“It is my turn now, ‘For Jeannette Litman,’ such purty shoes; how did he know my size? O! he had me step in the dusty road and then he measured the track, saying a fairy had passed this way; and here is a little blue silk handkerchief and two books. What does this spell, Simeon? University Dictionary? What is a dictionary?”
“A book that tells what big words mean.”
“Here is the other book, ‘The Little Colonel at Boarding School;’ and here’s more, two boxes—dolls! real dolls! all dressed and asleep in their best clothes, shoes and real hair. O, you beautiful things! You sweet darlings! Look granny! the top dress is just like spider web with dew on it. We will name this one after you, granny. I bet you was as purty when you were a little girl. This is Jane Wilson and the other I will call Ruth, Ruth Dixon, after mother.”
Jeanne insisted on writing the letter thanking Mr. Allen for the gifts; and it was a momentous undertaking. Simeon brought a stamp, envelope and two sheets of paper in a thread box from the general store at the mouth of Big Creek. There was a pen and ink in the house, though it was necessary to dilute the ink before using it.
At a loss as to how to address the envelope and commence her letter, she consulted her grandmother; but would hear no other suggestions. At the end of the second day’s series of efforts on her slate she was sufficiently satisfied to transcribe what she had printed to paper. In her many attempts to find out how to spell certain words she discovered that the new dictionary was [pg 17] marvelously arranged in alphabetical order, and in possession of this key, finally mastered it.
In searching through the dictionary by chance she came upon the word correspondence and learned its meaning. The word had caught her eye, because among their few books, all of which had belonged to her great grandfather, there was a set in old sheep binding of “Jefferson’s Correspondence.” She took down Volume IV; and opening it at letter CXXVIII, was better pleased with the style of address, in writing a person of Mr. Allen’s greatness; and concerning such matters of importance, than the one her grandmother had given her and adopted it.
So she began tediously to print:
“To John Allen.
“Dear Sir:
“The simultaneous movements in our correspondence have been remarkable on several occasions. It would seem as if the state of the air, or the state of the times, or some other unknown cause, produced a sympathetic effect in our mutual recollections. i has to say grandpas specks was the first thing we found in the box. you know i could a got along with them bone dolls dressed in his old red shirt but times would a been hard outen them specks he lays on the bed with a chair under his head and reads his bible now when onct he had to wait tell i had time he says now the windows are open. how did you come to send granny a black shawl you had not seen her shake with the cold like I has done. my feet is tuf i could a done outen the shoes but she jest had ter have the shawl and the shears. i know now why you had me step in the dust. granny says men are sly and gals must be shy but why dident you jest say Jeannette let me see your feet i keeps them purty clean.