EDUCATOR 131 



A few days after his arrival he wrote: "If I had had the 

 strength of a flea and the perseverance of an ant, I should 

 have written you before this, but the fact was that two of 

 the old symptoms came back on me after reaching here, 

 the swelling of my legs and increased difficulty in breathing. 

 The weather is not altogether what one could wish. Yes- 

 terday we had a day to make one dream, temperature 79, 

 with a fine breeze blowing most of the day. I expect as soon 

 as the weather becomes settled and warm that I shall brace 

 up and take a fresh hold. I shall trust in my next letter to 

 be able to say: * Behold how long a letter I, Dad, have 

 written unto my Calvin." 



If fine spirits and courage could have saved a man in his 

 condition he would surely have pulled up. 



He had expected to stay at Fort Pierce a month longer, 

 but as the season was over and the hotel was closed, there 

 was nothing for him to do but to go to St. Augustine. This 

 he did the more readily for, as he said, it was a larger place 

 and there he was sure of finding a good physician. But the 

 journey was very tedious and aggravated all his symptoms. 

 Almost immediately on arriving, the doctor ordered him 

 to the hospital. The evidences of failing strength were very 

 apparent. On April 10, he asked his wife to write at his 

 dictation, but when he came to the case in hand he did not 

 feel equal to it. She writes the same day : " He is very cheer- 

 ful as usual." 



The next day he put a postscript to her letter: "I hardly 

 know what I can say to you. I came down here hoping and 

 expecting to improve immediately, but instead of that I 

 had to go to the hospital and it is too soon to speak of re- 

 sults. My doctor used to know my brother William, and 



