"My dear Carol,
"I did not forget I had promised to write soon to you. Miss Desmond seemed to wish me not to write just at first. She said you would understand. I think she wanted everyone at Mandeville to forget for a little while all about me. She called it taking their thought off me.
"Now I have so much to tell you. I do not know how I shall get it all in one letter. Dear Carol, I am just the very, very happiest little girl in all the world. I can walk. More than that, I can run. Isn't it lovely--wonderful! One night I dreamed that I was walking, and when I awoke in the morning the dream seemed so real, I felt it must be true. So I just got out of bed, and I could walk. I walked to Mother's bedside. She was so glad and happy. When we saw dear Miss Desmond at breakfast time, and I wanted to thank her, and tell her how much I loved her, she took me to her room, and pointed to a portrait on the wall. Such a sweet, loving face, with white, wavy hair. 'That, dear Eloise,' she said, 'is the portrait of the one you must love. I could not have taken you to the Fountain of Truth to be healed, had she not first shown me the way.' And oh, Carol, I do love dear Mrs. Eddy. How I wish I could tell her so!
"Just for a few days, my legs were so shaky, and I had to keep sitting down. I only walked about a room. Then I was able to go downstairs. At the end of a week Miss Desmond and Mother took me the walk you first took, and I sat down to rest just where you rested on the stump of the old tree. We waited quite a long time, hoping Birdie would come. And he did, but he stayed only a minute, chirping--'So glad--so glad.' (It was just like that.) Then he flew away as if he were in a great hurry, and that was all he had time to tell us.
"Miss Desmond said: 'Birdie is always busy about his Father's business.' Mother looked puzzled, and I too. We could not understand. Then Miss Desmond said to me, 'God is Birdie's Father too, dear Eloise. Birdie is a spiritual idea; he has no life apart from God. He has his appointed work to do in God's Kingdom. All God's ideas reflect Him--reflect Life, Truth, Love, Goodness. Perhaps Birdie's work is just to voice a note of joy, of harmony.'
"That made me think, Carol, if even a little bird has his appointed task, I, too, must have mine--some work to do for God. I am waiting for it to be made plain to me. Now I have the desire to do it, Miss Desmond says, the work is sure to come. Even if it is only a very little thing at first, I shall be glad to do it.
"Dear Carol, we are so enjoying staying here, Mother and I. I am so fond of all your pets, and feed them every day, and talk to them about you. Before I could walk, Bob used to take me round the grounds in your pony-carriage, and he always talked so much of you, and the time when he used to take you about. He will be so glad when you come home again. All the servants like to hear about you. They love you so much. I have had to tell them ever so many times about the bull, and how you stood and faced him, and did not run away. They are so proud of you. 'The young Master' they call you. I tell Mother, Willmar Court is like a little kingdom, and you the exiled prince.
"Father is coming next week to take us home. Until he sees me walking, I think he cannot quite believe it. He says he wants to have a long talk with Miss Desmond.
"With many loving thoughts, dear Carol, I am,
Your affectionate little friend