod tho onvolopos and doing bo I
discovorod how really ignorant and Bimple I
am, for I found that I had novor hoard of
any of tho porsons.
Do not worry about mo, mothor. For
tho most part, 1 like my position. I am
getting now idoas and broader viowB about
somo subjocts and, too, 1 am associating
with a woman of rarely gifted mind. It
cannot but make a change in me, and I
think it will be for the boiler. Bui in Iho
short time that 1'vo boon horo I'm deter
mined firmly that I shall novor turn my
attention to litorary work. I can hardly
toll why l'vo come to this decision.
1 must closo my letter now for it will
soon bo time for us to receive our guoBts.
With much lovo from your daughter,
Helen Zane .
1. S: I forgot to montion that Mrs.
VanHouson has a husband. Ho is tho oiio
that pays mo my salary. Ho is a pale, un
offending sort of a person and I seldom' seo
him. H. Z.
Wodnosday ovoning, March 25, tho mom
bors of tho Young Men's and Young
Women's Christian Associations spent a
vory pleasant social ovoning at tho homo of
Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Wilson. About 150
of the students and members of tho faculty
were prosent. Refreshments wore sorved
during tho evening. A short program was
given consisting of a recitation by J. T.
Boomor, vocal solo by J. P. Cameron
music by Y. M. C. A. quartette, and vocal
solo by Miss Davisson.
Professor Barbour gave a vory interesting
and instructive talk at the Congregational
church Sunday ovoning, March 29. . His
subject was "How tho Earth was Found."
