AIX — LES — BAINS.
July 6th, 1900.
[DEAR FAMILY:]
Cecil and I arrived last night tired and about worn
out — we had had a month on board ship and two days in the cars
and when we got out at Aix and found our rooms ready and
Francois waiting, we shouted and cheered. It was never so
beautiful as it looked in the moonlight and we walked all over
it, through the silent streets chortling with glee. They
could not give us our same rooms but we got the suite just
above them, which is just as good. They were so extremely
friendly and glad 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 minute and hear. We
cannot wait any longer for news of him. I got up at seven
this morning 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 seems to have only the kindest
recollections of us and to be glad 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. I must wear a bath robe or a bicycle suit
until evening. We 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.
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 did much entertaining
and lived a very social existence, but I do not imagine that
either of them regarded the winter as a success. Richard was
unable to do his usual amount of work, and both he and his
wife were too fond of the country to enjoy an entire winter in
town. In the spring they went back to Marion
.