“But, Miss Jenkins,” she said, smiling, “we are not going to use shingles for the roof, but straw; and I have something stronger than a national bank.  You see, I was just born hoping.  I know some of the sweetest people at home.  I’ve written nearly one thousand letters, telling them all about my dear friends in the Quarters.”

So that’s where all the stamps went that she bought with the money I gave her for winter clothes!

I was taking Jane to task for this when a note arrived from Zura.  I had been almost sure that my invitation would meet the same fate as the English lessons.  My fears disappeared when I opened the missive.  It read as follows: 

Dear Miss Jenkins: 
     Thank you.  Never did like to study in vacation, but if it is
     plain visiting I’ll be delighted, for I’m starving.  Have lived
     so long on rice and raw fish I feel like an Irish stew.  You’ll
     surely be shocked at what I can do to ham and eggs and hot
     biscuit!  I’ll float in about Thursday.

Hungrily yours,
Zura Wingate.

When I told my companion that Zura was coming to make us a little visit, she was preparing to start for her work.  She had just tied a bright green veil over her hat.  Failing in its mission as trimming, the chiffon dropped forward in reckless folds almost covering her face; it gave her a dissipated look as she hurried about, gathering up her things, eager to be gone.  But I was seeking information and detained her.  “Jane,” I asked, “what do young girls in our country like best?”

“Boys and tolu,” was the astonishing reply.

The twinkle in her one visible eye increased to enough for two when I said with quite a good deal of dignity that, while I had some idea what boys were, I knew nothing of the other article she mentioned.

“Oh, don’t you really know what tolu is?  It’s a kind of rubber and girls like to chew it.”

“American girls chew!  Why, the thing is impossible,” I cried, pained to have an ideal shattered.

“Keep calm, Miss Jenkins, this is a different kind of chew from the one you are thinking about.  It isn’t pretty, but it won’t hurt them, any more than a peck of chocolates and, tolu or no tolu, in all the world there isn’t anything dearer than young American girls.  They are so fluffy and bossy and sweet, and they do make the darlingest mamas.”

Jane waited for some comment from me.  Seeing I had none to make, she said, “Well, there aren’t any boys for Zura to play with, and no tolu this side of San Francisco.”  Then, brightening with sudden inspiration, she exclaimed, “But I tell you what:  wait till I take this basket down to Omoto’s home and I’ll run right back and make some bear and tiger cookies and gingerbread Johnnies.  Children adore them.”

“What is the matter now down at Omoto’s house?”

“Oh, nothing much.  He’s in jail and his wife simply cannot work out in the field to-day.  She has a brand-new pair of the sweetest twins, and a headache besides.”