was the start of a little ceremonial between us, and before she would go to bed she would put her ears to my mouth to hear me say it. So this day when she closed the Bible, I said, “Yes, dear, I know; I’ll buck up and know and believe.” She smiled happily, crept closer, put her mouth to my ear and cooed lovingly to me.

One day when I had her alone in my apartment, I put her beside me on the davenport with some toys I kept for her. I sat looking at her and noticed several little mannerisms that were like mine. I had pondered on it often and it had occurred to me to wonder if she could be a re-incarnation of a niece of mine who had died at four and a half years of age who had tried to do everything as I did it.

I never talked baby talk to Beverly and I now turned to her and said, “Beverly, did you ever know me before?” She let the little toy she had drop from her hands and she looked up at me quickly and with such a relieved smile, just as though she were trying to say, “Well, haven’t I made you understand at last?”

Then I said, “Is that why I love you so much, Beverly Anne?” She nodded her head rapidly, and said, “Um-um.” Of course it is mere conjecture on my part about her being a re-incarnation of my niece, and I didn’t mention it; but I do believe that she did know me before and recognized me from the first.

I SEE her very seldom now as they moved into another part of the city. When I do go there she sits a bit shy at first and stands off and looks at me; then she will come and want me to take her in my arms and puts her ear to my mouth. One day to test her I just said, “Hello, Beverly.” She turned her face to me so quickly and with such a hurt look that I quickly drew her to me and whispered the right words, “I love you, Beverly Anne.” Then she slipped down and went about her play, but every once in awhile she would put her finger to her mouth and ear and smile.

She can talk quite a little if she so chooses, but rarely does so. One day when I was there her mother spoke to her very crossly; her little chin quivered and she started to say something but held it back; then she came running to me. I picked her up and held her quietly for a few minutes, and whispered in her ear, “I love you, Beverly, and Mother loves you and Daddy loves you.”