July 18, - Aug.2, 1893, 1897 Henry and Lucy BlackwellGeorgeville, P. ?., Canada Wednesday, July 18, '93 Darling People: Yesterday, again, two letters arrived simultaneously, both of them directed in Manna's handwriting, and one of them postmarked July 15 and the other July 16. They included Mamma's and Papa's letters written on Sunday, the enclosed from ???. I am glad Ethel has taken one of Mrs. Atkinson's dormitory shares. It will enable the girls to get lodgings for 40 cents a day, which is a good deal less than they would have had to pay otherwise; & is very trying. I hope the bathroom has been fixed. What tribulations you have had. Oceans of love, Rubbe. I am well. no doubt Mrs. A. was glad to dispose of the share, as she could not use it herself. I am delighted to hear of the good rides you have, & am glad the new mare behaves so well. I do not know anything about "Esther Plunkett." I do not think I have ever seen the book. I hope Mrs. Ackerman will not be shut off at Chicago. She has done wonderfully well. Glad you gave Mrs. Kingman a ride. It will hardly be possible for Papa to come to camp if he has to go to M. V. I am sorry not to have him see how nice it is here, & sorry not to have the campers see how nice my Papa is. I think he would have got along with them beautifully, & the boys would have trotted after him as Howard does. But under the circumstances it will not be worth while to try to come. I do not have to "try to" interest myself in the things the others are intertested in, Mamma dear - except puzzles, perhaps. I really enjoy playing Logomachy, & watching the ball games, & reading novels aloud, & rowing on the lake, & translating Armenian verses. I am "Aunt Alice" to a tribe of boys, & an active performerin the evening charades. Speaking of the Armenian, Mamma dear, you need not be uneasy about him; I am never alone with him. You know there are 18 in our party, so there are always people around. Besides, Mrs. Barrows says he [he] is a saint, & has told us confidentially various incidents illustrating the purity of his morals. She knows him very well. It seems that the Armenians are noted for good morals -- quite the opposite of the Russians. Poor little Hattie Turner looked so pale & wilted that I am glad of any arrangement which gives her a two-days' holiday. I am really afraid she will not live long: & the hot summer weather P. S. For breakfast we had oatmeal, scrambled eggs & corn cake. Yesterday the boys built a "fire raft," i. e. a raft with a pile of wood & brush upon it, which they towed out into the middle of the lake & then set fire to it, after supper. It was very picturesque -- like a sort of marine volcano. In the evening we looked for the comet. It was barely visible to the naked eye. Through the glass you could see it more clearly, but I am not sure I should have known for certain it was a comet, & not merely an ordinary star. As part of the day was showery, I broughtout the dried beef, to the ecstatic & voracious delight of the small boys. I keep it for rainy days; & they expressed the hope that there would be lots for rainy days. We went up on the loft, & played Logomachy & ate dried beef, the bigger of the [p] Putnam twins cutting it for the company. Allen Nowell says if he succeeds in making dried beef for himself by your recipe, he shall be the happiest boy anywhere around. The prospect seemed almost to dazzle him, as if he had found a gold mine. I am well. No special news. There was a sprinkle of rain this morning, but the sun has come out again. Georgeville, P. Q. Canada July 19, '93 Darling Papa & Mamma: -- I wish I knew [if] how the Waltham picnic had turned out. We had a beautiful day here. Poor Allen Nowell was in much pain with his finger, & got very little sleep the last two nights. I put a bottle of olives in his tent last night, with an inscription that they were medicine to be taken during the night; but he was suffering too much to care a great deal for them.. So this morning the bugle did not blow for breakfast, & we tip toed about the cabin, not towake him from the sleep into which he had at last fallen; & after breakfast Mrs. Barrows sent him over to the village to have it lanced by Dr. Keyes. He went away as limp as a dishtowel, & came back in the course of an hour as brisk & chipper as a grasshopper. He was like another boy. It was largely the relief caused by the lancing, but partly, I suspect, the arrival of Bessie Holbrook, who is his "best girl." The Holbrook party have come, & established themselves in their cabin. At 10 P.M. last night the thermometer was 52, & it went down to 42 before morning, Mrs. Barrows says; but I slept as warm & snug as need be, having plenty of