Battle
Creek Mich. March 9th 1916.
My
Dearest Florence.
Your
letter came yesterday. The first one I got since leaving home.
I
was so glad to hear you say you missed me. I felt so miserable
when
I left, over some of my actions in the past, that I was half
afraid
you would’nt miss me at all but rather find it a relief.
Without
Zemmers here the first few days would have been almost
unbearable. They left yesterday but I have a number of other
good friends and I
am feeling Oh so much better that I am really beginning to
enjoy
myself. They are doing all they can to get poisons out of my
system
and trying to teach me how to keep them out so every thing is
beginning to look very hopeful. I have not yet finished all my
examinations but so far they have found no organic trouble.
The
doctor who has charge of my case told me yesterday that there
is no
doubt about my trouble being caused by the sun but he says
that if I
learn to care for myself properly and get good protection
against the
sun there is no reason why I should not go back to Africa. I
had my
ears examined yesterday by an ear specialist and he says my
hearing
is affected somewhat but he can find no flaws and feels sure
the
ringing in my ears is caused by taking too much quinine. I had
also
a special malaria examination yesterday but have’nt heard
their
verdict. I had also a special stomach examination a few days
ago. That was the most unpleasant of all. They put a big tube
about the
size of a hose pipe down my throat and pumped everything out
clean
and then rinsed with water. But the verdict was stomach in
good
condition only very slightly super acidious and not as they
thought
before the examination. The nerve doctor said my nerves are
slightly
paralyzed by sun and failing to do their work properly my
system
fills with poison but that by artificial means that poison can
be
removed and in time if I am careful not to have another sun
attack I
ought to get entirely well again.
All
these special examinations are running my expenses up
frightfully so
I am beginning to think about leaving here a week from next
Tuesday. That will give me three weeks long enough I think to
get all the good
I can out of my stay here because more will depend on what I
am able
to do after leaving here than what I do here. That will get me
to
Chicago in time to catch Lora and we will come up together and
then
move into the house right away. If your school is out before
that
maybe you can fix up a little so we wont need to go to
George’s at
all. I expect just as soon as we get settled to take up as
much
deputation work as I can possibly stand so if George hints
about my
help just say John is likely to be pretty busy. Now I hope you
will
keep well and happy. You will never know just how much I
appreciate
what you are doing. The work you are doing these few months
will
help to bridge over what I think might have been the hardest
time we
ever experienced, and I can only say you are a brave little
girl for
doing it. I know you have pretty well lost the man you married
but I
hope my stay here will help to bring him back again. But one
thing
is true that underneath all his growling and scrapping there
is
always the satisfaction of knowing that you alone are the only
one
that can keep him from going entirely all to pieces. Maybe
sometimes
you doubt whether I love you at all but I am sure if you could
read
my thoughts sometimes when I am away from you for awhile you
would
never be troubled again along that line. I am almost ashamed
to have
to tell you this so often but it is true and if you will
believe it I
know it will be easier for you to stand my foolish actions
once in a
while. But Good bye for this time. A good kiss and a squeeze
would
be the dearest thing in the world just now but I must wait
Yours
John
Tell
Claudon to take good care of that calf.
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