Martin letters

Kate wants me to take the meeting tomorrow night, as on such short notice, she can't get any body else, and I'm trying to think of a subject and of things for people to do - I'm going to talk it over with Winifred now, so I must stop.

I gave Winifred a Ralston book the other day.

With love and wishes for a glad New year. Dora

The Leland Stanford Junior University Palo Alto, California.

October 30. 1893

My Dear Mrs Martin

It has been a long time since your letter came, and I fear you may have thought that I did not care for it. That is not a bit true. It did

silence. I have been walking through the valley of the shadow of death with the dearest friend I had on Earth, and my eyes are still so blinded by the darkness that I find it hard to believe that this sun still shines or that there is light any where. In those first busy days at the opening of the University there came one day a cablegram from Germany saying that my friend was very ill. I was so anxious and humbled. I longed to fly to her, but I could only write

The Leland Stanford Junior University.

Palo Alto, California.

and cable. This I did constantly through many anxious days, then came the cruel end.

Every body has been very good to me - the girls are lovely, and I try to be quiet and brave but I am not.

Life seems very empty and desolate. She was my dearest friend. It was to be with her, rather than to travel, that I went abroad last year. She was to come home in December, then we were to be together always.

without her I am all, all alone. Every plan of my future dependend on her - now there are now plans, scarcely, it seems to me any future nothing but the day by day duties.

Forgive me dear, for saying so much about myself and my sorrows. I did not think to do it when I took my pen to answer your letter. Instead I meant to tell you of the summer which was a very happy one and of my visit to Chicago which was full of interest, but this