bedclothes. July 20. Another splendid day. Yesterday evening I went out rowing with Mrs. Barrows, Rose Hollingsworth, Johannes & Willie. Johannes gave us the Mohammedan call to prayers, as they give it from the minarets of the mosques. It was very peculiar, a kind of wild, plaintive howling, [I] rather musical, but most outlandish. He also told us another Armenian folk-story which I put intoverse while setting the breakfast table this morning. Mrs. Barrows thinks we can have these Armenian folk- stories published in St. Nicholas, + that I can get some money for them. I got very mad, reading one of Marion Crawford's stories, + had to work my wrath off somehow, so I got Rose to let me shake her, which she did with admirable good humor. She is so large + solid, it is an ex- cellent vent for one's excitement. The book was "Pietro Ghisleri." I hate stories where a good girl marries a dissipated man + is delighted to get him + lives happily ever after. In haste, with much love, Kubbe. Georgeville, P.Q., Canada Sunday, July 23, '93 Darling Papa + Mamma:- Mother's letter written Thursday, + telling me she had not been well, came yesterday, + you may imagine how sorry I was. An very glad you are getting better. Be sure to let me know how the digestion behaves. Yesterday there were repeated heavy showers, alternating with sunlight. It was the rainiest day we have had. Amy + I played [?] with the boys up in the loft, + the dried beef circulated- partly because it was rainy, + partly because they had soaked themselves, getting fir balsam in the rain for the book." I keep forgetting about the meals. We had codfish the other morning; this morning we had rice, [?], corncake, stewed potatoes + scrambled eggs. I am well. I shall write my speech for Chicago. I wish I could go over the grammar of yours. Get Papa to do it. Oceans of love. Kubbe.my bed, & I felt that they ought to be rewarded. Allen & Jim Nowell expect to leave this week, & we are all blue at the prospect, & I especially. Mr. Barrows' invalid brother Richard, the one who thought of going to M. V., arrived yesterday. He is a handsome man, & looks something as our Mr. Barrows [wo] will probably look when his hair & moustache have turned gray. He is running over with fun & jokes, as bad as Papa. He seems to have even more fun in him than "Uncle June." Mrs. Evans' mother & little sister, & a young lady whom I suspect of being his sweetheart, are spending Sunday here, also. It seems so queer to read of the hot weather you are having. The thermometer thermometer stands at about 58° with us, at present. [It] There is a blazing [oper] open fire in the cabin, & it feels comfortable. By noon we may be sweltering, however. The changes are very rapid. The days are a good deal alike. I read aloud to Alice Green, & bring wood, & go out rowing more or less with Miss Hayes, & always lie down for at least an hour after dinner; & I translate Armenian poetry (or rather Johannes translates it into English, & then I put it into verse). And I play Logomachy with the boys at every opportunity; & Mr. Evans sings funny songs & makes us all laugh. And at 9 [M.] P. M. we sing the evening hymn & disperse to our tents.I found here the two bags with pockets that we could not find at home, & I have driven tacks into my little table & hung them up, & they are a great comfort. The little white kitten is very fearless & playful, & an immense favorite; while poor black Othello, who is timid & shy, is utterly despised in comparison. By the way, I enclosed to Mr. Bowditch a copy of the article giving an account of the expenditure of the Eddy money. He writes that he saw the article when it appeared, & was glad to see it. He adds: "Of the two modes of expending Mrs. Eddy's money, yours is by all odds the more useful. Thousands will read the newspaper to one who will read P. S. Monday A. M. July 24, 1893. For dinner yesterday we had mutton broth, roast mutton, boiled potatoes, delicious peas, & canned peaches; for supper, chocolate, bread & milk, honey, cottage cheese & regular cheese. For breakfast this morning, rolled wheat, corn cake, fried potatoes, stewed raspberries. Yesterday afternoon while we were playing Logomachy up in the loft, a severe hailstorm came rattling down upon the roof. Such big hailstones! And [I] afterwards it cleared off, & Miss Hayes & I went out rowing; & then it gloomed up again. The Sunday evening hymn singing had to be in the cabin instead of out on the lake. The Holbrooks came over, & we had quite a large assembly. dried beef, which was received with delight & returned in the course of half an hour, much diminished in size. This morning the receipt for making it was passed fromThe open fire blazed & crackled, & it was very cheerful. Cousin Nevil has imported a melodeon, & plays on it. He sings (not on Sundays) a comical song about Alonzo the brave & the fair Imogene, which is a great favorite, & the small boys may be heard singing it in all directions [,] After I went to bed last night, I could hear little Willie, who occupies the tent next mine, singing [it] one verse of it over & over, & in a soft, sweet little voice. The Nowell boys have the tent on the other side mine, & the boys got together there after dinner doze for listening to their amusing chatter & didos. I just lay & laughed. Finally I went over & offered them the hand to hand at the breakfast table, & the boys got their heads together over it, studying it with the greatest interest & attention I hope they will be successful in making it: they are bound to try. I am well. Affy, A. S. B. Georgeville, P. Q., Canada. Monday, July 24 ? 1893 Darling Papa & Mamma: -- Papa's letter of July 21 came to-day, also one from Mamma, of same date. Papa forgot to enclose the last page of the letter from the Iowa woman, who writes so amiably. I suspect her to be Mrs. Laura Hurd Bailey, but, as I am not certain, I cannot answer her letter. Papa must send a line thanking her, but telling her I am not going to Chicago. Please keep me informed in every letter as to Mamma's health, for I am very anxious.Dear little mother, take the most precious care of yourself, for you know you are the apple of our eyes, mine + Papa's. For dinner, we had Julienne soup, lamb stew, boiled potatoes, peas, lettuce, + canned apricots. For supper, chocolate, bread + milk, honey, canned raspberries, cheese, gingersnaps + two kinds of marmalade. To-day it has shone + showered by turns. It is so cold I am glad of the Himalaya shawl. In the afternoon, the boys played wild Indians in the woods, + Mrs. Barrows + Rose helped, + got into a regular gale; + they played that Prim [?] Hollingsworth's brown dog was a buffalo. Then they went into the water, + splashed it, + ducked each other; + you ought to have seen Mrs. Barrows ducking George. He did not mind it any more than if he had been the small water dog he looked like. Mr. Barrows, Mabel + Sophie sail for Montreal this week, + are expected to arrive in camp about Aug. 10. To-morrow we expect Mr. McKenzie, the nice young Presbyterian minister who was here last summer. Mrs. Hollingsworth + the boys have been playing bean-bags on the green, + nowthe bugle is tooting for us all to come into the cabin + have charades. It is a lovely evening. Tues A.M. For breakfast, hash, squash, boiled eggs, barley, wheatena. A heavenly clear day. In grt haste, with oceans of love, Kubbe. Georgeville, P.Q. Canada. July [?] 1893. Darling Papa + Mamma:- Yesterday Mr. McKenzie, whom we call "Cousin Mae," arrived, with Dr. Stuart of Montreal, who took care of Willie Barrows through the scarlet fever, + became great friends with Mrs. B. Their arrival added greatly to the liveliness of the camp. Somehow, young men are an addition to society!At least, when they are nice. Cousin Nevil + Dr. Stuart sang college songs together so well that even the boys in the height of their [?] game stopped to listen. Then in the evening we had charades, + Dr. Stuart proved a good actor (Cousin office, + on Friday I am glad it is over. The two Journals came yesterday; but Mrs. Hollingsworth has hers forwarded to camp, so I have not missed any. Oceans of love. Kubbe. P.S. For breakfast we had scrambled eggs, bread + milk, corncake + canned raspberries. Mr. Richard Barrows + the boys caught 71 fish yesterday, + we are to have a chowder. Nevil is always a star of the first magnitude, & we had an unusually brilliant evening's entertainment, winding up with Dumb Crambo. The weather continues showery (I write with pouring rain & thunder sounding outside), & in consequence of the wet weather the first piece of dried beef is almost gone. Allen Nowell was seized with a scruple of conscience in the midst of the revel of dried beef yesterday, & asked me whether my mother knew what became of the beef she sent to camp- i.e. that most of it was not eaten by her daughter. I assured him that you knew I took it along chiefly for the boys. Mrs. Hollingsworth said the other day that the first time she ever attended a meeting of the Radical Club at Dr. Bartol's, she felt utterly forlorn & lonesome, & inferior to all the intellectual people there; & the lady who had brought her there took a seat in the front row, & Mrs. H. did not want to sit in so conspicuous a place, so she took her seat a few rows back, & sat there all alone, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable, & like a cat in a strange garret. Presently