Shs too is a devoted mcjther and wholly unspoiled.,She takes sole oharge of the 
family and does the oociking, a pparetnyly takings things as they come without com¬ 
plaint or repining.She goes dressed in her working garb,and affeers no apology 
for her appearance / whioh is business like but not fashionable. In many -ways , no 
doubt, she is like her pother but without her fine figurei and beauty. 
what you say about Mrs F-Js penetration is absolutely correct, and on the 
first reading of her letter I was actually dismayed.I made no attempt to evade 
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the issue in any way,and I fancy that what she is afraid of is the falling short 
of what we supposed to be.Her life in her own estimation has been a failure 
A 
while she greatly exaggerates what we have done and what we have become.Henoe 
she is afraid of our verdict and is hyper sensitiove on the subject of waht we 
think of her.She is an (excellent talker, uses language to the point, is very lively| 
I 1 f 
and interested in everything said,and would b® able to hold her own under any 
Giron- , ns I litrcie chance to calk of other than general subjects; especial 
lly as two of the neighbors came in who are interested in birds,but she spoke 
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with very deep feeling of aimory and of her love for him. In her memory is wholly 
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perfect.Thsursday she is to meet me ^and I am to take her to look at some diatoms 
in Mann's office,af ertjffvhich we are to go to the National Museum*and then we are 
oo dine, at the Cosmos Glut which I thought might please her. Her daughter cannot Vs<| 
with us because of the children. I had planned to ahve them at my rooms to look at 
diatoms.^as I thought they might be glad to inspeot a bachelor's quarters but had 
to give this idea up. 
iither I had forgottne or never knew that red-bellied nuthatches ooour 
round Washington in Spring in flooks,ana two observers who know the bird report 
having seen from ten to fhirty at a time.On of them Is Will Palmer,In the west 
and also in Florida., fche nuthatches go in flocks but I naever saw aether of our 
species . ‘ - 
