Volume II Part 39 (1/2)

If I were in your place, perhaps I should try to prevent the separation

I should let the wife have her own gentle way I should try to make her comfortable, and not ask her to help me or my parents in any way,--but only to bear my children and to love ood heart, I should be wrong

There is no question, I think, about the good heart Your wife has that, surely It see Re man, and that you can afford to be very considerate to a oman, after the torture of childbirth and the loss of the love--the child-love--for which Nature has been changing the whole body Re the strain of this new education on the physical systee her a little severely Certainly she must love you, and wish that she could be to you all you wish

Forgive this long letter What I want to say is this: If it be not too late, let us try whether a reconciliation is not possible If you can e conditions a little, all would be well, perhaps If _not_,--if you want a stronger woman for a wife,--perhaps it is better to separate But it would be a great pity to separate si So let us try to s as they were before

Affectionately your friend, Y KOIZUMI

TO MITChell McDONALD

TOKYO, January, 1899

DEAR McDONALD,--I got hoe! But I feel a little uneasy about you; and when you get perfectly right again in that strong back of yours, I want to hear froine that I must have an answer to every scrawl I don't knohat to say to you and the doctor,--except that you are both spoiling ; and I feel that it is because you and the doctor are both far away,--and that the world is not really anything like what you make it appear to be

I came up with three Auinaldo, ”the people at home,” Boston, the Pennsylvania Central, Baldwin's locomotives, the Pacific Coast,--and the coood to hear them They cocked up their heels on the seats, home-fashi+on; and I felt sort of pulled towards the about everything in the whole world; and it did one good to hear them Wish we had a few men of that sort in the university

It will feel lonesoo back: I think I should like to be one of those se,--and have a hen wander occasionally within reach ofto sleep A stupid note--just to show that I ahted with the photo, and says it is the best of all by far--in which I agree with her

Love to you, and _do_ take every care of your dear self

LAFCADIO

TO MITChell McDONALD

TOKYO, January, 1899

DEAR McDONALD,--I suppose you have heard of a famous old drama which has for its title, ”The Woman Killed with Kindness” Presently, if you do not take care, you will be furnishi+ng the edy, to be called, ”The S three days to write you,--and have not been able to write, because of the extravagant and very naughty things which you have done That whiskey! Those cigars! That wonderful beefsteak! Those imperial and sinfully splendid dinners! Those wonderful chats until ghost-ti in themselves--made like a happy dreahts (all observed and treasured up) that created aboutat all to this world of Iron Facts and Granite Necessities ”Coain this winter! Steep a ain, and you will utterly spoil hiood work can be done It is all tropical down there at No 20 Bund; and I et the tropics in order to finish No 8 The last ti was in 1889,--in a flat of Fifth Avenue, New York, where a certain divine person and I sat by a fire of drift-wood, and talked and dreas There was this difference, however, that I never could remember what passed as we chatted before that extraordinary fire (which burned blue and red and green--because of sea-ghosts in it) _That_ was largely witchcraft, but at No 20 Bund, without witchcraft, there is more power than that And if I am afraid of it, it is not because I do not like it even ic of Fifth Avenue, but because--No 8 must be done quickly!

You ood to ain before the Twentieth Century I wish I kne to scold you properly;--but for the moment I shall drop the subject in utter despair!

I hope what you say about rain of truth in it,--so that I can getme in this out-of-the-way corner of the world But do _you_ please take good care of that health of yours, if you want to see results: I a nats like myself Please think twice over these little remarks

I have no news at all for you;--there is noin this ress” I have a very curious collection of japanese songs and ballads, with refrains, unlike any ever published in English; and I expect to make a remarkable paper out of them

By the way, I must tell you that such enquiries as I tried to make for you on the subject of waterfalls only confir is horribly shocking to the _true_ japanese nature: it offends both their national and their religious sense The japanese love of natural beauty is not artificial, as it is to a large degree with us, but a part of the race-soul; and tens of thousands of people travel every year hundreds of ht and sound of a little waterfall, and to please their i it (The japanese heart never could understand Aara for hydraulic or electric ether with the a waterfall for such a purpose would seeood, lovable people like a national outrage The bare suggestion would excite _horror_ Of course there are men like ---- who have suppressed in thes,--but they represent an alard the ruin of Fairy-land as certain;--but the mass are still happy in their dreams of the old beauty and the old Gods

LAFCADIO

TO MITChell McDONALD

TOKYO, January, 1899