“Oh! how do you do, Mrs. Mackenzie? I hope your little children are
well, and the Doctor; so glad to see you are quite recovered from the
influenza I heard you had,” and then, with a gracious smile, she drew me
on, and we had to run back up the stairs to be in time for our train.
Such manners as these are the only true and beautiful ones, Caroline,
because they spring from a kind and tender heart.
Your affectionate Godmother,
E. G.
III
JANUARY, 1913.
I had meant, my dear Caroline, to write to you upon the interesting
subject of marriage in this letter, but before I can commence upon that,
I must speak of something else, and you must promise me not to be
offended at what I am going to say, since we both desire the same
end--your success and welfare. The fact is, your picture, which you tell
me was drawn by a friend, has just reached me. You say it is more like
you than the only photograph I possess of you, taken when you were
fifteen; and it is because of your assuring me of this that I cannot
remain silent--for, Caroline child, I must confess it shocks and
disconcerts me, and makes me feel that I must be very frank with you, if
you are ever going to be able to attain that position which we both hope
that you may.
Even if the drawing was perhaps done some months ago, and you have
altered your style of hair-dressing since then--still, that you were
ever able to have looked like that--you in Paris!--proves that your
observation and taste are not yet sufficiently cultivated to make you
anything of a success when you come out in May. Thus I must speak
plainly and at once.
Now, let us pretend that the little girl I see before me is not you at
all, but some abstract person; and let us dissect her bit by bit: her
type, her style, her suitability--or want of it--her attitude and the
general effect she produces. And then let me suggest the remedies and
alterations which can improve her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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