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Washington City, Dec. 24th 1891
19 California Ave. N.W.
Washington Heights.

Mrs Leland Stanford.
My Dear Mrs Stanford,

The papers inform me
of your return, and I hasten to
send Christmas greetings and
welcome home with all the best
wishes temporal and spirital of
this holy season to yourself and
Mr Stanford.

I regret not being able to do this
in person, having grown so feeble
within the past year that I never
leave my house, and rarely my
room.

I wished to reply to your
beautiful and most friendly letter
to me from Palo Alto, but found
myself obliged to forego that pleasure
owing to the great physical distress