Page 264 - The Story of My Lif

then made her feel of the string and the two boxes of beads. She nodded and

began at once to fill the string with wooden beads. I shook my head and took
them all off and made her feel of the two wooden beads and the one glass bead.
She examined them thoughtfully and began again. This time she put on the glass
bead first and the two wooden ones next. I took them off and showed her that the
two wooden ones must go on first, then the glass bead. She had no further
trouble and filled the string quickly, too quickly, in fact. She tied the ends
together when she had finished the string, and put the beads round her neck. I
did not make the knot large enough in the next string, and the beads came off as
fast as she put them on; but she solved the difficulty herself by putting the string
through a bead and tying it. I thought this very clever. She amused herself with
the beads until dinner-time, bringing the strings to me now and then for my
approval.

My eyes are very much inflamed. I know this letter is very carelessly written. I
had a lot to say, and couldn’t stop to think how to express things neatly. Please
do not show my letter to any one. If you want to, you may read it to my friends.

Monday P.M.

I had a battle royal with Helen this morning. Although I try very hard not to
force issues, I find it very difficult to avoid them.

Helen’s table manners are appalling. She puts her hands in our plates and helps

herself, and when the dishes are passed, she grabs them and takes out whatever
she wants. This morning I would not let her put her hand in my plate. She
persisted, and a contest of wills followed. Naturally the family was much
disturbed, and left the room. I locked the dining-room door, and proceeded to eat
my breakfast, though the food almost choked me.

Helen was lying on the floor, kicking and screaming and trying to pull my chair
from under me. She kept this up for half an hour, then she got up to see what I