Mamma came in, & sat down in the front row, & almost immediately youturned around + greeted Mrs. H. with a beaming smile, + reached your hand back across two rows of seats + shook hands with her. Mrs. H. says it warmed through all through + changed the whole atmosphere, + from that time on she felt herself as good as anybody, + had a beautiful time. She says she always thinks of that whenever Mamma is mentioned. Mrs. Barrows is feeling very happy because her husband + daughter are to sail for home July 29. She is counting the days. I hope you are well, my dear people. On Thursdays I think of Papa toiling away in that hot printing Georgeville, P.Q. Canada. Wed. July 26, 1893. Darling Papa + Mamma:- This morning it rained + thundered, as I wrote you, + I felt a little inclined to growl at the persistent wet weather; but about noon it cleared up charmingly, + now the sun is shining delightfully, the white tents flapping in the breeze, + great magnificent masses of white clouds sailing along behind the pine tops, looking like snow mountains. The long- impressioned family hastened to get out of doors. I had wasted my morning, agreeably but reprehensibly, in a long game of Logomaely in welcome. I am ever so glad you are getting steadily better. With oceans of love, Kubbe.Any Wentworth's big tent. She has a spacious + beautiful tent, more like a parlor than a sleeping room. But when the weather cleared, you should have seen how people scattered themselves out of doors. Miss Hayes held a class in shorthand down under the arbor vitaes on the point they call "The Library." Mrs. Barrows went off to Armenia; Mr. Riehard Barrows + Mrs. Hollingsworth came out + sat on the piazza; + the boys pervaded space generally. Oh, I am in doleful dumps to think that on Friday Allen Nowell will have us! The whole camp will be in mourning. To-day I heard Philip Chase remark, "Isn't it too bad that Dubs is going!" + little George Putnam answered, "Yes, it's rotten!" which is their emphatic adjective of disapproval for anything that bothers them, from sunlight to fishbones. "Dubs" is their nickname for Allen. For dinner we had perch chowder, potatoes, peas, + canned apricots for dessert. (After supper) For supper, we had chocolate, bread + milk, cheese, + marmalade. After supper we went out rowing, + saw beautiful clouds, but were caught in two successive showers, + came in. I had my waterproof, so am not wet. The Armenian Patrioreli has appointed Johannes to represent the Armenian Church at the World's Congress of Religions at Chicago, so he + Mrs. Barrows are both of them much delighted. There is no special news. I am thinking with disgust that I must fall to upon my paper for Chicago. Shall be interested in hearing what decision Uncle G. comes to in regard to the G.D.S. There is a pleasant young lady here named Alice Green, who has taken an extraordinary fancy to me. She is one of those whom Mr. Barrows referred to when he said he had Alices of assorted colors- Alice Green, Alice Brown, + Alice Black- well! Two letters from Mamma, written Sunday + Monday, arrived simultaneously to-day, + were of course very P.S. Thursday, July 27, '93 This morning we have already had rain + sun both= but considerably more rain than sun. It is a most changeable climate. I wish Mamma would send me ten or a dozen one-cent stamps, if she can conveniently. I am well. Lots of love. For breakfast we had wheatena. bread, milk, corncake, stewed raspberries, + fish hash.P.S. Thursday, July 27, '93 This morning we have already had rain + sun both- but considerably more rain than sun. It is a most changeable climate. I wish Mamma would send me ten or a dozen one-cent stamps, if she can conveniently. I am well. Lots of love. For breakfast we had weatena, bread, milk, corncake, stewed raspberries, + fish hash.1 Georgeville, P.Q., Canada. July 29, 1893. Dear People: To-day Mr. Barrows + Mabel have sailed for home, + Mrs. Barrows is so happy she goes about with sparkling eyes, + breaks out in little scraps of song. Mary + Alice Chase arrived to-day, with a friend, a pretty Miss Hannah Carpenter. It has let to a general shifting of places at the table, + at present the Dominic, (Rev. W.P. McKenzie), otherwise 'Cousin Mae," sits next to me, + we have fun. Yesterday afternoona disgraceful & shocking scene occurred, & I am in sackcloth whenever I think of it. Mrs. Hollingsworth wants to wash dishes & we have chronically opposed it, thinking the younger folks ought to spare her the labor. After supper yesterday, the small boys & I tried to fight her away from the pan. She flew into apparent excitement, boxed little George's ears, seized the mop, & danced around wildly. It seemed to me