I cannot stand it. Unless I can get a
vacation long enough at least to catch my breath, I shall break down
altogether."
"Why don't you take a vacation today?" asked her mother. The
daughter got a little irritated and snapped out:---
"Why do you say such a foolish thing as that, Mother? You know as
well as I that I could not leave my work to-day."
"Don't be cross, dear. Stop a minute and let me tell you what I
mean. I have been thinking about it and I know you will appreciate
what I have to say, and I know you can do it. Now listen." Whereupon
the mother went on to explain quite graphically a process of
pretense--good, wholesome pretense.
To any one who has no imagination this would not or could not
appeal.
To the young woman of whom I write it not only appealed heartily,
but she tried it and made it work. It was simply that she should
play that she had commenced her vacation and was going to school to
amuse herself.
As, for instance, she would say to herself, and believe it: "Isn't
it good that I can have a vacation and a rest. What shall I do to
get all I can out of it?
"I think I will go and see what they are doing in the grammar
school. Maybe when I get there it will amuse me to teach some of the
children. It is always interesting to see how children are going to
take what you say to them and to see the different ways in which
they recite their lessons."
By the time she got to school she was very much cheered.
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