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felt and known this appaling loneliness can know how terrible it is; when as it were all the fibres of life are cut off from God and from all men, leaving you alone in the midst of a horrible void. When I tell you that, against not only my acquiescence but my will, I have been, during these past weeks and months, thus haunted and tempted, and that unto you of all others in the world I cried out for helping fellowship. I know you will acquit me of any "negligence," seeing that it was not I, but yourselves - who were to be laid under burdens and contributions. - There are two reasons, Marian & Laura, why I could not act "negligently" with regard to you. It is simply impossible for me to treat any lady discourteously; and you have been kind to me. Thank you for your kind wishes relative to my new position. It is a very pleasant one, but I am not overburdened with leisure, after all. I am confidential aide-de-Camp to Gen. Miller, Comdr. this Post, and during my office hours am kept constantly busy. But I have my evenings, in which to read and study, and I have quite a snug and cozy little room in a comfortable boarding-place, so that, while I am pretty weak and broken down yet, my health is slowly improving. But I suspect I shall never recover from the effects of my mishap last Fall. I was badly hurt in the spine, and upon all changes of weather I suffer a great deal. Shall I reiterate my expressions of joy and thankfulness at hearing from you again? I hardly knew how large a