---and ladies of the club by Santmyer Helen Hooven 1895-

Author:Santmyer, Helen Hooven, 1895-
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Women, City and town life
Publisher: New York : Berkley
Published: 1985-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

it to her, standing stock still for a moment, still hatted, gloved, and cloaked, the letter still in its envelope.

"You haven't heard from her in ages, have you? Not since she let you know her husband had died. What now?"

John grunted. "Read it. You'll see."

Anne stripped off her gloves, dropped her cloak on the back of a chair, and, unfolding the letter, read it aloud:

Dear Cousin John:

As my only living kin, I hope I can turn to you for help, or at least for advice. I have been told that I must get my son Rodney out of this climate. He is a delicate child and has not been able to shake off the attack of malaria he had last summer. The doctor is so accustomed to everyone having malaria that he takes it for granted. He stuffed Rodney so full of quinine the poor little boy could hardly stand. But the minister of the church which we attend came to call this week and was quite shocked. He told me that children could die of malaria: that I must take the boy away. Is this true? I did not know that anyone died of malaria. If it is true, we must move from here. But where? I have a few friends in New Orleans, but yellow fever frightens me even more than malaria. Could we move to Waynesboro? Do you advise it? Do you have malaria there? If I sell the plantation, there will be money enough to live on. I have consulted Grandfather's lawyer in Memphis, and he says there will be no trouble in selling it: If none of my neighbors wants to add our thousands of acres to what they have, it will be snatched up by the syndicate of Yankees who are buying so much cotton land. After the sacrifices made by all to keep the land in the family, it breaks my heart to sell it when it should be kept for Rodney's inheritance. But I could not manage it from a distance; I have a good overseer, but I don't know how good he would be if I were not here to keep an eye on him.

I hope you will be willing to advise me. Would Waynesboro, Ohio, be a good place for a little boy? If you think we should move away from this climate up north, would you be willing to help us find a place to live? Anxiously awaiting your reply,

Your cousin Jessamine Gordon Stevens.

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