As this is to be a scribble-scrabble letter, I direct it to you, for it may amuse you, and give you some idea of my goings on, for though quiet, they are rather amusing, for which, oh, be joyful!  After what Amy would call Herculaneum efforts, in the way of mental and moral agriculture, my young ideas begin to shoot and my little twigs to bend as I could wish.  They are not so interesting to me as Tina and the boys, but I do my duty by them, and they are fond of me.  Franz and Emil are jolly little lads, quite after my own heart, for the mixture of German and American spirit in them produces a constant state of effervescence.  Saturday afternoons are riotous times, whether spent in the house or out, for on pleasant days they all go to walk, like a seminary, with the Professor and myself to keep order, and then such fun!

We are very good friends now, and I’ve begun to take lessons.  I really couldn’t help it, and it all came about in such a droll way that I must tell you.  To begin at the beginning, Mrs. Kirke called to me one day as I passed Mr. Bhaer’s room where she was rummaging.

“Did you ever see such a den, my dear?  Just come and help me put these books to rights, for I’ve turned everything upside down, trying to discover what he has done with the six new handkerchiefs I gave him not long ago.”

I went in, and while we worked I looked about me, for it was ‘a den’ to be sure.  Books and papers everywhere, a broken meerschaum, and an old flute over the mantlepiece as if done with, a ragged bird without any tail chirped on one window seat, and a box of white mice adorned the other.  Half-finished boats and bits of string lay among the manuscripts.  Dirty little boots stood drying before the fire, and traces of the dearly beloved boys, for whom he makes a slave of himself, were to be seen all over the room.  After a grand rummage three of the missing articles were found, one over the bird cage, one covered with ink, and a third burned brown, having been used as a holder.

“Such a man!” laughed good-natured Mrs. K., as she put the relics in the rag bay.  “I suppose the others are torn up to rig ships, bandage cut fingers, or make kite tails.  It’s dreadful, but I can’t scold him.  He’s so absent-minded and goodnatured, he lets those boys ride over him roughshod.  I agreed to do his washing and mending, but he forgets to give out his things and I forget to look them over, so he comes to a sad pass sometimes.”

“Let me mend them,” said I.  “I don’t mind it, and he needn’t know.  I’d like to, he’s so kind to me about bringing my letters and lending books.”