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Tuesday 6 P.M. February 11th. 96
My Own Darling,
Your Saturday + Sunday letters reached me this afternoon when I returned from "Rubinstein" I am so glad Elcie confided in you, and that you had that frank open talk.
I so want your brothers to have full and perfect confidence in each other. How bright your letter was, my darling, you made me see things so clearly. The visit to the old people,
[written vertically at top of letter above date:]
Natalie dared me to give you her love answer for a joke
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the Sunday evening supper, and dear Elcie to say the blessing.
Mr. Chapman wished me to sing at the Appollo [sic] concert, either the next one or the one after.
It is a great homor as the finest soloists in New York are chosen for those concerts, I shall sing on the same program with Carl [Duftle?] -- The "Appollo" is a male chorus of several hundred voices. Well, sweetheart, enough chatter, This is your valentine, and ought to be filled with nothing but love, love, love,
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I have sent you the sequel to the "Kentucky Cardinal" not so good in many ways but with much in it that touches us. I knew you would enjoy, better than any thing else, a book which I had first read and marked for you, as it has there almost the feeling of a letter. How different this to last "valentines day" with its happy party and fun. I had forgotten that remark about "courting" but am ready now to stand up and vouch
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for its birth. And next "valentines day" will bring more changes, than this year has wrought perhaps -- who knows what the future has in store for us, sometimes I feel like clinging to the skirts of the present and begging it never to leave -- but, darling, this is weak, and your wife must be a strong woman, rich in faith and hope, never fearing, because God watches over all, and whatever comes, if we are pliable to his will, must be for the best, and now, love, many kisses come with this letter and Sunshine's arms are around you + her head nestled close on your breast -- My own -- Goodnight Your little woman
