Hope. 335 



Her husband could not trust himself near her for 

 more than a few minutes at a time, lest he should 

 betray his fears and anxieties. He had begun to 

 have his flower-garden dug up and enriched in 

 trenches ; here he spent most of his time, to be with- 

 in call, if she should suddenly grow worse. The 

 passer by who watched him apparently entirely ab- 

 sorbed in his work, never guessed the motive the 

 almost necessity for bodily labor. When the 

 trenches were finished, they were found to be too 

 deep, only the roots of the most vigorous plants 

 reached the rich soil beneath ; his friends under- 

 stood the cause of his too thorough work in his flower- 

 garden. 



To VICTOR AUDUBON. 



March 2d, 1857. 



To-day, I can write you encouragingly with re- 

 gard to my good wife's health ; to-morrow I shall 

 take her to " Kalmia " to spend a few weeks with 

 her friend, Mrs. Gregg. I shall come down always 

 at the close of the week. I find myself enjoying life, 

 and still able to go through a certain amount of 

 labor. * * 



Mrs. Bach man's condition for some time kept me 

 much at home my mind was too anxious to allow 

 me to read or to write with any composure or satis- 

 factionI found resources in my gardens and poultry. 

 I have been very successful in raising both vegeta- 

 bles and poultry, and am, almost independent of the 

 market. 



Come to us about the first of October, and perhaps 

 I may spare time to go with you to Florida the 



