[The author didn't address the letter formally, but it was written to Abby Turner.]
City Hospital
Henry Enos Tuley, M.D. SuperintendentFriday night.
This is not my personal letter paper but some odds and ends Miss Peck left in her drawer when she departed. This heading is one end, perhaps the next heading is another end. Anyway there seem to be two styles present. It's now 7 P.M. and I have to watch a vaccine until 7:45. Then will go down town to dinner. Neither of us got around to our five o'clock meal. It comes early when there is lots to be done and today I had to cook. Miss Peck didn't do much cooking, thinking maybe I'd like my own recipes better - but cooking is hard work and today I've tried to make up a little broth, a little agar, and enough dextrose gelatin to last until I can get other things replenished.
It would have been so depressing working if Pedro hadn't decided to clean up the general utility room today. His method of house-cleaning is to wait until his dishes pile up in quantity and he then does them all with much splashing of water over the floor and general surroundings. It was also the day he elected to wash the shelves above the place I was trying to filter agar and I had a feeling he'd fall into one of my funnels before we both got through. - But he didn't and he mopped up the floor after the water got an inch or two deep. He's a rogue - but so amusing. Last night he carefully hitched the gas cocks and water faucets together and a solemn young interne began to work at the desk this afternoon, trying to make a Wedal. When he got everything in place he turned on the gas jet and had a fountain playing all over him most unexpectedly. It must have hurt his dignity sorely.
It's now 9:45. We have just gotten home from our last meal of the day and I'm ready for bed. Like you I'm getting to feel it's so hard to get there. I just get waked up by 10 o'clock.
Mrs. Keiser, our land lady, has a bad throat and feels sad - but I room on with her just the same and don't mind at all. There is a certain corner to which I retire for the deepest layer of clothes but otherwise we run about calmly. Mrs. Keiser thinks if this miserable weather would only stop she'd feel better but I can't feel it's bad. It's splendid! Cool - Miss Newell wears a coat both AM. and P.M. and beautifully sunshing. [?] We walked down to the Ohio one nice night last week and sometime we are going to take the boat ride up the river about 12 miles. Sunday we may go out in the country and walk. Miss Newell is very companionable and comfortable and we play around together most every evening. She has a private porch on which I sit and one evening we chased our wash lady, Rachel, into a row of negro shanties - Rose Lane - awfully funny, each shanty close to the next but each with its tiny front yard enclosed by a picket fence. Rachel showed us her backyard, corn, sunflowers, beets, cats, grapevines, pump, mulberry tree, clotheslines and washing and bunches of "pretty by nights". Do you know the last? Four o'clocks, they are. Rachel calls them the other name. She let us go through the house on the way out but unfortunately it was a trifle too dark to see her large parlor pictures of members of her family group. Miss Newell says they are life size and natural color.
There is a large library - the city's - but far away and we go over there every week or two. Inspite of early hours, however, I don't seem to read much for we do something else - walk or sit out and talk over the day until we get hungry and then we go to Lee Lewis's and have some ice cream or grape juice. Not having any time to sit this evening it's now time to start for bed. There is nice hot water every night and I'm glad to get my aching bones into it.
Another vaccine today and perhaps another tomorrow. My fingers are getting all cut up, but I suppose Dr. Graves gets $50 a piece for them. He does outside work when ever it's possible - both bacteriology and serology.
I must stop though I'd like to talk on. Goodnight, dearie, and I love you.