Part 22 (1/2)

AIX-LES-BAINS

July 6th, 1900

DEAR FAMILY:

Cecil and I arrived last night tired and about worn out--we had had a ot out at Aix and found our roo, we shouted and cheered

It was never so beautiful as it looked in the h the silent streets chortling with glee They could not give us our saot the suite just above theood They were so extrelad to see us and had flowers in all the rooms We have not heard a word about Chas yet, as our mail has not arrived from Paris, but I will cable in a er for news of hi so excited that I could not sleep and have been to the baths, where I was received like the President of the Republic

In fact everybody seelad to have us back

Such a rest as it is and so clean and bright and good--Only I have absolutely nothing to wear except a two pound flannel suit I bought at Lorenzo Marquez until I get some built by a French tailor IWe have not been to the haunts of evil yet but we are dining there to night and all will be well Cecil sends her love to you all-- Goodbye and God bless you

Richard and his wife returned to America in the early fall of 1900 and, after a visit to Mr and Mrs Clark at Marion, settled for the winter in New York They took a house in East Fifty-eighth Street where they didand lived a very social existence, but I do not iarded the winter as a success Richard was unable to do his usual amount of work, and both he and his ere too fond of the country to enjoy an entire winter in town In the spring they went back to Marion

MARION, MassACHUSETTS May, 1901

We arrived here last night in a glowing sunset which was followed by a grand ht, with red curtains and open fires and everything was just as we had left it, so that it seeh we had just come out of a tortuous bad drealad to get away from New York

Outside it is brisk and fine and srand breeze fros, and it was pitiful to see how glad they were to be free of the cellar and a back yard and at large arass and rocks and roots of trees I wanted to bottle up some of the air and send it to all of my friends in New York It is so much better to smell than hot-house violets Seaton cas and to unpack and so to-day we are nearly settled already with silver, pictures, clothes and easels and writing things all in place The gra madly and all is well-- Lots and lots of love

dick

The folloritten by Richard to his mother on her birthday:

MARION, MassACHUSETTS

June 27th, 1901

DEAR MOTHER:

In those wonderful years of yours you never thought of the blessing you were to us, only of what good you could find in us All that ti us better, happier, even nobler people From the day you struck the first blow for labor, in The Iron Mills on to the editorials in The Tribune, The Youth's Coood the novels, the stories brought to people, you were always year after yearthem happier and better No wo suffragette will ever understand the influence you wielded, greater than hundreds of thousands of women's votes

We love you dear, dearyears be many and as full of happiness for yourself as they are for us

RICHARD

CHAPTER XIII

THE SPANISH AND ENGLISH CORONATIONS

Interrupted by frequent brief visits to New York Philadelphia, and Boston, Richard and his wife re of 1902 During this year Richard accoreat deal of work and lived an ideal existence In the suolf and tennis and an ar the winter many of their friends ca hospitality and the best of duck shooting and all kinds of winter sports

Late in April, they sailed for Gibraltar on their way to Madrid, where Richard was to report the coronation ceremonies, and from Madrid they went to Paris and then to London to see the coronation of King Edward