_Only Belovedest_,
I received thy letter on Saturday evening, and was more refreshed by
it than if it had been a draft of ice-water--a rather inapt
comparison, by the way. Thou canst have no imagination how lonely our
house is. The rooms seem twice as large as before--and so awfully
quiet! I wish, sometime or other, thou wouldst let me take the two
children and go away for a few days, and thou remain behind.
Otherwise, thou canst have no idea of what it is. I really am half
afraid to be alone, and feel shy about looking across the dimly
moon-lighted chamber. I expend a great deal of sentiment as often as I
chance to see any garment of thine, in my rambles about the house, or
any of the children's playthings. And after all, there is a strange
bliss in being made sensible of the happiness of my customary life,
by this blank interval.
Tell my little daughter Una that her dolly, since her departure, has
been blooming like a rose--such an intense bloom, indeed, that I
rather suspected her of making free with the brandy-bottle. On taxing
her with it, however, she showed no signs of guilt or confusion; and I
trust it was owing merely to the hot weather. The color has now
subsided into quite a moderate tint, and she looks splendidly at a
proper distance; though, on too close inspection, her skin appears
rather coarse--not altogether unlike that of thy good Aunt B. She has
contracted an unfortunate habit of squinting; and her mouth, I am
sorry to say, is somewhat askew. I shall take her to task on these
matters, and hope to produce a reformation. Should I fail, thou must
take her in hand. Give Una a kiss, and tell her I love her dearly. The
same to little Bundlebreech, who has probably forgot "faver" by this
time.
Dora complains terribly of lonesomeness, and so does Aunty N. In
short, we are pretty forlorn. Nevertheless, I have much joy in your
all being in the country, and hope thou wilt stay as long as thou
feelest it to be for the best. How I love the children!--how I love
thee, best of wives!--and how I shall make thee feel it, when thou
comest home! Dost thou love me?