merely a lark; I supposed she had got into a gale, as the most sedate people occasionally do; & I caught her & knocked her down. Horresco referens. I think the devil must have entered into me. When down, she grappled me vigorously, tried to get me down, & did get me down on one knee; & after a very undignified tussle, we got up. I almost breathless with laughter. Aunt Polly disheveled & really vexed, as I perceived to my horror. Her boxing George had been in real irritation; & that was the inopportune moment I had selected for pitching into her in a way which would have beenin bad taste under the best of circumstances. It was too bad. For a little while we both washed ; & then I apologized, & Aunt Polly forgave me, & apologised on her own behalf ; & took me out rowing afterwards, & kissed me when we got home, & Prim came & put his paws on my knee to make friends also. He had barked wildly around us during the fight. Aunt Polly is the kindest & sunniest of women, & we have always been good friends, & I think she has really forgiven 2 me ; but I shall not easily forgive myself. It was perfectly dreadful of me. I have been in the depths of humiliation ever since. Let me see if I can remember the meals. For breakfast this morning, cracked wheat, corn cake, potato hash, & raspberries. For dinner, lettuce, string beans, potatoes (boiled), potato salad, & bananas. It is still gray & rainyish. No special news except the new arrivals. This morning I had a game at Logomachy, & missed Allen sadly ; & wroteon my paper for Chicago. July 30, Sunday. I have forgotten what we had for supper. For breakfast this morning, there was wheatena, corncake, stewed raspberries & prunes. For dinner macaroni, tomato soup, boiled potatoes, green peas, & bananas. Oh, I remember now that for one thing at supper we had an amazing pudding of tapioca & apples, made in a way peculiar to Aunt Isabel, & which was highly approved of. To-day has been bright, sunny & hot. In the morning I rowed with Miss Hayes, & then attended church service in the cabin. Mr. McKenzie read a sermon -- not his own, but by some man he thinks a good deal of, who has lately been tried for heresy. The Holbrooks came over, & Mrs. Peirce from the next camp, & a young man & some ladies who are boarding at Georgeville ; so we had quite a little congregation. The girls had dressed up the cabin prettily with maidenhair ferns, ground pine, & other greenery, & bunches of flowers ; & I set my chair directly in front of Mrs. Hollingsworth, who always goes to sleep -- says she has not been able to hear a sermon for years, because she can't keep awake. Her brown dog lay beside her with great decorum. Since dinner I have lain down for a couple of hours, & have now lazilypicked myself up to write. Aunt Emily says in her letter that she thinks you still have a lurking fear the Armenian may attack me & cut my throat. I told Mrs. Hollingsworth, in confidence, about your fears. She detests Johannes, but she laughed & said she thought you might make your mind easy; he did not strike her as in the least dangerous in any such way as that ; & moreover she thinks him much too intelligent. Her objection to him is that he is too willing to let Mrs. Barrows do things for him, & seldom offers to help with the physical labor of the camp except when asked. So she regards him as unpardonably lazy. He may have something of the Oriental 3 indolence of temperament, but he works hard at his lessons; & whenever he is asked to lend a hand about any of the camp work, he complies promptly & cheerfully. He is at work studying almost all day. In the morning he has first an hour's lesson in English translation with Miss Hayes ; then two hours Greek with Mr. McKenzie; after dinner an hour's music lesson with Alice Green, & then an English lesson of indefinite length with Mrs. Barrows, which generally lasts till near tea-time. After tea he has a rowing lesson from Mrs. Barrows or Rose Hollingsworth. Mr. McKenzie has been teaching Greek atRochester University, but he has to work to keep along with Johannes, & says he is the most interesting pupil he ever taught. But it aggravates Mrs. Hollingsworth intensely to see how Mrs. B. pets him -- something as it used to aggravate me to see Aunt Elizabeth pet Don and Mrs. H. thinks Johannes might show some interest in some other people in camp besides Mrs. B. Mr. Evans hates Mrs. H's brown dog as Mrs. H. hates Johannes, & I don't know which is funnier, to hear Mrs. H. hold forth about J. or Mr. Evans hold forth about Prim! Don't say anything about this; I ought not have mentioned the camp gossip at all. But it is really comical. I have laughed & laughed at their respective fulminations. I told