ABSTRACT
Well my Booie dear I fear the letter you sent to “ e Aldine Chicago” will never reach me! – so I can only hope there may be no deadly secrets in it!! Oh, such a lot of lovely cards & notes & gi s have come to me from England, & if only you could know the pleasure it gives me to get them from dear home – Chicago is not improved – We live in the heart of the town, for one thing, instead of on the Lake – & oh the dirt, &
[p. 2] old Loveday1 made us all rather chokey – However he is much better now – Mrs Loveday & Mrs Stoker are in New York – too rough here, for those who can stay in N.Y = We had a very pleasant fortnight in Philadelphia – chie y due to the Mac Michaels –, the Platts – the Farnalls, & the Gillespies – & the crowds at Faust were enormous –
e sleighing in Chicago just delights Edy2 – the Dexters are as kind as possible & the dear woman does everything for us – which considering the manner in which I treated
[p. 3] her when she was in England, is generous to say the least of it! I have lovely letters from Ted3 – he does put himself into his letters sometimes in quite a wonderful manner – Your news of Mrs Prinsep’s death4 shocked me greatly. Poor Mamie – she did treat me badly, beyond words once, but ’twas only through stupidity I do believe now – & I can’t help feeling her death very much[.] She had excellent points of character – How strange that a vigorous woman like that should die before Mr W5 – I think the vigorous people o en
[p. 4] <lose their> vigour in helping the weak ones to live! How some people never forget! I never do – I wish I were like the other sort – it makes it easier to get
along – & I think it’s right too – Henry6 is one of the “other sort” – A er all you spill your milk, & it’s no good crying then! – Ah! [illeg.]7 “If to do, were as easy”, – etc, &c, &c, as Portia says = Lord help us we’re all miserable sinners – but – “God above all”, & his mercy is everlasting8 = I think I shall write to Val –
[p. 5] or to Alise Gurney. I have had a little silver box sent me from London with “E.T. from E.C” – upon it, & no letter, & I cannot think who it comes from!
