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besides, to speak truth, I must acknowledge that is rather natural
to me - this spinning of long yarns.

Shall I tell you of a christmas gift I recieved? Of course
you are dying to know. Well - listen - three timid black-eyed
flying squirrels! I put them in a show-case window at brother John's
where they were a nine days' wonder to the little folks of the vicinity
who used to visit them in daily installments. If it were not quite
too much out of season I would tell you what other gifts the
good patron of good children (like you & I,) brought ^me at that same
blessed Anniversary - for instance a copy ^{of poems} of one of my cherished
authors elegantly ^{bound &} illustrated. But au revoir to that subject.

Lucius is still in Virginia. How long he will remain I cant say
We expect to hear from him soon on that point. Did you see Will
when he was in Chicago? If so you are probably advised of his welfare,
and I shall only say of the rest of us what I ought to have said
at first - "We are all well and hope these few lines will find
you enjoying the same blessin'." Dont you think that is a very
elegant sentence? I am glad it is stereotyped so that we can
have any number of editions of it.

Tomorrow, Providences permittin' I am going to Randolph
for a week or so. The white structure on the hill though of no par-
-ticular interest to an ordinary observer is very Mecca. I go there every
year and standing in the old familiar halls which echo to
shouts of merry students, the strange faces ^disappear and in their stead rise
up the forms of half forgotten friends with others well remembered
whose presence filled the rooms with sunshine and whose places
can never again be filled.