Bethel,Jany 5/19. 
oe 2 
$ Dear Billy B.; 
3 At last I believe we have settled upon a definite plan regarding 
_“our movements and I am hastening to tell you all about it and to answer your 
lester of the 26th. I am so very sorry that you should have been given the idea 
by anything I may have written that we were likely to change our habitat. *erish 
the thought! Did I give you that to infer? If so it must have been a sort of 
fanciful imagery~,because we just couldnt give up our home and all that that means 
You dear peoplet To know that you love us enough to feel badly because 
we are going away for a time makes things seem wobth while. But the only worst 
part about this trip is that I really cant see you both before we go because 
I am really shy about going to Boston because of the Flu ahd particularly be= 
cause we have cut out all stops on the way and are going via Montreal directly 
to Chicago. 
But in truth all this change of plans regarding our journey,of which 
you havenf known anything but from which our friends and relativea in Cleveland 
have suffered much,and which has made them feel "Mad" at us,is really due to 
my patient and friend ,Mr.Bingham. He is morbidly shy of the Flu,for himself 
especially and also for us because were either of us to get it,all our plans 
would be knocked into a cocked hate 
We first had intended to leave here the lst of this month,stop a 28e 
day in Boston,(when I expected to see yous,)several days in Cleveland and sever= 
al in Chicago,leaving there on Jany 8th. Then because of the universal Flu,it me 
seemed very risky to get out in Cleveland & Chicago and my friends in California 
wired me it was very bad there,we got scared and called off all our reservationse 
In the mean time Mr.Bingham bethought himself that he might get a private car to 
take us through without change or amposure en route,but enjoined upon us 4 Col 
plete silence « It took time to get the negotiations going and actually estabe 
lished and it is only now that the matter seems assured and the date fixed. 
It is also only now that he has consented to our speaking of it to 
our distant friends,but we may not speak of the private car here! iir.Bingham 
is morbidly sensitive to appearing in the light of making a splurge and almost 
leans over backward in the matter of reticence. He is exceedingly generous in 
every way,as everybody here and many others know,and as he asked us to be our 
guests in the car going out,we could do nothing else but respect his wishesSe 
Well when we had still thought that we should go through Boston, 
and I hoped that we yet might get a glimpse of you at the station,word came 
that the railroad people would not guarantee any connections and that between 
here and Chicago we would be delayed for about 24 hours,lying around on sidings 
etce,we were given the alternative of very sure connections at Montreal,via the 
GeTe,ghe accepted that plane So here we are, ticketed through to Chicago without 
seeing a blessed face that we love,even in Cleveland’ 
Thus it is,dear friends,that we shall not be able to see you at all 
before we get back,but then we surely shall. Our Cleveland families are being 
informed to this same effect today and as they had been getting up pleasant 
things for us they will su rely feel their feathers rufflede 
When then,the matter of a private car was assured,with only four 
passengers and the price paid for thirty,(%),I asked Mr.eB. would he invite 
MrseGehrings brother John to ride out with us,I to pay his way for a week of 
sightseeing in California and his journey back,ghe joyously jumped. at the idea 
and invited him forthwith. Poorepatient,hard-working John,these three weeks 
will give him a great treat for he has had so little in life and made so won- 
derfully much out of ite He has never been anywheree So we anticipate the 