Mrs. H. Prim was a fat, quiet, curly brown creature that followed her about, & that Johannes was a fat, quiet, curly brown creature who followed Aunt Isabel about; & it seemed to me they were equally inoffensive. One complaint against Prim is that he is too exclusively devoted to Mrs. H. -- just as she complains that Johannes is to Mrs. B. But Mrs. B's absorption in her curly protege is really funny. She thinks it a most significant fact, which she has solemnlyrelated to several people in my hearing, that his father was a carpenter, his mother's name was Mary, & his initials are J. C.! When she says these things, Aunt Polly swells with inward wrath, & I chuckle in my sleeve. While I was writing my last letter home, Mrs. Barrows came back from "Armenia" & told me she had been shedding tears over the sorrows of the oppressed Armenians -- though from what she told me I think they were rather tears of sympathy & admiration for Johannes. She said she wished her own boy (Willie) were half as likely to grow up into her ideal of goodness, purity, & 4 simple-heartedness. However, all this won't particularly interest you. But I can see why Mrs. Barrows has so many dear friends; it is because she has the gift of such vivid & intense sympathy, & has no shyness about showing it. People naturally respond. I wish I were not so shy & stiff -- though of course there is a golden mean. I wished you could see the beautiful wooded hills across the lake to-day, & the drifting cloud shadows on them as I sat under the arbor vitaes & watched the bathers. The clouds & atmospheric effectshere are wonderful. July 31. Another clear, bright day. I really must finish up my paper for Chicago. I suppose if I get it to Dorchester by Friday it will be in time. By the way, you have not told me whether Uncle G. bought the G. D. S. or leased it. I am anxious to hear. Keep me informed as to your health, Mamma dear. Yesterday evening we rowed out on the lake, locked oars & sang hymns, as is the custom on Sunday nights. It was a lovely clear evening, & the singing sounded sweet. For breakfast this morning, there was barley, fried potatoes, bread & milk, & raspberries, both raw & stemmed ; also stewed prunes. Oceans of love, Alice Stone Blackwell Georgeville, P. Q., Canada. July 31, 1893. Darling People : To-day Mamma's letters of July 26 & 28 arrived simultaneously, & also a note of Papa's, dated the 26th, inquiring about blanks. I have written to Hattie Turner, explaining. Mamma asks about catarrh, constipation &c. I am having no trouble from constipation. The catarrh is about as usual--perhaps a little worse just now, as I have caught a slight cold. My bed consists of a straw mattress, & three quilts folded double under me ; & I have the great pile of fir balsam that I can put under whenever I want to. But I like as well to have it beside my bed. Papa will be pleased to know that there are four unmarried gentlemen in coach, all of them nice; & that one of them has the seat next me at table, & we do lots of talking together. He is the Rev. W. P. McKenzie, & I have never had such good times at table as since he has been seated next me. By the way, we had for dinner fish chowder, peas, potatoes, macaroni, lettuce, & some sort of pudding, made I think with tapioca or some similar substance. It has been a beautiful day, & the small boys are just going in for their second bath which takes place about 5 P.M. The first & general bath is at noon. I enjoy the antics of the young fry in the water, & the contemplation of the Armenian's fine figure. He is not tall, but has splendid chest & limbs. It is a subject of general comment. He cannot swim much yet, & it is amusing to see him being towed out to the raft behind a boat, like a large fat black fish. Another amusing feature of the circus is to watch Mrs. Hollingsworth & her dog Prim, in the water together. And over beyond, there are always the beautiful hills. There is not much news. The trees rustle, & the water laps onthe shore day & night, & wonderful sunsets follow each other ; but we lead a very quiet existence. The chief items of news are the number of fish caught, or the size of the daily mail. It is too bad you should have such heat. If you could only be here! But Mamma could not live in a tent very comfortably, although I find it very satisfactory. Aug. 1. A rainy day again ; but it looks as if it might clear. For breakfast, cracked wheat, corncake, bread & milk, stewed raspberries, crackers. But the pleasantest ingredient in my breakfast is Mr. McKenzie's conversation. He is a very interesting talker. Oceans of love, [?]