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           ShehadbeenbornandraisedinDetroit,Michigan,whereherfatherhadbeena"checkerforFordautomobiles."Heracademiceducationconsistedofoneyearofhighschool.Shehadhadnoformalinstructionindrawing.ShesaidtheonlyreasonshewasteachingitwasthatSistersomebodyhadpassedonandFatherZimmermann(anamethatparticularlycaughtmyeye,becauseitwasthenameofthedentistwhohadpulledouteightofmyteeth)-FatherZimmermannhadpickedhertofillin.Shesaidshehad"34kittysinmycookingclassand18kittysinmydrawingclass."HerhobbieswerelovingherLordandtheWordofherLordand"collectingleavesbutonlywhentheyarelayingrightontheground."HerfavoritepainterwasDouglasBunting.(Aname,Idon’tmindsaying,I’vetrackeddowntomanyablindalley,overtheyears.)Shesaidherkittysalwayslikedto"drawpeoplewhentheyarerunningandthatistheonethingIamterribleat."Shesaidshewouldworkveryhardtolearntodrawbetter,andhopedwewouldnotbeveryimpatientwithher.

           Therewere,inall,onlysixsamplesofherworkenclosedintheenvelope.(Allofherworkwasunsigned—aminorenoughfact,butatthetime,adisproportionatelyrefreshingone.BambiKramer’sandRidgefield’spictureshadallbeeneithersignedor—anditsomehowseemedevenmoreirritating—initialled.)Afterthirteenyears,InotonlydistinctlyrememberallsixofSisterIrma’ssamples,butfourofthemIsometimesthinkIrememberatrifletoodistinctlyformyownpeaceofmind.