240 OUTDOOR STUDIES 
part of achild. In the course of her narration 
she describes, with great precision and correct- 
ness, the travels of the family through Europe 
in the preceding year, assigning usually the 
place of importance to her doll, who appears 
simply as “My Baby.” Nothing can be more 
grave, more accurate, more serious than the 
whole history, but nothing in it seems quite so 
real and alive as the doll. “When we got to 
Nice, I was sick. The next morning the doc- 
tor came, and he said I had something that 
was very much like scarlet fever. Then I had 
Annie take care of baby, and keep her away, 
for I was afraid she would get the fever. She 
used to cry to come to me, but I knew it 
would n’t be good for her.” 
What firm judgment is here, what tenderness 
without weakness, what discreet motherhood ! 
When Christmas came, it appears that baby 
hung up her stocking with the rest. Her de- 
voted parent had bought for her a slate with 
a real pencil. Others provided thimble and 
scissors and bodkin and a spool of thread, 
and a travelling-shawl with a strap, and a cap 
with tarletan ruffles. “I found baby with the 
cap on, early in the morning, and she was so 
pleased she almost jumped out of my arms.” 
Thus in the midst of visits to the Coliseum 
and St. Peter’s, the drama of early affection 