. Georgeville, P. Q. Canada. Aug. 1, 1893. Darling Papa & Mamma : I have finished my paper for Chicago, & I am glad to have it off my mind. I think it is good sense, but I am afraid it is not very lively. Papa is welcome to condense it at his discretion, or to suppress it altogether if it does not seem to be needed to fill up the programme. Letters came to-day from Mamma & Papa, with enclosures from Florence, Uncle G., &c., all of which I was glad to have. I am sorry Mamma still continues under the weather. Mamma dear, I wish you would promise me that if you get seriously unwell you will either write or telegraph me at once. Otherwise I shall be worrying. And if you will agree to do so, I will agree to do ditto -- though I don't at present see any likelihood of my falling seriously ill. This morning early it rained ; then cleared up bright & beautiful ; & now, toward supper time, we have had another shower. I have devoted the day mostly to my Chicago paper, with intervals of sitting in the kitchen tent with Aunt Isabel & hearing her talk about her beloved Johannes. Their mutual devotion is really funny, as well as rather touching. For dinner, there was tongue, boiled potatoes, beans, peas, rice pudding & raspberries -- oh, yes, & soup, which should have been mentioned first. I had a fine appetite, & everything smelt very good. Aug. 2. For supper we had bread & milk, chocolate, cold wheatena, cottage cheese, & a fruit sauce made of apples & raspberries mixed. This morning is bright & beautiful. Alice Green & Miss Hayes are leaving, Miss Green for good &Miss Hayes for a visit. So there is a bustle of preparation that shortens letters. I hope Papa will not be stewed in Chicago. It is almost uncomfortably cold here now. Dear Papa, drink Apollinaris & beware of the Chicago water! Oceans of love, Kubbie. Georgeville, P. Q., Canada. Aug. 2, 1893. Darling People : For dinner to-day, there was pea soup, hash, string beans, potatoes, peas (I think), blanc manger or cornstarch ; for supper, bread & milk, chocolate & honey. It has been a fine day. Alice Green & Miss Hayes left this morning, & Miss Shafter arrived for a week's stay. The day has been chiefly devoted to getting ready for an original play, composed by Mr. McKenzie, which is to be acted this evening. He made one last year, a very bright one. Then I was shut out from the rehearsals, i.e. last summer; but this time I have had the privilege of being present, in the capacity of prompter. There is a song in the play which is going to bring down the house, or I am mistaken. We are preparing letters to be sent to "Farther Point", to reach Mr. Barrows as soon as he touches land - or even sooner. Mrs. Barrows has given orders that as soon as a telegram arrives announcing that the steamer has come in, it is to be brought over here from Georgeville instantly, no matter at what hour of the night. They are not to wake up the whole camp, but are to bring the precious dispatch to her tent. I expect great times when the wanderers return. Aug. 3. Well, the play went off last night with great éclat. What with the people from the Holbrook camp, & the Peirce camp, & from the village, we had an audience of 25 or 30. Everybody thinks it was very bright of Mr. McKenzie to compose so good a play on such short notice, but Mrs. Barrows thinks it was conceitedof him to take the part of the hero himself. I was tickled to see that Miss Shafter, his special friend, who arrived yesterday for a week in camp, was greatly delighted. I am hoping it will be a match between them. He is supposed to be willing. It is a splendid day, perfectly cloudless. The doctor leaves to day, for which we are sorry. I watch out with great interest for the bulletins of Mamma's health. Take good care of yourself, [*darling dear, for you are the apple of our eyes. Give my love to Aunt Fey, if she is still with you. For breakfast there was hash, applesauce + raspberries mixed, wheatena or some similar preparation + bread + milk, of course. Lots of love, Kubbe.*]Georgeville, P. [?]., Canada Friday, Aug. 20, 1897 Dear Papa + Mamma, Yesterday we went on a pleasant picnic to Fitch Bay. It was an all-day trip. We had an early breakfast, + then the Holbrooks came over, + we all piled into a little stream-launch, chartered for the occasion. It carries 25, + there were 25 of us. The engine divides it in the middle, with wood heaped up on each side (fancy a steam engine turn by wood!) + the back [*was pretty, too. Bessie is his favorite, but she is more of a romp + less of a young lady than Sadie. I am well. Sorry to think it is getting so near the end. Lots of love. [?] A.S.P. Sophie put her hat on Mr. Barrows, + you ought to have seen him*]part was considered the least aristocratic, but a lot of us had to go in it, + I preferred to be there, for