But then Shirley is the only one of us she never scolds . `` Faith Meredith is wonderful . I think she and Jem are really engaged now . She goes about with a shining light in her eyes , but her smiles are a little stiff and starched , just like mother 's . I wonder if I could be as brave as she is if I had a lover and he was going to the war . It is bad enough when it is your brother . Bruce Meredith cried all night , Mrs. Meredith says , when he heard Jem and Jerry were going . And he wanted to know if the ' K of K. ' his father talked about was the King of Kings . He is the dearest kiddy . I just love him -- though I do n't really care much for children . I do n't like babies one bit -- though when I say so people look at me as if I had said something perfectly shocking . Well , I do n't , and I 've got to be honest about it . I do n't mind looking at a nice clean baby if somebody else holds it -- but I would n't touch it for anything and I do n't feel a single real spark of interest in it . Gertrude Oliver says she just feels the same . -LRB- She is the most honest person I know . She never pretends anything . -RRB- She says babies bore her until they are old enough to talk and then she likes them -- but still a good ways off . Mother and Nan and Di all adore babies and seem to think I 'm unnatural because I do n't . `` I have n't seen Kenneth since the night of the party . He was here one evening after Jem came back but I happened to be away .
I do n't think he mentioned me XXXXX all -- at least nobody told me he did and I was determined I would n't ask -- but I do n't care in the least .
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