Part 31 (1/2)

Your loving friend,

Lewis Carroll

Why is a pig that has lost its tail like a little girl on the sea-shore?

Because it says, ”I should like another tale, please!”

Christ Church, Oxford, _July_ 21, 1876

My dear Gertrude,--Explain to me how I am to enjoy Sandoithout _you_ How can I walk on the beach alone? How can I sit all alone on those wooden steps? So you see, as I shan't be able to do without you, you will have to come If Violet comes, I shall tell her to invite you to stay with her, and then I shall come over in the Heather-Bell and fetch you

If I ever _do_ coo back the sae e; and if you can't find one, I shall expect _you_ to spend the night on the beach, and give up your rooht of before children; and I'h for _you_ If you _did_ feel a little chilly, of course you could go into a bathing-machine, which everybody knows is _very_ comfortable to sleep in--you know they make the floor of soft wood on purpose I send you seven kisses (to last a week) and re friend,

Lewis Carroll

Christ church, Oxford, _October_ 28, 1876

My dearest Gertrude,--You will be sorry, and surprised, and puzzled, to hear what a queer illness I have had ever since you went I sent for the doctor, and said, ”Give me some medicine, for I'm tired” He said, ”Nonsense and stuff! You don't want o to bed!” I said, ”No; it isn't the sort of tiredness that wants bed I'rave, and said, ”Oh, it's your _nose_ that's tired: a person often talks too reat deal” I said, ”No; it isn't the nose Perhaps it's the _hair_” Then he looked rather grave, and said, ”_Now_ I understand: you've been playing too many hairs on the piano-forte” ”No, indeed I haven't!” I said, ”and it isn't exactly the _hair_: it's raver, and said, ”Have you been walking much on your chin lately?” I said, ”No” ”Well!” he said, ”it puzzles me very much Do you think that it's in the lips?” ”Of course!” I said ”That's exactly what it is!”

Then he looked very grave indeed, and said, ”I think youtoo ive _one_ kiss to a baby child, a little friend of ain,” he said; ”are you sure it was only _one_?” I thought again, and said, ”Perhaps it was eleven tiive her _any_ ain” ”But what am I to do?” I said, ”because you see, I owe her a hundred and eighty-two rave that the tears ran down his cheeks, and he said, ”You may send them to her in a box” Then I reht I would soirl or other So I have packed them all in it very carefully Tell me if they co Station, _April_ 13, 1878

My dear Gertrude,--As I have to wait here for half an hour, I have been studying Bradshaw (ht to be studied: even a trunk is studded with nails), and the result is that it seems I could come, any day next week, to Winckfield, so as to arrive there about one; and that, by leaving Winckfield again about half-past six, I could reach Guildford again for dinner The next question is, _How far is it from Winckfield to Rotherwick?_ Now do not deceive me, you wretched child! If it is more than a hundred miles, I can't come to see you, and there is no use to talk about it If it is less, the next question is, _How much less?_ These are serious questions, and youthem There mustn't be a smile in your pen, or a wink in your ink (perhaps you'll say, ”There can't be a _wink_ in _ink_: but there _; you mustn't make jokes like that when I tell you to be serious) while you write to Guildford and answer these two questions You ht as well tellat Rotherwick--and whether you are at hoet rown-up person--and whether you're going to the seaside next su else (except the alphabet and the multiplication table) that you happen to know I send you 10,000,000 kisses, and reson

The Chestnuts, Guildford, _April_ 19, 1878

My dear Gertrude,--I'o”--I've had such a bad cold all the week that I've hardly been out for some days, and I don't think it would be wise to try the expedition this time, and I leave here on Tuesday But after all, what does it signify? Perhaps there are ten or twenty gentle within a few miles of Rotherwick, and any one of the to take a plum off a dish, and finds that she can't have that one, because it's bad or unripe, what does she do?

Is she sorry, or disappointed? Not a bit! She just takes another instead, and grins from one little ear to the other as she puts it to her lips! This is a little fable to do you good; the little girl means _you_--the bad plum means _me_--the other pluirl putting plums to her lips means--well, it means--but you know you can't expect _every bit_ of a fable tomeans that dear little smile of yours, that just reaches from the tip of one ear to the tip of the other!

Your loving friend,

CL Dodgson

I send you 4-3/4 kisses

The next letter is a good example of the dainty little notes Lewis Carroll used to scribble off on any scrap of paper that lay to his hand:--

Chestnuts, Guildford, _January_ 15, 1886

Yes, my child, if all be well, I shall hope, and youHook at two eleven, will contain

Your loving friend,