ii 4 LODGES IN THE WILDERNESS 



ette — or if she was she carefully concealed the 

 circumstance. She was quite devoid of any 

 kind of sentiment. In the matter of personal 

 adornment, she affected the jewellery of the 

 period; this consisted of the scalps and ears 

 of my husband's deceased enemies — more or 

 less dessicated — and the teeth of the same per- 

 sons, bored through and strung on thin thongs. 

 Her wardrobe was not extensive; in fact she 

 never owned more than one garment at a time, 

 and that she only used in cold weather. My 

 uncle's hunting provided the material, so he 

 had neither dressmakers' nor milliners' bills 

 to meet. 



My aunt was fiercely fond of her children 

 so long as they depended upon her for food 

 and protection. Afterwards she rather disliked 

 them than otherwise. If one of them after 

 reaching adolescence met her accidentally 

 when she took her walks abroad, that one 

 would utter a howl of dismay as loud as though 

 he had met an angry odontosaurus, and flee, 

 leaping from side to side to avoid the slung 

 stones. For my aunt also carried a sling; she 

 found it far more useful than a reticule. 



How Nietsche would have delighted in this 

 family; what a joy it would be to Mr Bernard 

 Shaw. I can imagine my uncle dining with 