Allen Nowell [+ Bo] was there going over, + Bob Apollonia + he were both there going back, + I do like to watch their antics. I was hugely entertained -- don't know when I have enjoyed a picnic better. The day was perfect, + the mountain views most beautiful. [It] The voyage takes more than three hours each way, and the voyage was [] really the best part of it. Coming around a corner, toward Fitch Bay, there was a glorious vista of mountain peaks away beyond the lake, range behind range, and "Willoughby Gap" on the horizon -- a sort of great gate between two fine blue mountains. And coming around that corner the boat pitched in the most exhilarating way -- I heartily enjoyed it, though those who were not good sailors didn't -- + the sun shone on the water, + the cloud-shadows drifted over the nearer mountains. Then we had to go past some fairy islands covered with delicate birches, & then through a long narrow channel of still water that widens out again into Fitch Bay. They call it "The Narrows", and there were fleets of white water-lilies along the edges, & the boys went off in the boat which was towed behind the steam-launch, & gathered them. We ate our dinner under the trees, & took naps afterwards - those who chose to - & got maidenhair ferns &c., & started for home again. The Holbrooks have a pretty visitor, Sadie Tappan, a Dorchester girl who is regarded as quite a beauty. Coming home, Bob was very devoted to her, & she fretted him, & it was a perpetual panorama - Bob in a state of beatitude. Privately, I don't think it is quite the thing for a young lady to cuddle a boy of fifteen to that extent - putting her arm round him, playing with his hair, stroking his forehead, etc. - but of course she regarded him merely as a little boy. And Bob evidentlyA. S. B. Aug 22 enjoyed it. His grotesque phiz expressed bliss in every feature. It was pretty to see the beauty, with her long white hands + sparkling rings, + pretty complexion +langorous eyes playing off her little airs + graces upon the chubby boy who always looks like a young arctic bear in his white sweater. Allen was paying attention to Bessie Holbrook, but not in so comical or conspicuous a manner. Yet that Georgeville, P.I., Canada August 23, 1897. Darling Papa: Yours of Aug. 21 came to-day, also another letter with a lot of enclosures. Your account of your Vineyard adventures was very interesting. I shall send it on to the Hastings, for the benefit of Aunt Marian. To-morrow i suppose you will return to civilization. I read the part about the Mareans to Aunt Isabel, who listened with interest. Emma wants me to keep a record of the bill of fare here for three days, in order that she may get some hints from it. Aug. 25. Yesterday it rained, but to-day the sun is out again. It is nice to see it. I hope you feel improved by your Vineyard trip. The breakfast bugle has blown, & I must stop. Oceans of love, Kubbe. Alice Stone Blackwell Georgeville, P. L., Canada. Aug. 31, 1897. Darling Papa: Three of our campers, two boys & a girl, go home to-morrow, so we have a chance to send letters with American stamps. I have walked six miles to-day, & hope to sleep finely in consequence. I went twice to the village & back, the first time with Kevork, the second time alone. It is a beautiful walk, most lovely views of lake & mountains along theway. Mr. Barrows is expected next week, bringing with him Willie, + a new French governess in place of the one who got married. I am very sorry to hear the bad news about Harry's mother. Can anything be done? Your postal card written just before leaving the Vineyard came to-day, + the same mail brought a cheery line from Miss Wilde, saying you had got back in good condition, + that it seemed good to see you in your familiar place. I have found among the old letters one written ever so many years ago in which [the] the fact is mentioned that the Woman's Journal that year had cost $4000. more than its receipts: so you see we come nearer to meeting expenses now than we used to, even if we still fall short of it. A letter from Constantinople has come to my care for a Mr. Khachadoor Takh[?]kavadian. Please ask Harry if he knows of any such person. Karekin, the younger of our two Armenians, left to-day. Cousin Nevil Evans (the young man who [yu] jumped about with the gridiron) is coming back to camp to spend another week, and everybody is rejoicing to hear it. No special news, but lots of love. Tell me in what condition you find everything. Your affectionate Kitty. P.S. Sept. 1. A beautiful, still, sunny day. I though of you this morning as taking your [breakfast] bath in the tub instead of in the surf, for the first time for ten days. I am well. No news.