It's the keeping us well that's kept her so busy. She's explained so
many things to us we didn't know before, she's almost made me like my
body. I didn't use to. Not a bit.

It's such a nuisance, and needs so much attention to keep it going
right. So often it was freezing cold, or blazing hot, or hungry, and had
to be dressed in such ugly clothes that I was ashamed of it. And if ever
I could have hung it up in the closet or put it away in a bureau-drawer,
I would have done it while I went out and had a good time. But I
couldn't do it. I had to take it everywhere I went, and until Miss
Katherine came I had mighty little use for it.

But since she's been here the girls are much cleaner, and we don't mind
so much not having the things to eat that we like. That is, not quite so
much. But almost. When you're downright hungry for the taste of things,
it don't satisfy to say to yourself "You don't really need it. Be
quiet." And being made of flesh and blood, most of us would rather eat
the things we want to than the things we ought to.

But the dining-room is much nicer. We have flowers on the table, and the
cooking is better, though we still have prunes.

I loathe prunes.




V