213 REMINISCENCES OF 



sufficiently recovered to travel, though the journey 

 home was slow and painful. M. Casimir de Candolle, 

 son of the venerable botanist, came to the hotel 

 immediately after my husband's attack with the 

 hope of showing us special sights in Geneva, and did 

 for us everything possible to prevent our feeling of 

 helplessness in a strange town. 



Once home, Dr. Hecksher came to the rescue and 

 again urged a decrease of work. But how to reduce 

 it further was the difficulty. Dr. Williamson loved 

 his winter class and his evening class ; these did him 

 no harm ; but although the college council granted 

 him as much extra help as he asked, and in spite 

 of the capable and devoted efforts of his friend and 

 demonstrator, Mr. Hicks, the influx of medical 

 students for the summer class was the crux. 

 Neither Dr. Hecksher nor I thought he could 

 muster strength for another struggle. 



My husband's children joined me in definitely 

 facing the problem, and in trying to determine what 

 steps should be taken to avert a breakdown. We 

 were afraid of reducing work too much, as this 

 would bring evils worse than those we were trying 

 to escape; and he very much dreaded any further 

 serious reduction of income. Still, after a careful 

 survey of the position, Dr. Hecksher, his children 

 and myself agreed, that the inevitable step was the 

 resignation of his Chair of Botany. 



He would then be able to continue all research 

 work, and this would give him unending interest. 



