| | | 23 February |
Feby 23
Dear Amy
I received last night your letter of 6-15 Jany & hurry off a line in acknowledgement. "Nous sommes bien éprouvés, allez." I had not expected to hear of this kind [??] complication of disease for you & we are quite overwhelemed by it. It is so far satisfactory however that your last ad???? ?? of decided improvement & by the time this reaches you we trust that it may only be recollected as a bad dream.
I suppose there can be no doubt that your long weakness & illness have been due to your bearing of children, & if it be so think how wonderfully the doctrine of compensation is borne out here. The pains you have suffered are as nothing with the pleasure they have given you. You would be willing to indulge ten times as much rather than have lost, or lose them.
Addie tells me of John's being ordered off and I wish I knew a little more about it. I haven't heard from him direct for nearly 6 months - no 5 - but that is long enough.
I am doyen of the corps as the minister highest in rank, not ????.
I wrote out the first copy of those reports because I got together the material & handed it over to Allen.
Thank Russell for his note abt. etiquette of withdrawal.
It is a beautiful bright warm day & Max has gone to escort with a number of others Mrs. Hillier the wife of the Eng. Consul General, who goes home by this mail, half way to Chemulpo. Max never loses the oppy. to go for a ride. She is in high health. Your mother & I are well.
It makes us sad to read of your weakness and it makes us wish, oh how we wish! you were here to do nothing & think of nothing but be pitied for three months. Kiss the dear children for us. ???? ? ??? ????
Yours ever
A.H.
| | | 23 February |