| | | 17 July |
Peking July 17th 1892.
My Dear Heard,
Many thanks for your kind note of the 14th last and the good news it contained about yourself and Mrs Heard. I also am without news from Max but hope to hear from her before I am much older. The thought of depriving you and Mrs. Heard of her companionship is the only drop of bitterness in ??? without that perfect happiness. Here everybody is delighted at the thought of having her as doyenne and I receive from every one the kindest expressions of sympathy and the warmest felicitations, all these effusions are of course duly forwarded to her who has the largest sympathy and admiration.
The weather is rather unpleasant, everything is reeking with dampness and tho' it has not been raining for the last four days, the sky looks always very threatening. Let us hope that it won't rain any more, there has enough of misery been caused already by the preceding downpours!
Nothing new in politics, things look quieter in Hunan and Kuangtung but antiforeign placards are again appearing in Honan.
Good bye for the present. Give my most respectrul regards to Mrs Heard and believe me with every good wish for you and yours.
Yours very truly,
MvBrant
Baron von Sternnburg34 turns out to be an old acquantance of your oldest daughtor, whom he met frequently in 1885 at Lord Sackville's and Mrs Robinson's, the wife of the third secretary of the navy; I am glad that Max will find some one here to talk over her american friends; Sternburg knows everyone. -
Mr. Denby wrote a most charming letter in acknowledgement of a note from me, it was duly forwarded to Max.
The austro-corean treaty was signed at ????? On June 23d between Baron von Biegeleben35 and the Corean Chargé d'affaires; it is to be ratified within a year. But now, chin chin for good.
Yours,
B.
| | | 17 July |