pective.Light,forexample,wasindicatedbytwhtlinesemanatingfromacirthedextendingoutwardtooppositeersoftheframe.Thedeerlookedmorelikeadog,andIdearlywishedforaneraserontheyellowpencil.Ihirdpanel:aflattenedChristmastree,lavishlydecorated,apileofgiftsspreadoutonthefloor.Inthefinalpanel,Idreictureofaboydrowning.Boundinspirals,hesinksbe-lowthewavyline.

    WhenIshowedmypapertoSmaolachlaterthatafternooookmebythehandandmademerunwithhimtohidebehindawildriotofholly.Helookedaroundinalldirestomakesurewewerealohenhecare-fullyfoldedthepaperintoquartersandhabae.

    "Youmustbemorecarefulwithwhatyoudrawinthempictures."

    "Whatsthematter?"

    "IfIgelfindsout,thenyoullknowwhatsthematter.Youhavetoreal-ize,Aniday,thathedoesntacceptanytactwiththeotherside,andthatwoman..."

    "Theoheredcoat?"

    "Hesa-scaredofbeingfoundout."Smaolachgrabbedthepaperandtuckeditintomycoatpocket."Somethingsarebetterkepttoyourself,"hesaid,thenwimeandwalkedaway,whistling.

    Writingprovedmorepainfulthandrawiaiers—B,G,R,W—causedmyhandtocramp.Inthoseearlywritings,sometimesmyKbentbackward,Swentastray,anFactallybecameanE,andothererrorsthatareamusingtomenowasIlookbayearlyyears,butatthetime,myhandwritingcausedmemuchshameandembarrassment.Worsethanthealphabet,however,werethewordsthemselves.Icouldnotspellforbeansandlackedallpunctuation.Myvocabularyannoyedme,nottomentionstyle,di,senteructure,variety,adjectivesandadverbs,andothersuchmat-ters.Thephy