| | | 30 August |
Seoul, Aug 30 1891
Dear Amy,
I have yours of July 9 about young John's admission to Harvard, & I have also received a letter from my brother explaining how the mistake occurred. It seems he was admitted with 2 conditions which is very good & I am very glad to hear it.
I have just come back from Chefoo, after a week's absence which has done me a great deal of good, but it will take me a little time to get back my strength. I was afraid I had given myself a setback by an effort to get up to Seoul in a hurry after my arrival. I got in on the 28 th. The 29th was the King's birthday -- the 40th which in Corian ideas is the most important of all, & it was expected that he wd. receive the congratulations of the For. ministers. I got a note from Allen to say the King had sent to inquire if I wd. be there & he had assured him I would be, but he did not know the hour of the audience. I left Chemulpo as soon as I could, but not in time to get into the city gates before they close at sundown, so I had to spend the night at a ???? ??? inn at ??? the halfway station where owing to ??? & coolies ???? & I got very little sleep. The day was very hot. I got up before 4. I got away from there at 20 min before 5. Arriving at Seoul a little after 8 to find 8 named as the hour of the audience. However punctuality is not a virtue of the Koreans. So I got something to eat as soon as I could, dressed, & started for the Palace. As I approached I met the other ministers coming away, the audience having already taken place.
Last New Year's day they kept us waiting a long time & I made a great row about it. So this time they were punctual!
I pushed on and it was all for the best. HM received me at once, keeping others - the English Consul & c waiting & I had a long interview with him alone, which was very satisfactory. The sun was fearful. I excused myself from the big dinner at the Foreign Office, & kept quiet the rest of the day. I was very used up when evening came however, & got to bed early.
I am happy to say however I feel all right today. So all is for me best in the best possible of worlds.
You ask me about Max. I really don't know what to think or to say. Von Grandt took a great fancy to her & heaped presents of all kinds upon her, so much so tha I remonstrated with him. But he said: Oh don't say anything as it gives me great pleasure & I look on her as one of my own nieces. He took her about in every way as no doubt she has written you.
He used to go out with her in the early morning to see sights & a thing which Max said in Peking he never would do for any body. And since we came back every steamer brings her reams of letters, books, etc.; the last one brought her 3 boxes. Books, a ??? of beautiful embroidered damask, photographs, & a letter about the lengh of a Sunday NY World! She writes him in the same way.
Of course all this is between you & me. You must not let her know I have written you this.
Von Brandt is a fine fellow and I like him very much, but then he is a contemporary almost of mine. I think he is 56. A handsome man, but looks his age, white hair & beard. They call hem "le Pére Eternel!" He is ????, & the Doyen at Peking.
En fin, nous verrons! --
Yours ever
A.H.
| | | 30 August |