128 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



January 15, 1905, he expresses his feelings and states his 

 condition : — 



"No human being has ever had so many friends as I have. 

 It is almost worth falling on evil days to see how they rally 

 round me. God bless and keep you all. Pardon my delay 

 in not answering your last, but I have had three very bad 

 days without any breath to speak of. The serum in my 

 chest has stopped being absorbed and I don't know when 

 the Doctor will let me start." 



Ten days later, January 25, he writes: "In regard to the 

 time of my going South, I am sorry to say I can tell you 

 nothing about it. I got into a pretty miserable situation 

 with certain features that were rather alarming. They sent 

 for a specialist from Boston. He was here Tuesday night, 

 looked me over, and pronounced it as his opinion that I 

 shall pull up from this provided I give myself complete 

 rest, — and so he commenced giving me rest by sending 

 me to bed and ordering me to remain there — or on the 

 lounge — until such time as it seems feasible to let me 

 loose on Florida." 



It would give a very erroneous impression as to the state 

 of his mind if the letters here cited were thought to be wholly 

 given to describing his various symptoms. His references 

 to his condition are a very small part of them. The great 

 burden of the letters from which extracts are made is given 

 to making fun of the friend he happens to be writing to, or 

 to some personal matters which interest him, and especially 

 to expressing his gratitude to his friends. It is all told in 

 this sentence, although expressed in many different ways: 

 "It is very delightful to see how my friends rally round 

 me and I assure you I appreciate it to the uttermost." 



